VOA科学技术2023 前海龟偷猎者现在是保护者（在线收听）

Former Sea Turtle Poachers Are now Protectors

前海龟偷猎者现在是保护者

All the kinds of sea turtles found in the Philippines are endangered. That means they are at risk of dying out.

在菲律宾发现的所有种类的海龟都濒临灭绝。这意味着它们有灭绝的危险。

But now, the turtles have one less threat. Many people who used to collect their eggs to eat or to sell are now working to keep turtles safe.

但现在，海龟们少了一个威胁。许多过去收集卵来食用或出售的人现在正在努力保护海龟的安全。

Those people are called poachers. They took the eggs and caught the turtles illegally to sell them or eat their meat.

那些人被称为偷猎者。他们拿走了这些蛋，并非法捕获海龟，以出售它们或食用它们的肉。

Now, however, conservation organizations are teaching former poachers how to safely collect the eggs and protect them before they hatch. The people who do this are paid about 37 cents per egg. That is four times more than they would earn from selling them illegally.

然而，现在，保护组织正在教导前偷猎者如何安全地收集卵，并在卵孵化前保护它们。这样做的人每只鸡蛋的工资约为37美分。这是他们非法出售这些产品所得收入的四倍。

One of the former poachers is Johnny Manlugay. He is a 55-year-old builder. He said he used to go to beaches at night to steal the turtle eggs to eat or sell. Now, he walks the beaches with a bright light looking for turtle nests and the eggs inside.

前偷猎者之一是约翰尼·曼卢盖。他是一名55岁的建筑工人。他说，他过去常常晚上去海滩偷海龟蛋吃或卖。现在，他带着明亮的灯光在海滩上散步，寻找龟巢和里面的蛋。

Manlugay looks for eggs belonging to a turtle called Olive Ridley. He brings his two dogs who help him find the eggs.

曼卢盖在寻找一只名叫奥利弗·雷德利的海龟的蛋。他带了两只狗来帮他找鸡蛋。

"I've learned to love this work" he said, adding he did not know it was illegal to eat turtle eggs and their meat.

“我已经学会了热爱这项工作”，他补充道，他不知道吃龟蛋和龟肉是违法的。

He collects the eggs carefully and brings them to a group called CURMA, which stands for Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions. CURMA takes the eggs and puts them under the sand in a safe place. When the baby turtles hatch, they are directed to the water.

他小心翼翼地收集这些卵，并将它们带到一个名为CURMA的组织，该组织代表海岸水下资源管理行动。CURMA把鸡蛋放在沙子下面的安全地方。当海龟宝宝孵化时，它们被引导到水中。

CURMA is trying to save the Philippine turtles. Along with Olive Ridley, the other kinds of turtles found there are Green, Hawksbill, Loggerhead and Leatherback.

CURMA正在努力拯救菲律宾海龟。除了Olive Ridley，在那里发现的其他种类的海龟还有Green、Hawksbill、Loggerhead和Leatherback。

The turtles are called "pawikan" in the local language. They are at risk not only from poachers, but also climate change and habitat loss.

海龟在当地语言中被称为“pawikan”。它们不仅面临偷猎者的威胁，还面临气候变化和栖息地丧失的风险。

The conservation group formed in 2009. Its members teach the poachers how to collect the eggs and over time, they save thousands of turtles.

该保护组织于2009年成立。它的成员教偷猎者如何收集卵，随着时间的推移，他们拯救了成千上万的海龟。

Carlos Tamayo is one of CURMA's leaders.

卡洛斯·塔马约是CURMA的领导人之一。

"We talked to the poachers, and it turned out poaching was just another means for them to earn a living," he said. "They had no choice."

“我们和偷猎者谈过了，结果发现偷猎只是他们谋生的另一种手段，”他说。“他们别无选择。”

Jessie Cabagbag is one of the former poachers who now helps the turtles. He grew up eating their eggs and meat. Now he collects the eggs and keeps them safe. He said the extra money he gets helps him pay for necessary things such as food and electricity.

Jessie Cabagbag是前偷猎者之一，现在帮助海龟。他是吃他们的蛋和肉长大的。现在，他收集鸡蛋并保护它们的安全。他说，他得到的额外钱帮助他支付必要的东西，如食物和电力。

He also purchased a tricycle, or bicycle with three wheels. He uses it to take passengers from place to place. The money he earns from that helps with his costs when he cannot collect eggs.

他还买了一辆三轮自行车。他用它把乘客从一个地方带到另一个地方。当他无法收集鸡蛋时，他从中赚取的钱有助于他的成本。

Cabagbag is 40 years old. His wife and seven-year-old son sometimes help him collect turtle eggs. Since October, they have taken over 1,000 eggs to CURMA. Cabagbag said that once he received training and learned that the turtles were endangered, he stopped poaching.

卡巴巴格40岁了。他的妻子和七岁的儿子有时会帮他收集龟蛋。自10月以来，他们已向CURMA运送了1000多个鸡蛋。卡巴巴格说，一旦他接受了培训，得知海龟濒临灭绝，他就停止了偷猎。

When the baby turtles hatch, many visitors come to watch them run down the beach and into the water. Cabagbag said seeing the turtles get safely into the water brings him a feeling of joy.

当海龟宝宝孵化时，许多游客都会来观看它们沿着海滩跑下，然后进入水中。卡巴巴格说，看到海龟安全地进入水中，他感到很高兴。

"I am truly proud," he said. "I am happy that I get to contribute to the conservation of the ‘pawikan.'"

“我真的很自豪，”他说。“我很高兴能为保护‘帕维坎’做出贡献。”

Words in This Story

endangered –n. in danger of dying out

conservation –n. work done to keep things healthy or prevent them from dying

habitat –n. the place where something lives

means –n. a way of doing something

hatch –v. when an animal the develops inside an egg is born

training –n. information or teaching given to someone who is learning something new

nest –n. a safe place where an animal such as a bird lays its eggs

proud –adj. a feeling of happiness after accomplishing something

contribute –v. to give an item or time to a larger product or project