Time is ticking away on a massive campaign calling for buffer zones on provincial lands around the mountain national parks to protect wolves.

The deadline to sign the petition, which has been organized by the Canadian Wolf Coalition for presentation to the federal government, is Feb. 14.

The group says more than 3,100 signatures have been collected so far in Canada and internationally.

"We have been overwhelmed by the response from people," said Sadie Parr, founder and director of the Canadian Wolf Coalition and a wildlife interpreter at the The Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Centre in Golden, B.C.

"Even more overwhelming than simple signatures is some of the comments people have been making about the need to protect wolves."

The Canadian Wolf Coalition is calling for a land-use management plan to create buffer zones around Banff, Yoho, Jasper, Kootenay, Glacier, Mount Revelstoke and Waterton national parks.

In those buffer zones, development would be prohibited or limited, including resource extraction; hunting and trapping wolves would be banned and motorized recreational vehicle access would be restricted.

Currently, wolves are protected within the boundaries of the mountain national parks, but even within these boundaries, wolves are killed by vehicles and trains.

Outside the parks, the animals face even more pressure from hunting, trapping and poisoning.

Parr said Canadian wolf hunting and trapping regulations are too lax. Many provinces have no bag limits and no specific tag or permit requirements to hunt wolves, unlike other fur-bearing or large game animals.

She said the mountain national parks are simply not large enough to sustain healthy wolf packs and ensure their survival into the future.

The Central Rocky Mountain corridor is essential in maintaining a healthy gene flow among wolves between Canada and the United States, she said, but pressures from industrial, commercial and recreational activities are compromising that.

"As top predators, wolves maintain balance and ecological integrity. Wolves are like an umbrella: by protecting them, we can protect many species under them," said Parr.

"The Central Rocky Mountain Corridor connects wildlife across North America, and we must maintain intact habitat in these areas."

In the interim, Parr said her next big task is greater communication.

"I want to appeal to hunters, trappers and snowmobilers, saying if we are doing it, how are we going to do it so we can still have wolves," she said. "It's about working together."

To sign the petition, go to Canadianwolfcoalition.com