Monarch Extinction press releases.

[Patrick Foley]

Paul,

How hard is it to see that the quotes you give below are honest 
(although possibly mistaken)evaluations? None of these scientists said 
(in these quotes) that Monarchs are going extinct. The quotes are 
talking about the loss of habitat, of climate change and the threat to 
the phenomenon of overwintering in their present sites.

As we have discussed here before, these certainly are real issues. You 
may disagree about the details of winter habitat requirement, but surely 
you admit that deforestation could have some worrisome effects upon 
those sites? Surely you admit that global warming is the scientific 
consensus, rather than some weird idea that these three are pushing to 
bankroll their winter vacations in the mountains?

I do not expect Monarch extinction. None of them do. They all worry 
about the integrity of the overwintering site and the Monarch's 
fascinating migration phenomenon. Most people see this also. The main 
reason people are interested in the Monarch is the migration.

Patrick
patfoley at csus.edu

Paul Cherubini wrote:

> Stan wrote:
> 
> 
>>I read all the references Paul gave (one could not be found) and I did
>>not get the impression from any of these articles that Oberhauser and
>>fellow researchers were crying wolf, applying bad science, and,
>>especially, predicting the the extinction of the population of Monarchs
>>that migrate to Mexico
> 
> 
> Stan, I have found Dr's Karen Oberhauser, Lincoln Brower and Chip Taylor
> have all talked about the imminent possibility of monarch extinction in public 
> statements. Here are some specific examples  (captitals my emphasis):
> 
> In this weeks' press releases Karen Oberhauser told the reporters:
> "They could go EXTINCT. They could adapt. Or they could go somewhere
>  else."
>  
> On his Monarch Watch website Dr. Chip Taylor writes:
> http://monarchwatch.org/conserve/index.htm
>                                 
> "Given the great numbers of Monarchs (up to 100 million) that gather to
> migrate each fall, it is hard to imagine them facing any threat of EXTINCTION.
> In reality, however, Monarchs and their amazing annual migration are seriously
> threatened by human activities, in both their summer and overwintering sites."
> 
> In 1994 Lincoln Brower said:
> http://www.environmentalreview.org/vol01/brower.html
> "The problem is deforestation in Mexico.  Deforestation is accelerating and if it
> is not brought under control - if these areas are not effectively converted to
> national park status, comparable to national park protection in the United States,
> the endangered phenomenon will be a NON-EXISTANT PHENOMENON, in
> my opinion, within fifteen to twenty years.
> 
> Statements like these truly frighten and worry the public. For example, here
> is what a Florida nursery grower wrote today upon hearing about the latest
> round of monarch extinction press releases:
> 
> Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2003 15:14:58 EST
> From: ShadyOakNursery at aol.com
> Subject: Re: Monarch News last 24 hours - Future extinction???
> 
> How sad to think that our great grandchildren might not be able to see the
> butterflies we are able to see in nature.
> 
> ~Edith
> 
> Paul Cherubini
> 
>  
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