研究发现182只老虎居住在世界上最大的自然栖息地

Study Finds 182 Tigers Left in World's Biggest Natural Habitat 研究发现182只老虎居住在世界上最大的自然栖息地

Tigers are the most powerful cats on the planet. Tigers are also endangered. A new study shows that the animals are far more at risk of extinction¹ than wildlife experts believed.

The new census² found that only about 100 tigers are left in the Sundarbans forest of Bangladesh. The Sundarbans is the largest mangrove³ forest in the world. It is also one of the last remaining habitats -- or natural homes --  for tigers.

The Sundarbans spread across a 10,000-square-kilometer area in southern Bangladesh and the eastern part of India. A number of rivers flow through the area. The Sundarbans is a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. About 60 percent of the mangrove forest is in Bangladesh.

In 2004, a separate population count found 440 tigers in the Bangladeshi part of the Sundarbans forest. The finding was based on the study of tiger paw prints, also called “pug marks.”

The latest census used infrared⁴ cameras to arrive at what wildlife experts believe is a more exact number. The cameras took pictures when they observed something with body heat.

Mohammad Jahidul Kabir helped to organize the camera trapping project. He is with the Bangladeshi Wildlife and Nature Conservation Division.

He says, “We are sure that the pugmark-based previous census yielded an incorrect figure. The number of tigers in the Bangladeshi part of Sundarbans in 2004 was surely not as high as 440.”

Now, after using camera trapping methods used in both countries, the entire forest is believed to hold about 182 tigers.

Threatened species

Indian wildlife scientist Yadvendradev Jhala studied the recent tiger censuses⁵. He noted⁶ that more than three-fourths of the world’s tiger population lives in India and Bangladesh. He said the new numbers show that the species is threatened. He blamed both illegal hunting and a new coal-fired power plant that, he says, will separate some tiger populations from each other.

He said, “The majority of coal needed for the power plant will be brought by barges⁸ plying⁹ in the water channel from the Bay of Bengal up the Sundarbans.” This continuous traffic of commercial boats will form a barrier to tigers dispersing¹⁰ east-west, effectively dividing the Sundarbans population into two halves. Small populations have a high probability of becoming extinct.”

Monirul Khan is a tiger activist¹¹ and a member of Bangladesh’s National Coordination¹² Committee for Tiger Conservation. He said government officials who oversee¹³ wildlife are unable to protect the falling number of tigers.

He said, “Many areas of the vast Sundarbans remain unprotected due to insufficient¹⁴ patrol posts and forest guards of the forest department, giving the criminals the opportunity to poach the lucrative¹⁵ tiger.”

The tigers mainly eat spotted¹⁶ deer. The deer also are heavily poached for meat and skin, further threatening the tigers.

Mohammad Jahidul Kabir said the government has taken the latest tiger census report very seriously. He also said the government plans to declare the entire Sundarbans a protected area, restricting activities that threatened the tigers.

Some estimates say there are only around 3,200 tigers left in the wild in the world --  down from 100,000 in 1900.

Words in This Story

census – n. an official count of a population

endangered– adj. threatened; seriously at risk of disappearing

extinction – n. the state or process of a species or population dying out

poach – v. to hunt or kill an animal illegally

barge⁷ – n. a flat-bottomed boat for carrying freight, typically on canals or rivers

habitat – n. natural home or territory

1 extinction   

n.熄灭，消亡，消灭，灭绝，绝种

参考例句：

• The plant is now in danger of extinction.这种植物现在有绝种的危险。
• The island's way of life is doomed to extinction.这个岛上的生活方式注定要消失。

2 census   

n.(官方的)人口调查，人口普查

参考例句：

• A census of population is taken every ten years.人口普查每10年进行一次。
• The census is taken one time every four years in our country.我国每四年一次人口普查。

3 mangrove   

n.(植物)红树，红树林

参考例句：

• It is the world's largest tidal mangrove forest.它是世界上最大的红树林沼泽地。
• Many consider this the most beautiful mangrove forest in all Thailand.许多人认为这里是全泰国最美丽的红树林了。

4 infrared   

adj./n.红外线(的)

参考例句：

• Infrared is widely used in industry and medical science.红外线广泛应用于工业和医学科学。
• Infrared radiation has wavelengths longer than those of visible light.红外辐射的波长比可见光的波长长。

5 censuses   

人口普查，统计( census的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Data derived from population censuses is useful for social researchers. 从人口普查中得到的数据对社会研究者们很有用处。
• UNFPA also helps countries compile reliable demographic data and carry out censuses. 人口基金还帮助各国汇编可靠的人口数据及开展人口普查。

6 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

7 barge   

n.平底载货船，驳船

参考例句：

• The barge was loaded up with coal.那艘驳船装上了煤。
• Carrying goods by train costs nearly three times more than carrying them by barge.通过铁路运货的成本比驳船运货成本高出近3倍。

8 barges   

驳船( barge的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The tug is towing three barges. 那只拖船正拖着三只驳船。
• There were plenty of barges dropping down with the tide. 有不少驳船顺流而下。

9 plying   

v.使用（工具）( ply的现在分词 )；经常供应（食物、饮料）；固定往来；经营生意

参考例句：

• All manner of hawkers and street sellers were plying their trade. 形形色色的沿街小贩都在做着自己的买卖。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It was rather Mrs. Wang who led the conversation, plying Miss Liu with questions. 倒是汪太太谈锋甚健，向刘小姐问长问短。 来自汉英文学 - 围城

10 dispersing   

adj. 分散的 动词disperse的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• Whereas gasoline fumes linger close to the ground before dispersing. 而汽油烟气却靠近地面迟迟不散。
• Earthworms may be instrumental in dispersing fungi or bacteria. 蚯蚓可能是散布真菌及细菌的工具。

11 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

12 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

13 oversee   

vt.监督，管理

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts.士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Use a surveyor or architect to oversee and inspect the different stages of the work.请一位房产检视员或建筑师来监督并检查不同阶段的工作。

14 insufficient   

adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的

参考例句：

• There was insufficient evidence to convict him.没有足够证据给他定罪。
• In their day scientific knowledge was insufficient to settle the matter.在他们的时代，科学知识还不能足以解决这些问题。

15 lucrative   

adj.赚钱的，可获利的

参考例句：

• He decided to turn his hobby into a lucrative sideline.他决定把自己的爱好变成赚钱的副业。
• It was not a lucrative profession.那是一个没有多少油水的职业。

16 spotted   

adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的

参考例句：

• The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
• Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。