Comparing
the Mexican Sanctuary Region
to the Region Around Your Hometown
Try
This! Make a Local Comparison
Compare the area of the monarch butterfly sanctuary area in Mexico
with an area that is familiar to you.
1) Pull out a map of your state or province.
2) Print a copy of this map of the sanctuary region and take a close look. (Click to enlarge.)
- The 12 major over-wintering sites are shown as red triangles.
- A green rectangle marks the perimeter of the area. The western-most end is the colony named Mil Cumbres (-100.8 W). The eastern-most side are the three colonines named Palamas, Pierra Merrada and Oxtotilpan colonies (-99.7 W).
3) Use the scale bar to make a ruler. Measure the width of the area. The monarchs flying in from the north must find this narrow finish line! Find a town that is the same distance from your hometown.
4) On a map of your own state or province, draw the perimeter of the monarch overwintering region, to scale. Is the area larger or smaller than you expected?
5) Measure the distances between each of the 12 over-wintering sites. Then find 12 towns near your hometown that are spread the same distances apart. Have you visited these towns? How long does it take to drive between them?
