Monarch Butterfly Population Hits Second-Lowest Level on Record in Mexico

Experts attribute the 59% decline to climate change, including heat, drought, and habitat loss, raising concerns for the species' migration.

The annual survey in Mexico shows a 59% decrease in the monarch butterfly population, marking the second-lowest level since records began.
Climate change effects such as heat, drought, and loss of milkweed due to pesticide use are the main factors behind the decline.
Western monarchs, overwintering in California, also show a significant drop, though not as drastic as the perilous low of less than 2,000 in 2020.
Deforestation in Mexico's wintering forests has decreased, with most losses due to illegal logging, indicating some progress in habitat preservation.
Experts call for intensified conservation efforts and the creation of a 'safe corridor' for migrating butterflies to combat the decline.