To me, a monarch butterfly is pure inspiration. It is as delicate as an onion skin, yet as strong and determined as an orca whale. I see them tumble and waver through the sky at the edge of my parents' beach on Lake Ontario at the tail end of summer before they take a last deep breath to cross south.
Their migration spans the three great nations of North America. They know no boundaries set by humans. They don't recognize our systems and ways, yet we are making it increasingly difficult for them to survive.
"...researchers are greatly concerned that the entire monarch butterfly migration and overwintering phenomenon in eastern North America may collapse in the near future if the Mexican government does not fully enforce the logging ban."
I read about clear-cutting in Mexico in The New York Times today. The article led me to this NASA website that contains disheartening photographs:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17943
In November 2000 the Mexican president declared this "core zone" for southern overwintering a protected space. Unfortunately the illegal logging persists. And get this: the loggers sometimes go in armed! I can just see them aiming at the fluttering orange targets. Silly men with guns. Don't they know how hard it is to shoot a butterfly?
Posts
4 comments:
My dad wrote me:
"I always love reading the stuff on your blog. You make me proud! "
Awe shucks, Pap!
Thanks for sharing this with me, it saddens me to think of this. I love butterflies, my friend from work actually visited the Yucatan in Mexico last year during the migrations period especially to see the migration of the Monarchs. She sent me her photos and I could not believe my eyes. The pictures were breath taking,millions of butteries flapping in the wind like you mentioned. You could hardly tell they were butterflies because of the shear mass of them.
I will have to checkout the site. xo jul
dear Ilka-
At this stage, the third generation of butterfly took flight, remembering the coordinates of the previous spirit- a conception day gift in the memory, driving them towards a destination somewhere in Mexico. Why is it, that elephants are far less conspicuous in their pilgrimage. I hope your doing well. I thought of you today and smiled for who you are. Happy Easter.
- charlie
Post a Comment