Open Magazine - Index

Open Magazine - magazine - Index

firewood for cooking. Late on January 11, 2002, a massive
moisture-bearing weather system moved into central Mexico,
resulting in temperatures as low as minus six degrees Celsius.
Monarchs can withstand brief periods of below freezing
temperatures. However, the moisture, followed by extended
freezing in 2002, resulted in catastrophic mortality in the
sanctuaries. The entire forest floor was covered by a layer of
dead butterflies seven to ten centimetres thick. It is estimated
that 40 per cent of the entire butterfly population was lost due
to freezing. This tragedy confirmed that the individuals that
warned of dire consequences if the forests were not protected
were absolutely correct.
The present Mexican Federal Government has
accelerated its efforts to police illegal logging.
Felipe Calderon, the Mexican
President, visited the
sanctuary at Sierra Chincua in
November, 2007 and vowed
to provide more protection
for the monarch sanctuaries.
In addition to the moral imperative
of protecting the species, the butterflies
have become a major source of tourism income for
communities in the remote villages near the sanctuaries.
Organizations such as “La Cruz Habitat Protection Project” are
demonstrating to local communities how they can derive more
income from planting and selective harvesting coniferous trees
rather than decimating existing mature forests. Dr. Lincoln
Brower from Sweet Briar College has been sounding the alarm
for the past 25 years, claiming that the monarch sanctuaries
are in jeopardy if forest reduction continues. Despite their and
others’ efforts, the survival of the monarch butterfly species is
presently not guaranteed. (http://biology.mcgill.ca/undergra/
c465a/biodiver/2001/monarch-butterfly/Monarch_web_
page.htm)
Magical Monarch Butterfly Sanctuaries
A visit to the sanctuaries begins in a rustic, time forgotten
village where our local guide’s first priority is to provide us
with the best possible showing of butterflies. We have an
option in most sanctuaries of hiking on rugged trails or being
carried up the mountain on horseback. Our trek starts at
about 2,500 metres in elevation and can take us as high as
3,000 metres. The trails wind through towering fir and pine
forests that would rival the best in Canada and the USA. On
most trails, we pass lookouts that provide wide vistas of the
villages and valleys below. This past season, the monarchs’
last stop on their way down the mountain was adjacent
to a lookout. People sat on rock outcrops to enjoy the view
as thousands of butterflies poured out of the forest and
washed over them as if they were stones in a river of flowing
butterflies. Tree cutting, to form trails, aids the butterflies
as they use the trails as flyways to reach water and nectar
at midday and then return to the sanctuaries for overnight.
As we approach the sanctuaries, we start
to spot one, then two, then another, then
suddenly the whole trail is like a butterfly
blizzard. The horses are left behind as
we walk the final 10–15 minutes into the
sanctuary. Once inside, most people are
overwhelmed by the quantity of butterflies
and the surreal experience of the natural
phenomena. Many guests have been
rendered speechless and in tears
from the magical atmosphere.
Butterflies hang from the branches in clumps like
massive bunches of grapes; others are neatly arranged
in rows on the trunks of trees, completely obscuring
the bark from view. As we look up, the sky is filled with
flitting monarchs, the colour of their wings magnified by
the sun. As if this sensory overload was not enough, when
we cup our hands behind our ears to capture the sound of
butterfly wings, we hear a sound like fine rain in the forest. One
visitor’s impression was that it was like the sound of a thousand
whispers. The quantity of butterflies is staggering; estimated to
be 120 to 160 million this past season. On occasion, something
will trigger a group of butterflies to fall in large numbers from
a branch. This is known as a cascade. When this happens,
the butterflies can be so thick in the air that you cannot see
through them and the sound is like a bucket of water being
poured on the leaves of a tree.
We have been sharing the magical world of the monarch
butterfly sanctuaries with guests for seven years now. One
would think that after that time we would have seen every
possible combination of butterfly showings. Late in the season
this year, our group was in the sanctuary no more than ten
seconds when multiple cascades showered the entire group.
We were unable to continue moving for fear of crushing
hundreds under our feet. Butterflies in these quantities can
only be found in the sanctuaries of central Mexico. I count it
a privilege that in Canada we live so close to one of nature’s
most incredible wonders. My favourite part of the experience
is that at the end of a day I close my eyes and all I can see is the
vision of thousands of monarchs in flight.
Paul Justice is a Mexico Migration Specialist. Go to www.
rocamar.com.mx for more information about tours and
experiencing the magical monarch butterfly sanctuaries.
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