Wildlife Wednesday: Monarchs

In this edition of Wildlife Wednesday, WWF-Canada’s President & CEO Megan Leslie and WWF-Mexico’s Director of Conservation Maria Jose Villanueva guide you along the amazing journey of the monarch butterfly — from their summer homes in Canada to wintering forests in Mexico.  
 
You may be thinking “how can they travel so far when the lifespan of a butterfly is so short?” Or perhaps, “are the monarchs that travel to Mexico the same ones that come back to Canada the following year?”  
 
These are just a couple of the many questions that we unpack in this fun and educational episode.  
 
With their bright orange colors and distinct black and white patterns, monarch butterflies are one of the most identifiable butterflies. But it isn’t just their looks that make them so appealing — monarchs are a very important insect to our ecosystem, and certainly hold their own in the “cool facts” department. 
 
Every year monarch butterflies migrate 4,000 to 5,000 kilometres, an amazing feat for such a small insect. Have you ever wondered how many times they flap their wings per minute? A little hint — it’s a lot! Check out the full episode of Wildlife Wednesday below to find out the answer and learn so much more about this small but mighty butterfly. 

Still haven’t had enough monarch butterflies? Watch our featured species video here.