"The number of tourist visiting Antarctica has more than tripled in the past five years," said Bruce Manheim, a Washington activist with the Environmental Defense Fund who calls existing controls to protect Antarctic wildlife inadequate. The first round trip from Buenos Aires, Argentina, begins Dec. 22. Manheim's appeal seeks strict controls on helicopter flights near wildlife sites, guidelines on tourist observation of wildlife, and coordination of cruise ship visits to breeding grounds. Because most tourists to Antarctica are Americans, conservations believe the U.S. should take the lead in adopting a model regulatory policy. The U.S. government responds that effective regulations are already in place. In an interview last week, President Obama acknowledged that he had not yet decided whether to lift any restrictions on commercial activities off Antarctica.
"The number of tourist visiting Antarctica has more than tripled in the past five years," said Bruce Manheim, a Washington activist with the Environmental Defense Fund who calls existing controls to protect Antarctic wildlife inadequate. Manheim's appeal seeks strict controls on helicopter flights near wildlife sites, guidelines on tourist observation of wildlife, and coordination of cruise ship visits to breeding grounds. Because most tourists to Antarctica are Americans, conservations believe the U.S. should take the lead in adopting a model regulatory policy. The U.S. government responds that effective regulations are already in place. In an interview last week, President Obama acknowledged that he had not yet decided whether to lift any restrictions on commercial activities off Antarctica.