The iconic monarch butterflies are back and researchers are hoping there will be more to count than last year when the endangered species reversed the downward trending numbers.
“I hope that this number will continue to increase. We can’t say for certain because this is an endangered species,” said Natalie Johnston, the volunteer and community science coordinator of the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History.
On Oct. 21, the Pacific Grove Natural History Museum counted over 3,800 butterflies. On the same day in 2021, they counted only 2,593 . “Monarchs are also very important culturally. They are often seen as symbols of transformation, as symbols of perseverance for the way they migrate,” said Johnston. “And in 2021, they were also seen as a symbol that life can go on after 2020.”