Monarch Conservation
Introduction
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Talking Points
The monarch butterfly may be the most well-known butterfly in the world. This butterfly
is best known for the incredible migration made by the eastern North American population,
in which individuals fly from their summer breeding grounds as far north as southern
Canada to overwintering habitat in central Mexico. Although the species itself is
not in danger of extinction, the North American migration is considered an endangered
biological phenomenon due to threats to monarch habitat during its annual cycle
of breeding, migrating and wintering. Because monarchs depend upon a wide range
of habitats in Canada, the United States and Mexico, conservation of the migratory
phenomenon requires trilateral cooperation.
Mexico, Canada and the United States must work together to ensure that 1) sufficient
suitable habitat is available on the overwintering grounds in the United States
and Mexico for the populations to persist; and 2) sufficient breeding and migrating
habitat is available in Canada, Mexico and the United States to maintain their current
contribution to the overall North American population.
To address the needs, a team of experts, led by
Dr. Karen Oberhauser from the University of Minnesota's MonarchLab, has developed
the
North American Monarch Conservation Plan.
Click here
to view our research
projects relating to Monarch Conservation