VOA双语新闻：8、非法全球野生动物交易（在线收听）

非法全球野生动物交易

Thai and American officials are reporting progress in a combined effort to curb the global trade in illicit wildlife. But they say the problem is growing because of increased demand worldwide for endangered animals and lucrative parts of their bodies.

泰国和美国的官员正在报道双方共同努力遏制全球非法野生动物交易方面的进展。但是他们表示当前所面临的问题正在与日俱增。

Thai authorities are trying to make a dent in what has become a multibillion dollar illicit business, taking endangered animals from their natural habitats and selling them or parts of them on the black market.

这些被泰国官方截获的濒危动物，是被人们从自然栖息地诱捕而来，成为这一价值数十亿美元非法贸易的牺牲品。

For the past several years, Thailand has had ally on the law enforcement front to combat the trade, the United States government.

在过去的几年里，泰国在打击非法贸易的执法阵营里有了一个同盟，那就是美国政府。

A key official on the American side is William Brownfield, the State Department's assistant secretary responsible for the global fight against illegal drugs and organized crime, who investigates, arrests, prosecutes and incarcerates illicit traders.

美国国务院负责全球范围内打击毒品和集团犯罪的助理国务卿 布朗菲尔德 是美国方面的主要官员。

“Illegal wildlife traffickers are definitely criminals," Brownfield said.

朗菲尔德说：“我调查、逮捕、起诉和监禁那些犯罪的人，而那些非法走私野生动物的人毫无疑问是罪犯。”

Thai authorities say they forecast a total seizure this year of 20,000 live animals, a  number that has been increasing in recent years in Thailand and other countries.

Increased demand, in part from wealthier customers in Asia, is creating a larger market, said Brownfield.

泰国官员说，他们今年预计会截获2万只被用于非法交易的野生动物。近年来，这一截获的数量在泰国和其他国家都有所上升。官员说，需求的增长部分来自亚洲富有的客户，正在促成一个更大的交易市场。

"The larger number of seized and confiscated wildlife shows, as well, that law enforcement is beginning to work," he said.

布朗菲尔德说：“那些大量被截获和充公的野生动物正表明执法工作开始发生作用。”

One of the biggest concerns for authorities here is that Thailand is being used as a shipping point, especially for ivory.  A single elephant can be worth up to $30,000.

对官员来说，最令人担忧的是泰国正在被用来作为交易链中的中转站。其中交易最多的是象牙，一根如同这样的长牙在黑市上可以卖到3万美元。

Cooperation with the United States has become a key factor in reducing wildlife trafficking and sales of related illicit products, said Theerapat Prayurasiddhi, the deputy director general of Thailand's national parks.

"It's a worldwide problem due to poverty, greed and people who want to exploit natural resources for their own benefit," he said.  "This results in the increase in wildlife trafficking and we must pursue a global solution."

帕尤拉悉地说：“这是一个源于贫穷、贪婪和那些想要利用自然资源来为自己谋利的人所导致的世界问题。这使得野生动物的非法交易持续增长，为此我们必须寻求一个全球的解决方案。”

But even pursuing a regional solution in Southeast Asia is proving to be a big challenge. The kingpins of the trafficking have proven to be untouchable, so far. Honest officers say they are stymied by corrupt counterparts and a lack of sharing of intelligence, among different agencies, let alone across borders.