"Monarchs are considered the king of the butterflies. In Michoacan, Mexico conservationist Homero Gomez Gonzalez was considered the king of the Monarchs. Until one day in 2020, when he disappeared without a trace. In this series, reporters Zach Goldbaum and Michael May examine the intersection of conservation, politics, power, and crime at the world’s most popular butterfly reserve."

"One of the most beautiful migrations in North America, is also one of the most delicate.

Each May, Monarch butterflies move north from their wintering grounds in Mexico, arriving in backyards across the country—a flurry of bright orange that announces the coming of summer.

Then, in the fall, they travel back south, some flying 3000 miles on updrafts and air currents.

Scientists have pretty much always known that butterflies flew south in the winter, but for a long time, where the butterflies went to spend the winter was a mystery."

Michael May and Zach Goldbaum report for Outside September 25, 2024. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"The Disappearance of the Monarch King — Part 2" (Outside) [3]