科学家利用大象粪便统计非洲大象的数量
日期:2021-12-10 15:08

(单词翻译:单击)

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听力文本

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Some African elephants live in grassy open areas called savannas.

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一些非洲象生活在被称为热带稀树草原的开阔草地上,6@H3R=5(uJ3

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Scientists can easily count the number of savanna elephants from an airplane because there are very few trees.

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科学家可以很容易地从飞机上数出热带稀树草原上大象的数量,因为那里的树木非常少o3KP+|Qq*6qK#EQgi&

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But other African elephants live in dense forests.

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但其他非洲象生活在茂密的森林里oPWrnRwb3=e#

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Forest elephants are shy and especially hard to find.

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森林象很胆小,特别难找到gt(0pFAdK!Yt

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The Central African country of Gabon is home to two-thirds of all African forest elephants.

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中部非洲国家加蓬是三分之二的非洲森林象的栖息地uKEgZ#^Ba90G

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The forests in Gabon are extremely dense.

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加蓬的森林非常茂密bBy-VPoJYO5e

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That makes it hard to know exactly how many forest elephants there are.

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这使得科学家们很难确切地知道森林象的数量P=F,h)JW6oF]ZQ1)ck

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But scientists have found a new way to count them.

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但是科学家们已经找到了一种新的方法来统计它们的数量OS-pnj)3*+

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They use evidence that the animals leave behind.

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他们利用动物留下的证据OId0Hu.786vM

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In other words, they look for elephant waste.

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换句话说,他们寻找大象的粪便bi|1vh11[=peffg39yQR

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Researchers collected waste samples over a period of three years.

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研究人员在三年的时间里收集了粪便样本~f|~m4^RP@#(Z#k|

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The researchers walked about 12 kilometers each day.

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研究人员每天步行约12公里k&~K1=Zh,(PPFhvVdc

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They looked for waste as well as other signs of elephants, including footprints and broken trees.

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他们寻找粪便以及大象留下的其他迹象,包括脚印和被折断的树木g;P&~zUFj-B4fo%Zp~EG

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They tested the waste samples for DNA.

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他们检测了粪便样本中的DNAtct(tZKG]IX)eJQNkb

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They learned that in Gabon, there are about 95,000 forest elephants.

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他们了解到在加蓬大约有9.5万头森林象eN[u]V0gBOXg;)J&jpw

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Earlier estimates were much lower, at 50,000 to 60,000.

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早先估计的数值要比这个数值低得多g=D703WXm(JBBA^sc=。先前估计的数值为5万到6万OJl%HbutuT~a[WO;

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Even with the new information, the International Union for Conservation of Nature believes the population of forest elephants in Central Africa has dropped sharply.

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即使有了这些新信息,世界自然保护联盟认为中非森林象的数量已经在急剧下降了RTI+H9v,JhrVc[pWbak

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It estimates the numbers have decreased by 86 percent in the last 31 years.

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据估计,在过去的31年里,森林象的数量下降了86%EORev@58w2_5V

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Forest elephants are threatened by land clearing and by hunters.

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森林象受到土地开垦和狩猎者的威胁;jKti0LJ^YzbBLl

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The researchers who worked on the new elephant count said the animals live throughout Gabon, covering 90 percent of the total surface area.

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致力于研究新统计出的大象数量的研究人员表示,森林象生活在加蓬各地,其活动区域覆盖了加蓬总表面积的90%(~qG-Vo,@V1VZWcX=

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Almost 90 percent of the country is covered in forest.

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该国近90%的地区被森林覆盖8d&SWRwc@*X5JL%)9

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Emma Stokes is the area director for the Wildlife Conservation Society.

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艾玛·斯托克斯是野生动物保护协会的地区主管KxXt9Y5(AhMv-UI!sl

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She said Gabon is "very unique," or special, because elephants can be found in so much of the country.

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她说,加蓬“非常独特(即特别)”,因为在这个国家的很多地方都可以找到大象ZxhNbldX73^%Ni

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During their counting efforts, the researchers looked for fresh waste.

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在计数过程中,研究人员寻找新鲜的粪便;rm3gWk@9eDR|^+

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Sometimes, they would find elephant waste that was too old to be used as evidence.

