[leps-talk] Re: Validity of Monarch Sanctuary Deforestation Claims

[Paul Cherubini]

bebay40 at yahoo.com wrote:

> Is it possible they are referring to a different section of the
> forest than what you photographed?

No it isn't possible.  Here is the location of the cluster area the 
eleven scientists are refering to:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/mastertech/9005r.jpg

In fact, here is an aerial picture one of the 11 scientists took in
1997(?) when the monarchs were drinking water from the 
agricultural field shown in my photo above:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/mastertech/elkar.jpg

Here is a photo of suffocatingly large numbers of monarchs
drinking from this same dormant corn field in Feb.1990:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/mastertech/elmead.jpg

Here is a photo of another agricultural field slightly below the
colony area:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/mastertech/eldrink.jpg

Notice most interrnet websites never refer to these agricultural
fields as an important source of drinking water for the butterflies.
Instead, they refer to them as simply "deforestation".

Now perhaps you are wondering: What would the monarchs
do to get water if there were no agricultural fields next to the
colonies?

Well over at the Herrada colony site there are no agricultural
fields next to the colony so the monarchs have to
travel further - about 2,500 feet downhill - to find water
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/mastertech/herri.jpg
until they get to a paved road.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/mastertech/herrb.jpg
Then they follow the paved road further downhill to logged 
clearings where they can finally find moist ground:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/mastertech/herrh.jpg

Paul Cherubini
El Dorado, Calif.

 
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