Dr. Lincoln Brower's Trip to Mexico
February, 2013
Dr. Brower Guides President
Monarch expert Dr. Lincoln Brower had the honor and pleasure to serve as scientific guide for former President Carter on a recent trip to Mexico's Piedra Herrada monarch sanctuary.
"The day was a highlight in all our lives," stated Dr. Brower.
Why Low Numbers?
President Carter was concerned to hear Dr. Brower's prediction that this winter's monarch population would hit an historic low, and asked what might have caused the decline. Dr. Brower sited three key factors:
- breeding grounds: unusal weather in summer 2012
- wintering grounds: illegal logging of forest
- breeding grounds: habitat loss
Conservation Challenges
In his full report, Dr. Brower spells out the conservation challenges monarchs face. He is concerned that the future of the monarch butterfly overwintering phenomenon in Mexico is seriously compromised.
