Monarch Joint Venture Blog
Eastern Monarch Numbers Increase, But Conservation Efforts Still Critical
The eastern monarch butterfly population in Mexico’s oyamel fir forests this past winter occupied 1.79 hectares, according to the latest survey released by the World Wildlife Fund-Telmex Telcel Foundation Alliance (WWF) and the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas in Mexico (CONANP). This represents a 99% increase from last year’s 0.9 hectares in the 2023-2024 overwintering season. Read More
Eastern Monarch Butterfly Population Falls to Less than One Hectare in the 2023-2024 Overwintering Season
Monarch butterflies occupied 0.9 hectares, 1.31 less than the 2.21 hectares in the 2022-2023 overwintering season. This is the first time since the 2013-2014 overwintering season that the eastern monarch population has occupied less than one hectare. Read More
2021 Thanksgiving Count Shows Almost 250,000 Overwintering Western Monarchs: Let’s Celebrate, and then Get to Work
With the 2021 Thanksgiving Count showing almost 250,000 overwintering western monarchs, conservationists are relieved, and also scratching their heads. Read More
Monarchs and Día de Muertos in Mexico
The annual return of monarch butterflies to Mexico coincides with Día de Muertos and carries strong cultural significance in Michoacán and the State of Mexico. Read More
Field Notes: State of Mexico, Mexico, January 28-February 1, 2019
Alison Cariveau, MJV Science Coordinator, shares her recent visit to Mexico to participate in the Trinational Monarch Science Meeting, and visit a monarch overwintering sanctuary. Read More