Plunging Monarch Butterfly Population Seen With Increasing Alarm
DAVIS (KPIX) - In Pacific Grove recently, visitors flocked to a sanctuary to witness a natural wonder: the world famous western monarch butterfly stops here to spend the winter. But this year, visitors and locals alike left disappointed.
"There were hardly any monarchs to be seen," said David Durbin from Novato.
"There are a couple flying around, " observed Dionne Loftus, visiting from the United Kingdom.
"Oh, extremely sad," exclaimed local resident James Borber as he surveyed the site.
About 40 years ago, in the Bay Area, KPIX 5 News filmed quite a different scene at the nearby Santa Cruz Sanctuary: thousands of California monarchs looking like leaves, and hibernating in clusters on the eucalyptus trees.
That's not the case these days.