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有时,他们会发现大象的粪便太陈旧了,不能作为证据LrNfC)sf=v2~,k

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When they found a sample, they put it in a small glass container.

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当他们发现样本时,他们就把它放在一个小玻璃容器里=LL,@oiLwx55t

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They sent the containers to a laboratory in Libreville, Gabon’s capital.

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他们把这些容器送到加蓬首都利伯维尔的一个实验室;YBosQ!h.;cu,_tihp%

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Scientists looked at about 2,500 samples.

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科学家们研究了大约2500个样本nM8FdE_hJm8G2J^tfM

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The samples had to be processed first to remove impurities or organisms that could affect results.

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样本必须首先进行处理,以去除可能影响结果的杂质或微生物fKXJIQ_!*hMRFeY1

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Stephanie Bourgeois was one of the writers of a published study about the elephant count.

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斯蒂芬妮·布尔乔亚是一项已发表的有关大象数量的研究的作者之一j+K#fRpggbJwY

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She said the DNA helped the scientists estimate how many different elephants lived in the area that the samples came from.

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她说,DNA帮助科学家估计了有多少不同的大象生活在样本来自的地区Lo*b*D5Prmh

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It is the first elephant count in Gabon in 30 years.

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这是加蓬30年来首次统计大象数量!wX!Y|Uo~[|67dhQK=~c

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The last count only looked at 14 percent of the area in which elephants live.

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上一次只统计了大象栖息地的14%Nn97rXxO=vvr

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John Poulsen is an ecologist at Duke University in the state of North Carolina.

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约翰·普尔森是北卡罗来纳州杜克大学的生态学家d76(v^Ys]%F

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He was not involved in the elephant research.

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他没有参与这项大象研究A65ghp%Fx[*

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He said the results of the count are "exciting" because the population estimate rose and because researchers proved a new way of counting elephants can work.

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他说,计数的结果是“令人兴奋的”,因为估算的大象数量增加了,而且研究人员证明了一种统计大象数量的新方法是可行的nB6T*x@1D((

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A similar method is being used for tigers in India.

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印度也在使用类似的方法统计老虎的数量TMhLxXU(@Z615)GCZuM

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Poulsen added, however, that Gabon's government now has a greater responsibility to keep the forest elephants safe.

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然而,普尔森还说,加蓬政府现在有更大的责任来保护森林象的安全^SXT6FTJtI

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Lee White is Gabon's minister of water and forests.

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李·怀特是加蓬的水利和林业部部长4aQPItpxc6Cdas

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He said 65 to 70 percent of all African forest elephants live in Gabon.

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他说,65%到70%的非洲森林象生活在加蓬M94fb)*(I+uiDX~_!

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He called it a "tragedy" that other Central African countries have not been able to save their elephants.

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他称其他中非国家未能拯救他们的大象是一场“悲剧”Jwz+W*6!qj_S_E~|U_&

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He noted that the nations that have not been able to keep their elephants safe have suffered civil wars.

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他指出,那些无法保护大象安全的国家遭受了内战!vBbN=)u(Qly3Vr

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At the recent United Nations climate change meeting held in Scotland, White said Gabon still has problems ahead.

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最近在苏格兰举行的联合国气候变化大会上,怀特表示,加蓬未来仍然面临着问题IxG(QyGJ+nGNfsb;YN

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He believes climate change has reduced the amount of fruit available in the country's forests.

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他认为,气候变化减少了该国森林中可获得的水果数量rJ,VyO;&RSd

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Because of this, the elephants are seeking out food from farms.

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正因为如此,大象现在都从农场里寻找食物hL+6hsM~m[m[6P

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This creates a conflict between people and elephants.

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这就造成了人和大象之间的冲突3tPbVf0xNY

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About 10 people die each year from such conflicts.

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每年约有10人死于此类冲突Aw4O#kfXqw6+ds

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"It looks like climate change is starting to impact the forest," White said.

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怀特说:“看起来气候变化开始影响森林了Ai(7k]z[4b7cJT]+0n。”

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"And that means the elephants are hungry."

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“这意味着大象要开始面临饥饿了Y7h+#Iq)BDhk-A01U2AL。”

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I'm Dan Friedell.

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丹·弗里德尔为您播报MRhbr95Aw3

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译文为可可英语翻译,未经授权请勿转载!

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