More than 900-thousand people have claimed free passes to Canada’s national parks since they became available last month as part of the country’s 150th birthday celebrations.
But conservationists are worried about how the wildlife will be impacted by a surge in tourists. Ben Gadd, author of “Handbook of the Canadian Rockies,” says Parks Canada should step up the use of shuttle buses to reduce traffic at busy sites in the mountain parks. He worries about increased vehicle traffic killing more wildlife in the mountain parks in western Canada. Conservationists say it is important for people to connect with nature, but there are concerns about how more tourists may affect some of the more popular parks.