Just 29,000 Western Monarch Butterflies Are Left in California. That's Down From Millions
Share
[aggregation-styles]
KQED
Each fall, monarch butterflies from across the western United States flutter their way to the California coast to hole up for the winter. Mild temperatures, abundant nectar and protection offered by coastal forests have historically made California an ideal place for monarchs to survive into spring, and the majority of the population west of the Rocky Mountains make the annual trip to the state.
As recently as the 1980s, these iconic orange and black butterflies numbered in the millions. This season’s count, however, was much in line with the monarch’s decades-long severe decline. This year’s estimate, released last week, stands at about 29,000 monarchs, just above last year’s all-time low.
“This population has declined by over 99 percent,” said Emma Pelton, a conservation biologist with the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, which conducts the survey each year around Thanksgiving.
Pelton says the numbers indicate the historic western monarch migratory population is in danger of going extinct.
Read More →
KQED
Each fall, monarch butterflies from across the western United States flutter their way to the California coast to hole up for the winter. Mild temperatures, abundant nectar and protection offered by coastal forests have historically made California an ideal place for monarchs to survive into spring, and the majority of the population west of the Rocky Mountains make the annual trip to the state.
As recently as the 1980s, these iconic orange and black butterflies numbered in the millions. This season’s count, however, was much in line with the monarch’s decades-long severe decline. This year’s estimate, released last week, stands at about 29,000 monarchs, just above last year’s all-time low.
“This population has declined by over 99 percent,” said Emma Pelton, a conservation biologist with the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, which conducts the survey each year around Thanksgiving.
Pelton says the numbers indicate the historic western monarch migratory population is in danger of going extinct.
Read More →
By Peter Arcuni | 27 Jan 2020
RELATED TOPICS:
Boeing Secures $2.8 Billion US Satellite Contract
Tech /
2 hours ago
Clovis Police Say At-Risk Missing Woman Found Dead in Mariposa County
Local /
2 hours ago
Over 100 Former Senior Officials Warn Against Planned Staff Cuts at US State Department
Politics /
2 hours ago
Fresno Police Recover Some of the $40,000 in Fireworks Stolen From Bullard High Team
Local /
4 hours ago
Eyeing Arctic Dominance, Trump Bill Earmarks $8.6 Billion for US Coast Guard Icebreakers
World /
4 hours ago
Trump to Sign Bill on Friday at 5 p.m., White House Says
Politics /
4 hours ago
Latest
Videos

Politics /
1 hour ago
Valadao, Costa Spar on What Passage of Trump’s Bill Means for Medicaid Recipients

Tech /
2 hours ago
Boeing Secures $2.8 Billion US Satellite Contract

Local /
2 hours ago
Clovis Police Say At-Risk Missing Woman Found Dead in Mariposa County

Politics /
2 hours ago
Over 100 Former Senior Officials Warn Against Planned Staff Cuts at US State Department

Video /
5 hours ago