January is usually the coolest month of the year. As we welcome the new year of 2023, mild winter temperatures prevail. Night temperatures dip below zero but the sun provides warmth during the day. Only a few clouds can be seen in the sky.

For this report, I wish to focus on the monarch colony in the Sierra Chincua Sanctuary. This year, monarchs have chosen a location has a high elevation that faces the north-west side of the valley entrance to Angangueo (lat: 19.6725020; long: -100.2947557). This location is somewhat protected from exposures to wind and frost Events, especially if temperatures do not continue to drop further.

The Sierra Chincua colony historically is the second largest monarch colony. At this time, the colony’s population seems to be smaller compared to the colony’s size last year. Monarchs are clustered on a single row of approximately fifty trees. This monarch colony does not appear to be clustering on interior trees, in contrast to the monarch colony in the El Rosario Sanctuary. Perhaps we are seeing a difference in behavior for the colonies in these two sanctuaries this season.

Visitors from Mexico and beyond are arriving to view our miraculous monarchs and their unique ecosystem. Many schools will remain closed for the holidays until next Monday, January 09, 2023.

Estela Romero

Journey North

Angangueo, Michoacán, México

Read the Spanish version of Estela Romero’s letter»