Environmentalists and officials in Mexico expect a strong turnout this year of monarchs, in part because of last year’s population rebound. Mexico has clamped down on illegal logging, which has fallen to about one-third last year’s level. Total tree loss from disease, drought, logging and other causes is down by an overall 25% from last year. Last year, monarchs covered about 14.95 acres (6.05 hectares) of pine and fir forests, up from 6.12 acres (2.48 hectares) the previous year. The butterflies are far from out of trouble; as recently as 1996-1997 they covered 44 acres (18 hectares) of forest.

Source: thestar October 28, 2019 20:38 UTC