Last week México
celebrated the anniversary of the 1810 revolution. The date fell on
Tuesday. Most businesses took Monday
instead – except for Government departments and schools that took Tuesday - and just didn’t bother about turning up for
work Monday!
We took Monday off and
headed out into the Sierra Madre mountains in the hinterland of Mexico State.
The Monarch Butterflies had begun arriving at the various sanctuaries in Mexico
State and neighbouring Michoacán State.
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| Our guide, Ricardo, points out the spots on the male Monarch |
Our journey flanked
the volcano, Xinantécatl that presides over Toluca. After a little more
than an hour’s drive through lush pine forests we arrived at Piedra Herrada.
Local villagers run
this eco-tourism centre, situated in a valley at about 2500 metres above sea
level. Groups are limited and have to be guided. We already noticed a few
monarchs flying around. We engaged a guide and set off.
As we climbed along a
wide path winding through the forest we began to see more and more butterflies.
They were mostly sitting in sunny clearing on damp earth or flowers. As the sun
warms them, they fly down the mountain in search of water and nectar.
Our trek took
sometime. We were stopping at every gathering of butterflies! Finally we
arrived at where the Monarchs were “roosting” – on Cyprus trees at about 3200
metres (And, yes, the last few hundred metres were a bit of a slog!)
These Monarchs had
flown from Canada and the United States – a journey of up to 5000km! They
winter over in Mexico in twelve mountain sites. They don’t reproduce in Mexico.
In spring (March here) they begin the journey back north. These butterflies
wont be back. It will be a year and the fourth generation that returns – to a
place they have never seen!
We visited early in
the season – they had just opened the sanctuary. The butterflies were still
arriving. The experience of seeing thousands of Monarchs in one place – and to
hear their collective wing beats as they swarm is truly extraordinary.
After the visit we
headed off for lunch at Valle de Bravo – a small colonial town on the shores of
a man-made lake. Soon after leaving the sanctuary, we began to encounter
butterflies drifting across the highway. The passing lanes on the road were
closed. The federal police were in attendance, all to make sure no one drove
faster than 15km per hour and so avoid killing the Monarchs. This made me
laugh. Mexican cops are not so good at doing this for humans!
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| That's a horse in the overtaking lane! |
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| Valle de Bravo |
There’s a new film
coming out soon about these amazing creatures. You can watch the trailer at http://youtu.be/FvFEoYFZKqQ
My own humble film
(done on a digital camera) is here: http://youtu.be/nnHWOk2lFL0
