Ecologists Seek Addition to Waterton-Glacier

Conservationists are urging government leaders to add a 100,000-acre piece of Canadian wilderness to the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park.

Leading ecologists meeting in Whitefish earlier this week say extending the park's boundaries will connect wildlife corridors and help preserve one of the most intact ecosystems in North America.

The Peace Park is the combination of the Glacier National Park in Montana and Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada.

But a pizza-shaped slice is missing on the Canadian side that ecologist say is needed to help bighorn sheep, grizzly bears, wolverines, mountain goats, bull trout and other native fish.

John Weaver of the Wildlife Conservation Society tells the Missoulian that not adding the land to the park leaves the area jeopardized by development.