Cape May Center to Host Butterfly Tracking Event

On Saturday, Sept. 27, the Cape May Point Arts & Science Center will host a special monarch butterfly tracking event. The program will feature live butterfly tagging and a talk by Estela Romero Vázquez from the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Mexico. Admission is free and open to the public; no preregistration is required. Donations are appreciated.

This event will feature a monarch-tracking demonstration at 2 p.m. with Mark Garland and Dr. Sean Burcher and Vázquez's keynote talk at 3 p.m., highlighting the significance of monarchs and the importance of conservation efforts.

Vázquez, a fifth-generation resident of Angangueo, Michoacán, Mexico, will discuss the indigenous and scientific importance of monarchs, their migratory patterns, and efforts to protect their habitat. 

During the program, monarch butterflies will be tagged in a live demonstration. The monarchs will be tracked in real-time across North America using lightweight Bluetooth transmitters developed by Cape May's own Cellular Tracking Technologies. According to The Cape May County Herald, this innovative project is considered one of the most dramatic animal tracking initiatives worldwide, aimed at deepening understanding of monarch migration from the United States into Mexico.