Winnipeg, MB – The City of Winnipeg and Assiniboine Park Conservancy are joining forces to help protect the endangered monarch butterfly.
Scientists from the Assiniboine Park Zoo and our Living Prairie Museum spent the morning outfitting butterflies with tiny trackers that will document their long winter journey from Manitoba to Mexico.
Data will help experts understand what habitats the butterflies choose as they make their way south, where and how they move, and what dangers they face along the way.
“We still have so much we need to learn about these special butterflies,” said Marika Olynyk, curator of the Living Prairie Museum. “Living Prairie Museum has always provided habitat for monarchs, and we are happy to be part of this research to learn more about what happens once they leave our preserve.”
Our work is just one part of an Environment and Climate Change Canada initiative to tag butterflies across the country.
It marks the first time the species is being tracked from Manitoba and the first tagging initiative in Western Canada.
“Projects like this help us better understand the challenges monarchs face throughout their migration and generate valuable information that can support future conservation actions,” said Laura Burns, conservation programs manager for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy. “We’re excited to work alongside partners across Manitoba and Canada to advance knowledge of this iconic species and inspire greater appreciation for pollinator conservation.”