monarch butterfly
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Credit: Joshua J. Cotten/Unsplash
Monarch butterfly numbers decline sharply in Mexico
A significant drop in monarch butterfly populations in Mexico raises concerns.
In short:
- Monarch butterflies in Mexico have decreased by 59%, marking the second lowest level on record.
- Experts attribute this decline to climate change effects like heat, drought, and habitat loss.
- While the migration isn't endangered, the significant drop poses a threat to this natural phenomenon.
Key quote:
"It has a lot to do with climate change. The monarchs looked for other sites ... they are looking for lower temperatures."
— Gloria Tavera, conservation director at Mexico’s Commission for National Protected Areas
Why this matters:
The decline of monarch butterflies in Mexico is an indicator of the broader impacts of climate change on biodiversity. This issue is crucial as it reflects the health of our ecosystems, which directly influences global environmental stability and health outcomes.
In 2018, Brian Bienkowski reported that more than 60 million acres of the monarch's US migratory habitat would be sprayed with dicamba.
Keep reading...Show less
Wikimedia Commons
Monarch butterfly numbers skyrocket in Mexico
Mexican experts said this week that 35 per cent more monarch butterflies arrived this year to spend the winter in mountaintop forests, compared to the previous season. Experts say the rise may reflect the butterflies’ ability to adapt to more extreme bouts of heat or drought by varying the date when they leave Mexico.
inhabitat.com
Monarch butterfly population declines due to climate change and logging
A new report from WWF and Mexico's government shows another huge decline in monarch butterflies in 2020. The reason? Deforestation and climate change.
www.newyorker.com
Saving the butterfly forest
Environmental destruction and violence threaten one of the world’s most extraordinary insect migrations.
www.nbcnews.com
Monarch butterfly population moves closer to extinction
The number of western monarch butterflies wintering along the California coast has plummeted precipitously to a record low.
How these threatened animals could bounce back
From hairy rhinos to squirrel-size monkeys, these species are poised to survive thanks to conservation efforts.
www.nytimes.com
What’s happening to the monarch butterfly population?
“Something’s going on in early spring,” a professor said, and researchers are trying to solve the mystery.
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