Press release about Monarch Population Recovery
Paul Cherubini
monarch at saber.net
Fri Feb 14 02:55:02 EST 2003
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/030213/180/39n20.html
"Data collected this winter by researchers in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere
Reserve show that the monarch colonies at their overwintering sites occupied an
area of approximately 8 hectares, or nearly 20 acres. The average area
occupied by the monarchs every year from 1993 to 2001 has been
approximately 9.6 hectares"
Before last year's storm, in December 2001, reserve biologist Eligio Garcma
reported an occupation of 9.35 hectares. Given the estimated mortality
of 75 to 80 percent that occurred on Jan. 14, 2002, the area occupied
by the survivors after the storm would have been approximately 1.9 to
2.3 hectares. Thus, this year's reported 8 hectares may be considered a
recovery in the mid range in comparison to annual averages in past years."
Cherubini comment:
Here is a graph showing how the monarch population measured in Mexico
this past winter - 8 hectares (20 acres) covered with monarchs -
is actually larger than some years measured in the 1980's
http://www.saber.net/~monarch/hothrev.jpg
Paul Cherubini
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