OTTAWA, January 28 (Xinhuanet) -- Ski resorts, mining, and growing
populations are endangering the mountain ecosystems of Canada's
majestic Rocky Mountains, it is reported here Monday.
   According to a United Nations Study, the Rocky Mountains are
being hurt by skiing and other recreational activities that gobble
up virgin lands.
   Industrial scars like an abandoned open pit mine in Alberta's
Lougheed Provincial Park, as well as new housing developments, are
hurting the Rockies, the study says.
   Canada's first national park, Banff, faces serious danger of
being overdeveloped, according to mountain expert Jack Ives, who
contributed to the U.N. document.
   Banff lures millions of tourists from around the world.
Thousands of vehicles pass through its valleys every day, cutting
off corridors for mammals in the process.  Enditem