The 8th International Monarch Monitoring Blitz, held from July 26 to August 4, 2024, has set a new record for volunteer participation across North America, highlighting the growing role of eco-tourism and wildlife tourism in conservation efforts. Over 5,000 eco-conscious individuals from Canada, Mexico, and the United States united to document monarch butterfly sightings and track vital milkweed habitats, crucial for the monarch’s survival.
The Blitz is more than just a conservation project; it exemplifies how travel and tourism can intersect with efforts to protect biodiversity. As eco-tourism gains popularity, more travelers seek destinations and activities that allow them to experience and contribute to the conservation of iconic species like the monarch butterfly. The Blitz invites participants, including eco-tourists and nature enthusiasts, to become actively involved in conservation during their travels.
This year, over 16,000 monarch sightings and 68,000 milkweed plants were reported, providing essential data for scientists working to protect the species. Milkweed, the sole food source for monarch caterpillars, is disappearing due to habitat loss, making these reports crucial for tracking monarch populations and their migratory paths.
Data collected during the Blitz is stored in the Trinational Monarch Knowledge Network, a public resource that helps scientists understand how best to conserve the monarch butterfly across its North American migratory routes. This initiative connects eco-tourism with hands-on environmental conservation, offering travelers a way to immerse themselves in nature while contributing to a greater cause.
The monarch butterfly migration, one of the most incredible wildlife spectacles in North America, spans up to 5,000 kilometers from Canada to Mexico. Tourists interested in wildlife tourism can witness this migration in various regions along the monarch’s route, including the central U.S., where monarchs stopover in large numbers, and Mexico, where they overwinter in the famous Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. This reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage site, draws thousands of visitors each year, offering a unique wildlife experience.
Through eco-tourism activities like the Monarch Blitz, tourists can learn about monarch migration firsthand, engage with local conservation efforts, and help protect this iconic species. The International Monarch Monitoring Blitz exemplifies the power of collaboration between nations, communities, and tourists in preserving wildlife.
By participating in the Blitz, eco-tourists can contribute to a trinational conservation effort that transcends borders and directly supports monarch butterfly survival. Isis Howard, a conservation biologist with the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, highlighted the importance of the Blitz in the eco-tourism movement: “This event provides a perfect opportunity for eco-tourists to unite in conservation efforts, protect the at-risk monarch butterfly, and join a continent-wide movement of nature enthusiasts.”
In Mexico, Jerónimo Chávez, project manager of the Correo Real Program at Profauna, emphasized the ongoing role of eco-tourism in supporting monarch conservation. “Through the Monarch Blitz, we engage citizens and eco-tourists alike in generating key data that directly aids monarch preservation,” said Chávez.
Canada, home to the most northern monarch populations, plays a pivotal role in monarch migration and conservation. James Pagé, a biodiversity specialist with the Canadian Wildlife Federation, explained that Canada’s location at the northern edge of the monarch’s migratory route presents unique challenges and opportunities for eco-tourists. “Canada’s eco-tourism sector benefits greatly from initiatives like the Monarch Blitz, where tourists can actively participate in conservation while exploring the beauty of our natural habitats.”
Numerous community science programs across North America offer eco-tourists a chance to contribute to monarch conservation year-round. These programs allow eco-tourists to engage in hands-on activities like monarch monitoring, helping scientists and conservationists understand the migration patterns of this endangered species.
The monarch butterfly is not only an iconic species but also a vital part of the ecosystems it inhabits. The monarch’s reliance on milkweed plants, which are shared with other species, makes them natural indicators of ecosystem health.
As tourists become more aware of the environmental impact of their travels, eco-tourism offers a way to engage responsibly with nature, while contributing to the protection of vulnerable species and their habitats. As Maxim Larrivée, director of the Insectarium | Espace pour la vie, explained, “Eco-tourism and community science programs like the Monarch Blitz offer travelers a profound connection to nature, while actively supporting the protection of biodiversity and the environment.”
The International Monarch Monitoring Blitz is organized by the Trinational Monarch Conservation Partnership, a collaboration between conservation organizations across North America. These include the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), Environment and Climate Change Canada, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Profauna A.C., among others. Together, they offer eco-tourists the chance to engage in impactful conservation activities.
