Up close with the butterflies of Bears Ears

Amid the mounting pressures of climate change and habitat loss, protected areas like national parks and monuments can be a refuge for wildlife…including the very tiniest. Curious folks from around the region came together during the first annual Bears Ears Butterfly Count. Organizers say these citizen science events help document diverse species and can inspire new advocates for their conservation. Today on the news, we get up close with a few of these amazing, multi-colored winged creatures of the Bears Ears region.  // Photo: A juniper hairstreak butterfly found in Bears Ears National Monument. Researchers have documented 130 species of butterflies in southeastern Utah. // More photos: https://www.kzmu.org/up-close-with-the-butterflies-of-bears-ears/?fbclid=IwAR2CYNVlr_Av3N6honnPq_Nb9KRxA2y-mEbf1tfu0jcPxBxczI0eLQVPozM