Sonia Altizer, an ecologist at the University of Georgia, specializes in the fascinating world of monarch butterfly migration. She shares insights into the butterflies' astonishing 3,000-mile journey each year and the critical role of milkweed in their lifecycle. Altizer discusses the environmental challenges they face, including the impact of agriculture on their habitats. Highlighting the urgent need for conservation, she emphasizes how planting native plants can help support these remarkable travelers. Tune in for a captivating exploration of nature's resilience!
It is one of the Earth's great migrations: each year, millions of monarch butterflies fly some 3,000 miles, from their summer breeding grounds as far north as Canada to their overwintering sites in the central Mexico. It's one of the best-studied migrations and in recent years, ecologists like Sonia Altizer have been able to better answer how and why these intrepid butterflies make the journey. Short Wave brings this episode from the TED Radio Hour's episode with Sonia Altizer, with the University of Georgia.