By Walter Einenkel / Daily Kos
Earlier this year it came to our attention that since 1990, almost 1 billion monarch butterflies have vanished. That number was 90 percent of previous peaks in monarch populations. In reaction to this staggering number, conservationists in North America began working in their regions to create something called the “butterfly highway”.
The idea was to make safe sections, specifically in the U.S. where monarch populations would be able to leave eggs and be safe on the migrations from Canada to Mexico. Good news, as environmentalists are touting these conservation measures are quickly showing improvements for the monarch.
Mexican environmental authorities said Thursday that the iconic monarch butterfly’s population may quadruple this year, citing joint efforts by Mexico, Canada and the US.
“We estimate that the butterfly population that arrives at the reserve is as much as three and could reach four times the surface area it occupied last season,” Mexican Environment Secretary Rafael Pacchiano said at a press conference at the Piedra Herrada monarch reserve.
The hope is that this growth will continue, as long as we keep up the regulations on environmental issues such as pesticides and illegal logging, while continuing efforts to plant milkweeds for monarchs to use to produce.
The goal is “225 million monarch butterflies returning right here to Mexico every year. We believe we can get there by working together and it sounds like we may be on our way, we hope,” Jewell added.
The delicate insects travel nearly 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles) as they migrate from Canada to Mexico.
There is hope for us all.