Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve
Overview
The 56,259 ha biosphere lies within rugged forested mountains about 100 km northwest of Mexico City. Every autumn, millions, perhaps a billion, butterflies from wide areas of North America return to the site and cluster on small areas of the forest reserve, colouring its trees orange and literally bending their branches under their collective weight. In the spring, these butterflies begin an 8 month migration that takes them all the way to Eastern Canada and back, during which time four successive generations are born and die. How they find their way back to their overwintering site remains a mystery.
About Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve
The Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve is a World Heritage Site containing most of the overwintering sites of the eastern population of the monarch butterfly. The reserve is located in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt pine-oak forests ecoregion on the border of Michoacán and State of Mexico, 100 km, northwest of Mexico City. Millions of butterflies arrive in the reserve annually. Butterflies only inhabit a fraction of the 56,000 hectares of the reserve from October–March. The biosphere's mission is to protect the butterfly species and its habitat.
Read more on WikipediaSelection Criteria
(vii)
Components(3 locations)
- •Cerro Pélon1290-003
- •Cerro Altamirano1290-001
- •Chincua-Campanario-Chivati-Huacal1290-002
Details
- Countries
- Mexico
- ISO Codes
- MX
- Area
- 13,551.552 ha
- Coordinates
- 19.6064, -100.2417
Stay Nearby
Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve
Attractions & Tickets
Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve
Getting Here
Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve