"Sound Beats Print ... Pictures Beat Sound"

Sunday, February 25, 2007

Butterflies and Tractor-Trailers


I found something profound .....
Sat Feb 24, 9:25 PM ET

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico will enforce a "zero tolerance" policy against logging that threatens to wipe out the monarch butterfly and will act to stop a rare and ancient oasis from drying up, President Felipe Calderon said on Saturday.

Calderon said soldiers will be deployed to clamp down on illegal logging in a protected forest where monarch butterflies winter after migrating thousands of miles from Canada and the United States.

"We will work intensively to establish a zero tolerance policy to illegal logging in the monarch zone," he told villagers in the region at the launch of a five-year conservation plan.

Mexico vows to protect monarch butterfly

In the fall of 2000, I was west bound on the I-20 near Sweetwater, Texas. It was one of those days that we all know & love.... bright, clear, and still. I was in a Freightliner FLD, which for those who have never experienced it, puts your eye level almost 10 ft. off the ground.

My eyes glanced-up and a Monarch Butterfly was bravely beating it's way cross the 20 south bound to Mexico. As I proceeded down the road more and more of his kin began to appear. One had to be looking closely as the little guys were some 50 to 60 feet off the ground. But there it was, one of the great migrations in nature, moving unnoticed by us humans all breaking the speed limit on the Interstate. It took awhile for me to recognize what I was seeing, but as I went on I became more and more excited. I emailed my mom on the Qualcom that night telling her what I'd seen. She was just as excited.

The following spring I was parked on a small turn-out near Del Rio, Texas, taking a leak, and a north bound Monarch bravely beat his way pass me.

Great memory Bob. I have wondered about the migration of the Monarch. What an incredible way to go for so fragile a creature. Would love to see it. Thanks for the Mac tip I passed it on.

Every year..sometimes twice a year..all of the trees at my farm become covered with monarchs. They outnumber the leaves, and sometimes stay for as long as a week. They will flutter around and land on us while we sit in the shade. This despite the horrendous amount of pesticides cotton farmers blast on the landscape all year. It's hard to believe something so delicate can survive all the shit man puts in to the air and on the ground..

G'day Bob,

Really enjoyed that Monarch post. You have a deft touch.

And that's precisely why you should check the honour roll on Aussiejourno's Weekly Blog Awards and nominate your blog (and any others you want) for next week's awards.

Look forward to your next post.

Cheers,

David aka aussiejourno

Well, the red dust from Oklahoma has made its way through Dallas; yesterday the air was pink. Did you get that up in Lubbock?

I thought maybe the minidust bowl had done something to my computer, but no, it's just Craig's blog, again.

Great thing the Mexican government is doing. I think even Lou Dobbs can get behind 'em for this one.

My fave experience at the Museum of Nat'l History was the butterfly conservatory. They had some big, sturdy fellas in there sucking down the juice of halved oranges.


c'b - Your screen prints are stellar, too.

Its great to hear about a government doing something to save a species! It must be an amazing site seeing all those butterflies, lets hope the efforts work.

I have put some hiking photos up, so you can see a bit more of the UK.

Blue around 10 A.M. the wind was blowing a steady 46 m.p.h., and we had a gust that lasted for about 5 seconds Near 90 m.p.h.

It's good to have this nice bit of news in an otherwise bleak week. You're having windstorms... we've gotten *gulp* more snow... anyone have a spare shovel???

E

Better late than timely, I always say....

Thanks for linking to this, Bob...great story.

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