Monarchs 4/3/10

Monarch Butterflies Monarch butterflies are currently at their lowest population on record, according to recent data from the World Wildlife Fund Mexico. The current colony size is 1.92 hectares, down from the previous low of 2.19 hectares in 2004 and far down from the recorded high of 21.6 hectares in 1995. Problematic population dynamics, damage to their native habitat across the United States and Canada, and damage to overwintering sites have all had dramatically negative effects on the butterflies' population. The monarch population census is conducted by measuring the total area each colony covers. There are reasonably accurate population measurements going back 16 years, and in that time, the population has declined rapidly. The average size of the population over the last 16 years has been 7.44 hectares. Read more... http://media.www.mcgilltribune.com/media/storage/paper234/news/2010/02/02/Features/Follow.The.Butterflies.A.Monarch.Migration.Under.Threat-3862246.shtml