Monarch Butterflies’ New Route: Yucatán to Cuba

Punta Allen — During the State Week of Science and Technology, the community group Alas Mayas presented the keynote lecture "The Monarch Butterfly through the Route of the Mayab," sharing recent findings on the migration of these emblematic insects across the Yucatán Peninsula.

From the Sian Ka'an biosphere reserve, guide and naturalist Zendy Euán explained that this year's monitoring program revealed an unusual occurrence: some monarch butterflies, identified with tracking microchips, have reached the Yucatán Peninsula and continued their trajectory toward Cuba. Among them, two specimens named Nemo and Paola stand out, their journeys being tracked in real-time via GPS technology.

"Paola is already in Veracruz, and Nemo, who entered Yucatán 15 days ago, is currently in Cuba," stated Euán, while displaying the records of the migratory trajectory.

The butterflies entered the Yucatecan territory through Celestún and have followed a route encompassing Holbox, Cancún, and Isla Mujeres, representing a new migratory pathway distinct from the traditional one that arrives in central Mexico.

The project, developed with the support of researchers from Cuba, seeks to understand why some butterflies are modifying their habitual routes and what environmental or climatic factors influence their movement. Local guides and naturalists are actively participating in the registration and monitoring of the specimens, strengthening scientific collaboration and environmental awareness among the communities of the region.

The guide emphasized that with these results, the Alas Mayas group underscores the importance of preserving the ecosystems of the Mexican Caribbean, which are now joining as new stations in the fascinating journey of the monarch butterfly, a symbol of resistance and natural migration.