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Calling citizen scientists: Help document this year's monarch migration
Monarch butterflies have seen a severe decline in their numbers.
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Sue Ogrocki
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Associated Press
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Topline:
The California State Parks Foundation is calling on the public to help them observe monarch butterflies. The data will help scientists study the butterflies and inform the 29th annual Western Monarch Count.
Why it matters: Millions of monarchs once flocked to California on their yearly migration to winter in trees such as eucalyptus, Monterey pine, cypress, sycamore, and redwood along the Pacific Coast. In recent decades, the number of monarchs making their annual journey has plunged by about 95%. Getting a more accurate accounting of where monarchs are helps conservationists restore and protect their habitats, which are often in state parks.
The plight of the monarch: Climate change, habitat loss, pesticide use, and disease are the main culprits for the iconic monarchs’ decline, and scientists say that if the trend continues, they could become extinct by 2080. That’s why advocates and scientists have been working to document the decline in an effort to get them listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and implement policy that will help the imperiled butterflies recover.
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You can help: To help with this effort and to mark California Biodiversity Day, state biologists are calling on the public to download the free iNaturalist app and snap photos of monarch butterflies or caterpillars if you see them. Of course, never disturb a monarch to take a photo! And you can always help monarchs by planting some milkweed at your own home too. In fact, the Santa Monica Mountains Fund is giving away milkweed in the San Fernando Valley.
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