Hello from the monarchs winter home in Michoacán, Mexico!

Like everyone, we are waiting eagerly to know how many monarchs are here this winter.  We hope the official count will show improvement over the recent record-low years. With this in mind, I went up to El Rosario Sanctuary to ask the guides for their impressions.

I approached 3 different guides at the core of the sanctuary to ask about the status of the colony this season. While we spoke we were surrounded by the sound of monarchs in flight. I was encouraged by what they said.

What are your impressions?

This season is indeed showing to be much better than last year's, and even the year before in terms of monarch numbers.  This might not be easy for tourists to see because the colonies have settled in three different areas – and tourists can only visit the first one: 

1. Llano de los Conejos
2. Las Peñitas
3. Las Balsitas

The latter two colonies are not open to tourism now.  We are waiting, thinking that if temperatures rise a little bit during the coming days, the three colonies might come together. This would be fantastic!

How many trees are containing clusters? 

We guides suspect there are around 200 trees filled with monarchs. Our count is only an approximation.  We are all waiting for the government institutions to release the official estimates.

How do you think this compares to last year two years?

Hmm, we cannot remember exactly but somewhere 100 trees we believe.  We really have the feeling that this year the population has increased; we are getting anxious to know the official numbers. Meanwhile we make an open invitation to all people around to come and visit us.  The spectacle is just unbelievable!

This weekend, we have had mild weather, cold to very cold nights around zero Celsius, but semi-cloudy with 5-8-15 degrees as the day draws in.  This Sanctuary, the most visited, has been crowded these Saturday and Sunday due to Monday being a holiday all over México.

Until next week,

Estela Romero
Angangueo, Michoacán, México
January 31, 2016