Welcome to the Park of the Week Newsletter for September 26, 2024. This week we’re featuring a biosphere reserve that houses millions of butterflies each winter.
Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve
Location
States of Michoacán and Mexico, Central Mexico
Claim to fame
Each autumn, monarch butterflies migrate across North America, some travelling up to 2,800 miles (4,500km) from as far north as Canada. Millions of them winter in just a few sites in the mountainous forests of Central Mexico; these sites are protected within the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (known in Spanish as Reserva de Biosfera de la Mariposa Monarca). The 138,000 acre (55,800 ha) butterfly sanctuary is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Reason to visit
Several monarch wintering sites within the biosphere reserve are accessible to the public. These sites can only be accessed via guided tours, and there are strict regulations put in place to protect the butterflies and their habitat. Responsible tourism helps fund the reserve and sustain the monarch population, another great reason to visit. The sites are within a few hours drive of Mexico City, making them popular winter tourist destinations.
Wild Fact
In July of 2022, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), declared the migratory monarch butterfly endangered, citing an estimated 22-72% drop in its population. While there is some controversy around the extent of the species decline, it is without question that there are fewer monarchs now than there were in the past.
Over a billion monarchs once flocked to the forests of Mexico; today their numbers are in the tens of millions. Conservation efforts, like those of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, are vital to the continued survival of the species.
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