Organic Lifestyle Magazine

Climate Change is Negatively Affecting the Monarch Butterfly Population

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A new report by the World Wildfire Fund, as well as Mexico’s government shows that the Monarch butterfly population is plummeting. The current population has decreased 26% in December compared to the population in December of 2019.

Previously Monarchs occupied nearly seven acres in their hibernation forests but as of their last migration in 2020, they occupied around five acres.

The decline is likely related to the decreasing forest area in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, where the majority of hibernation colonies are recorded. Friday’s report found that in the year leading up to the most recent migration, the forest lost four times more trees than it did the year prior. 

Number of monarch butterflies hibernating in Mexico plunged 26% last year — and climate change and forest degradation are to blame

In the United States, the Monarch butterfly is close to endangered status. The decline in population is caused by numerous things, including logging and climate change. Monarch butterflies are important pollinators in our ecosystem.

As always the health of our environment and our own person health are intertwined. Pesticides and herbicides that are known to have a negative effects on human health also have a negative effect on the monarch butterfly population.




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Sage Edwards

Sage Edwards

Sage is a writer and photographer for Organic Lifestyle Magazine. At 18 years old Sage weighed more than 320 pounds. After years of being in persistent pain at such a young age, she decided it was time for a change. She started cranberry lemonade, a salad a day, cut out refined sugar and processed foods, Sage lost 100 pounds in less than a year. Today she likes to start her mornings with a run and weight lifting, and a big salad. She enjoys cooking, working out, and learning about health and the way of the Organic Lifestyle.

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