At the end of January, partners within the Monarch Joint Venture announced that the 2018-2019 wintering population of eastern monarch butterflies are occupying 6.05 hectares within 14 colonies in Mexico. This represents an increase of 144 percent compared to last year and is the largest population since 2007. The increase is linked to good weather conditions during the breeding season, along with efforts across North America to improve monarch habitat. In recent years, significant strides have been made to implement a conservation strategy that focuses on habitat restoration and enhancement through a coordinated, landscape-scale habitat conservation approach.

“We are invigorated by the good news about the eastern population this year,” said Wendy Caldwell, Executive Director of the Monarch Joint Venture, “but there is much work left to be done. With the recent release of an extremely small western population, we strive to embrace an all hands on deck approach to rebuilding this population and continuing to grow and sustain the eastern population.”