environment
Mexico’s monarch butterfly population jumps 64%, offering hope for at-risk species
The insects covered its largest area since 2018, despite threats from habitat loss, climate crisis and pesticides
TL;DR
- Monarch butterfly population in Mexico increased by 64% this winter compared to the previous year.
- The occupied forest area expanded to 2.93 hectares, the largest coverage since 2018.
- Threats to monarch butterflies include habitat loss from deforestation, climate crisis, and herbicide use.
- In the US, herbicides like glyphosate and dicamba have reduced milkweed, the sole food source for caterpillars.
- The Biden administration proposed listing the monarch as threatened, but the decision was delayed by Trump officials, leading to a lawsuit from environmental groups.
- In Mexico, avocado farming expansion has led to significant forest loss, with organized crime groups involved in illegal logging.
- Conservation efforts have slowed logging in Mexico, with illegal logging in the core zone of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve virtually eradicated since 2008.
- Despite improvements, the current occupied area is substantially less than the 6.07 hectares scientists deem necessary for survival.