STORY: A sanctuary for monarch butterflies in central Mexico officialy opened to visitors on Saturday (November 22), offering a chance to see millions of orange-hued insects clustered on oyamel fir trees.

Each year, monarchs migrate over 4,000 km (2485 miles) from Canada and the United States to Mexico's milder winter climate, settling in these sanctuaries until March.

This season's migration had begun on November 2, when the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve recorded the first arrival; but it officially kicked off on Saturday when sanctuaries opened to the public until March.

The Reserve covers more than 56,000 hectares across Michoacan and the State of Mexico and has four sanctuaries open to tourists, including Sierra Chincua in central Michoacan state.

The number of butterflies almost doubled the last season compared with 2023–2024, rising by 99 percent, according to the Mexican government — a surge attributed in part to reduced drought conditions.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: ANGANGUEO, MICHOACAN, MEXICO (NOVEMBER 22, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF MONARCH BUTTERFLIES PERCHED ON TREES

2. BUTTERFLIES SEEN IN THE SKY

3. (MUTE) VARIOUS OF DRONE FOOTAGE OF SIERRA CHINCUA SANCTUARY ENTRANCE

4. (MUTE) DRONE FOOTAGE OF SANCTUARY TREES

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MEXICAN MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES, ALICIA BARCENA, SAYING:

"Because the monarch comes here to hibernate. It comes from Canada, crosses the United States, and arrives precisely at these two points in the state of Michoacan and the State of Mexico, looking for a place to hibernate, to reproduce on milkweed. And that's why we have to protect not only the forests, but also the asclepias, which is what monarch butterflies feed on. We are genuinely concerned to know that in Canada and the United States many pesticides are being used, which are preventing the more massive arrival of the monarch butterfly."

6. (MUTE) TIMELAPSE OF VISITORS WALKING ON TRAIL IN SANCTUARY

7. VARIOUS OF BUTTERFLIES FLYING AROUND TREES

8. BUTTERFLIES PERCHED ON TREES

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SANCTUARY VISITOR, PLINIO PADILLA, SAYING:

"The butterflies are a marvel. We were talking with my wife and my daughter about the journey they make from Canada, through the United States, and down to Mexico, and then back again. This motivates us to take care of them, to take care of this environment in which they survive, and for everyone who visits these places to do the same."

10. SEVERAL BUTTERFLIES FLYING

11. VARIOUS OF BUTTERFLIES PERCHED ON TREE BRANCHES

12. POINT-OF-VIEW SHOT FROM TRAIL

13. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VISITOR, RAQUEL VALDEZ, SAYING:

"It's wonderful that they have the opportunity to experience this natural phenomenon, and that they take care of it, because it brings benefits to nature and also brings benefits to the local communities. They should protect it and continue creating these kinds of spaces, reforesting, so that these beautiful little animals keep coming to these places."

14. TREES

15. VARIOUS OF BUTTERFLIES FLYING

16. VARIOUS OF BUTTERFLIES PERCHED ON BRANCHES

17. (MUTE) VARIOUS OS SLOW MOTION OF U.S., CANADA AND MEXICO’S FLAGS WAVING AT SANCTUARY’S ENTRANCE

18. (MUTE) DRONE FOOTAGE OF TREES

19. (MUTE) DRONE FOOTAGE OF SANCTUARY

20. (MUTE) DRONE FOOTAGE OF FOREST

21. (MUTE) DRONE FOOTAGE OF ENTRANCE TO ANGANGUEO