AR-News: (US WA) Scientists worried thrill-seekers will upset Antarctica's fragile ecosys

[Animalara2003 at aol.com]

By Jamie Tarabay
The Associated Press
SYDNEY, Australia — For scientists, Antarctica is a deep freeze that may hold 
priceless scientific secrets. For intrepid tourists, the icy continent is 
just a cool place to visit. 
Increasingly, the two are colliding. 
More than 13,000 tourists arrived on the Antarctic peninsula near Chile 
during the past summer season, raising fears for its fragile ecosystem. 
"We want them to understand there are very strict rules," said Sharman Stone 
of the Australian Antarctic Division. 
The rules laid down by the United States and six other nations that have 
research bases on Antarctica govern everything from wildlife protection to the 
foods that tourists can bring ashore. 



full story:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2001901149_cooltourists12.ht
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