新奇事件簿 无人机用于保护沙漠地鼠龟（在线收听）

High-tech drones are flying to the defence of tortoises in California's Mojave Desert. The desert tortoises in the western Mojave are under threat of being wiped out by ravens. The raven is a larger version of the crow. Its population in the Mojave has increased by more than 700 per cent in the past 25 years and this is having a catastrophic impact on the desert tortoises. Allison Fedrick, a local conservationist, observed that in some places, "where there used to be 10 ravens, there are now 15,000". Ms Fedrick noted that if nothing was done to help the tortoises, they would be completely wiped out. Their numbers have plummeted by more than 90 per cent since 1990.

高科技无人机将被用于保护加利福尼亚莫哈韦沙漠的乌龟。位于莫哈韦沙漠西部的沙漠地鼠龟正面临被大乌鸦消灭的威胁。大乌鸦是体型更大的乌鸦。莫哈韦沙漠大乌鸦的数量已在过去25年间增长超过700%并对沙漠地鼠龟产生了灾难性的影响。当地保护主义者Allison Fedrick观察到，在一些地区“过去有10只大乌鸦，而现在有15000只”。Fedrick女士提出，如果不采取任何措施来帮助沙漠地鼠龟，它们就会被彻底灭绝。它们的数量自1990年来骤然下跌超过90%。

Technology is coming to the rescue of the tortoises. A team of biologists and drone operators has come up with a strategy to reduce the raven population. They are using drones and the use of the method of "egg oiling". This involves flying drones up to the ravens' nests, removing fertilized eggs, coating them with a film of corn oil, and then replacing them. The oil blocks oxygen from entering the egg, effectively ending the life of the embryo inside. Biologist Mercy Vaughn said: "If ravens figure out that their eggs are rotten, they are likely to eat them and nest someplace else." Conservationist John Griffin said oiling was justified as "part of a comprehensive approach that...addresses all other factors".

技术将帮助救助这些乌龟。一个由生物学家和无人机操作员组成的团队提出了减少乌鸦数量的策略。他们将利用无人机和“蛋涂油”的方法。这包括无人机飞到大乌鸦的巢穴，移出受精蛋，给它们涂上一层玉米油，然后替换它们。这些油可以阻止氧气进入但内，有效终止内部胚胎的生命。生物学家Mercy Vaughn表示：“如果大乌鸦发现它们的蛋腐烂了，它们可能会吃掉它们并在别处筑巢。”保护主义者John Griffin表示涂油被认为是“解决所有其他因素的一种综合方法的一部分”。