Solar-powered backpacks to save endangered monarch butterflies in California
Scientists are using solar-powered radio telemetry devices to track the movement of endangered monarch butterflies in California. This project aims to gather data on how the butterflies utilize overwintering groves and nectar sources to improve conservation efforts.
Why it matters
Innovative tracking technology provides critical data for the survival of the endangered monarch butterfly population.
Scientists are using tiny solar-powered devices to track the movements of endangered monarch butterflies. Researchers on the California coast are using these devices to understand how the butterflies use their overwintering habitats and nearby nectar sources. The migratory monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus plexippus) was listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List in 2022, while the US Fish & Wildlife Service has separately proposed listing monarchs as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.The tracking project uses small radio telemetry devices attached to the butterflies' backs, effectively giving them what can be described as solar-powered "radio backpacks."
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