[Pollinator] New Report Documents a 74% Decline in the Number of Monarch Butterflies Overwintering in Coastal California

[Matthew Shepherd]

Good morning:



Although most people think of Mexico when talking of where monarch
butterflies go during the winter, many monarchs in the western states
migrate to sites scattered along the coast of California. A new report from
the Xerces Society highlights the threats to these sites, lists the 50
sites in greatest need of conservation attention, and provides the most
accurate analysis of the health of these sites and the monarch population
they support.



State of the Monarch Butterfly Overwintering Sites in California
<http://www.xerces.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/StateOfMonarchOverwinteringSitesInCA_XercesSoc_web.pdf>
provides an analysis of western monarch population trends.  A comparison of
the average number of butterflies overwintering in California during the
periods 1997–2001 and 2010–2014 shows a decline of 74 percent, a figure
that is comparable to declines documented at monarch overwintering sites in
Mexico.



The report presents a list of the 50 California overwintering sites most in
need of protection and management, based on the severity of butterfly
declines at each site and their importance to the remaining population.
Listed sites span the monarch’s overwintering range along the Pacific coast
and the East Bay of San Francisco, including Pismo Beach and Morro Bay Golf
Course in San Luis Obispo County, Ellwood Main in Santa Barbara County,
Pacific Grove Sanctuary in Monterey County, Lighthouse Field State Beach
and Moran Lake in Santa Cruz County, and San Leandro Golf Course in Alameda
County. Most of the 50 priority sites are publicly owned, however a
substantial number of the largest sites are in private ownership.



This report was completed with funding from the US Fish and Wildlife
Service and Xerces Society members.



Download the report here:
http://www.xerces.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/StateOfMonarchOverwinteringSitesInCA_XercesSoc_web.pdf



Read an article about California’s overwintering sites, written by Xerces
conservation biologist Emma Pelton, here:
http://www.xerces.org/blog/monarchs-overwintering-in-coastal-california-show-steep-decline-since-the-late-1990s/



Read the press release about the report here:
http://www.xerces.org/2016/07/08/state-of-the-monarch-butterfly-overwintering-sites-in-california/



Matthew





________



*Matthew Shepherd*

Communications Director



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matthew.shepherd at xerces.org
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