The migration of eastern monarch butterfly/ butterflies is slowly improving, but the status of the western butterfly population is almost at the brink of complete failure.
What’s going on in the East?
During the winter in 2025 to 2026 monarch butterfly/butterflies have occupied 2.93 hectares of Mexican forests which is a 64% increase from 1.79 hectares, and slightly higher than the average over the last 10 years, with earlier analysis indicating that a minimum of six hectares is needed for stability. Eastern migration can reach up to 2,800 miles annually. It should be mentioned that the calculation considers occupied forest areas but does not count individual butterflies.
And the situation in the West?
During an overwintering season in late 2025 volunteers counted only 12,260 butterflies which is the third-lowest number since the beginning of the counting in 1997 and a slight increase from 9,119.
What can be expected in the future?
The weather conditions have contributed to the eastern monarch butterfly migration issue; however, this fact doesn’t confirm that the population has started to recover. The Center for Biological Diversity states that getting protection under the Endangered Species Act will take until 2030. Restoring habitat in city parks and protecting threatened species can help.
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