Graph: How many monarch butterflies in Mexico this year?

Questions to Consider

  • How has the size of the monarch population changed during your lifetime?
  • Describe the pattern you see in the graph. What information does the graph show?
  • Based on the graph, in which year was the population the highest? The lowest?
  • What is the average population size from 1994/1995 to the present?
  • How does this year's population compare to the average size?
  • Scientists look for trends. (A trend is a general direction in which something is moving.) What trends do you see in the data?
  • Divide the data into two halves, the most recent years and the more distant years. Calculate the average again. Describe what you see.
  • Do you think the monarch population is healthy based on this information? Why or why not?
  • What other questions does this graph raise?
  • Write "Discovery Statements" to summarize what you learned from this graph.

Try This!

  • The team who measures the monarch colonies every winter is led by Eduardo Rendon of the World Wildlife Fund-Mexico. You can read the original report (in Spanish) on the World Wildlife Fund-Mexico website.

 

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