09/25/2026
Today, we released 20 tagged monarch butterflies at Will Smith Zoo School in honor of Dolly Parton’s lifelong passion for nature and her connection to butterflies.
The release took place on September 25 — a nod to Dolly’s iconic song “9 to 5” — while highlighting the incredible migration these butterflies are beginning across North America.
Each monarch was carefully fitted with a small identification tag before release. If one of these butterflies is later found and its tag is reported, researchers can connect where and when it was tagged with where it was found, helping us better understand monarch migration, timing and survival.
These monarchs, reared by a conservation partner in Michigan, are now beginning their journey south toward central Mexico, where monarchs spend the winter. Their migration can span up to 3,000 miles and carries them through communities across North America, including right here in San Antonio.
For the Elementary students who witnessed their release, it was more than a lesson about butterflies. It was an opportunity to experience conservation firsthand and see how participating in research can contribute to a much larger effort to understand and protect wildlife. 🌎
