Monarch Butterfly Population Dips Following 2023 Drought

Oklahoma will not see as many monarch butterflies when springtime rolls in, according to the Oklahoma City Zoo.

The population of monarchs that spend the winter in Mexico is the lowest it's been in 10 years, and the second lowest ever, the zoo says.

The zoo says this is due to last year's drought, which stretched from Oklahoma to central Mexico, where the butterflies are right now. 

The population is more than 50 percent smaller than last year. Officials say the monarch butterfly populations have been on a steady decline since the 90s.

Now the zoo is asking Oklahomans to plant drought tolerant native wildflowers to help make sure monarchs have plenty of nectar sources.