Imagine standing in a “snowstorm of orange,” in the middle of 300 million fluttering monarch butterflies.
Every fall, millions of endangered Monarch butterflies migrate from Canada and the US to hibernate in the Transvolcanic Mountains in Mexico and hang out in the oak, pine and oyamel fir forest. Why they choose this location remains a mystery. The Monarch Butterfly Biosphere (WWF) protects roughly 56,000 hectares and it is the very same forest that is illegally being deforested which, amongst other un-environmentally friendly reasons throughout North America, threatens to wipe them out.
Science Daily reports in Habitat Destruction May Wipe Out Monarch Butterfly Migration that the legislation in Mexico to protect this area is weak and difficult to enforce due to the sheer size and lack of policing man-power. The loggers carry guns, they forest at night, are forceful in their ways and even push around the local residence. This, with the combination of the increasing demand for lumber, is taking its toll as the logging is encroaching dangerously close to the heart of where the butterflies swarm.
Hear their call and help the WWF protect them and this natural wonder by adopting a monarch butterfly!
2 responses so far ↓
1 Angel // Apr 3, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Completely amazing! It reminds me migration of red crabs. Wow, to adopt a butterfly… sounds, delicious!
2 Chllin_w_Rocco // Apr 19, 2008 at 4:47 am
when I lived in Santa Barbara they landed in the forest next to me…it was a TRIP..the whole forest fluttered, with orange trees. you would have loved it.
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