VOA时事新闻2023 夏威夷一池塘变粉红色（在线收听）

夏威夷一池塘变粉红色

A small body of water in Hawaii has turned such a bright pink it could have been used as a set for the movie Barbie.

夏威夷的一小片水域变成了明亮的粉红色，以致于它可以用作电影《芭比》的布景。

But the unusual color-changing event has some experts concerned.

但这一不同寻常的变色事件引起了一些专家的关注。

Scientists say extreme dry weather, or drought, may be the reason for the color.

科学家表示，极端干燥的天气（即干旱）可能是造成这种颜色的原因。

For now, they are warning people not to enter the body of water, called a pond, and not drink from it.

目前，他们警告人们不要进入这片池塘，也不要喝里面的水。

Workers at the Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge on the island of Maui have been watching the pink water since October 30.

自10月30日以来，毛伊岛凯阿利亚池塘国家野生动物保护区的工作人员一直在观察这片粉红色的水域。

"I just got a report from somebody that was walking on the beach, and they called me up like, 'There's something weird going on over here,'" said Bret Wolfe, who leads the refuge.

避难所的负责人布雷特·沃尔夫说：“我刚接到一个在海滩上散步的人的报告，他们打电话给我说，‘这里发生了一些奇怪的事情。’”

Wolfe was concerned the bright pink could be a sign of an event called an algae bloom.

沃尔夫担心，这种亮粉色可能是藻华暴发的迹象。

An algae bloom happens when simple plants called algae grow out of control and cause harmful effects on humans and animals.

当藻类这种简单植物生长失控并对人类和动物造成有害影响时，就会发生藻类暴发。

But lab tests found harmful algae was not causing the color.

但实验室检测发现，有害藻类并不是造成这种颜色的原因。

So investigators started looking at an organism called halobacteria as a possible cause.

于是，作为一种可能原因，调查人员开始研究一种名为嗜盐细菌的微生物。

Halobacteria are a kind of single-celled organism that do well in bodies of water with high levels of salt.

嗜盐细菌是一种单细胞生物，其在高盐度的水体中生长良好。

The amount of salt inside the Kealia Pond area is currently greater than 70 parts per thousand, which is twice the amount of salt in seawater.

凯阿利亚池塘的盐分含量目前超过千分之七十，是海水盐分含量的两倍。

Wolfe said the lab will need to perform DNA research in an effort to identify the organism.

沃尔夫说，实验室将需要进行DNA研究，以努力识别这种微生物。

Researchers feel that Maui's drought is likely adding to the situation.

研究人员认为，毛伊岛的干旱可能会加剧这种情况。

Normally, another body of water called Waikapu Stream feeds into the pond and raises water levels there.

正常情况下，怀卡普溪的水会流入该池塘，并抬高那里的水位。

But Wolfe said that has not happened in a long time.

但沃尔夫表示，怀卡普溪的水已经很长时间没有流入该池塘了。

When it rains, water flows from Waikapu Stream into the pond and then into the wider area that is now pink.

下雨时，水从怀卡普溪流入该池塘，然后流入现在呈粉红色的更广阔的区域。

This reduces the amount of salt and could possibly change the water's color.

这样可以减少盐的含量，并可能会改变水的颜色。

"That might be what makes it go away," Wolfe said.

沃尔夫说：“这可能就是它消失的原因”。

None of the workers, or even some volunteers who have been around for 70 years, have seen the pond this color before.

工人，甚至是一些已经在这里待了70年的志愿者，以前都没有见过该池塘呈这种颜色。

It has been through periods of drought and has had high amounts of salt before.

它经历过干旱时期，以前盐分含量也曾高过。

But Wolfe is not sure why the color has changed now.

但沃尔夫不确定现在颜色变了的原因。

Visitors have come to the area after photos of the pink pond appeared on social media.

在社交媒体上出现粉色池塘的照片后，游客们来到了该地区。

Wolfe said he would love to have visitors come to learn about local aims to protect nature.

沃尔夫表示，他希望游客能来了解当地保护自然的目标。

He joked, "But no, they're here to see the pink water."

他开玩笑说，“但不是，他们是来这里看粉色的水的。”

He understands everyone's interest.

他理解每个人的兴趣。

"If that's what gets them there, it's OK," he said.

他说：“如果这就是让他们去那里的原因，那也没关系”。

The wildlife area is a wetland that protects endangered birds like the Hawaiian stilt and the Hawaiian coot.

该野生动物区是一片湿地，保护着夏威夷长脚鹬和夏威夷骨顶等濒危鸟类。

It also protects birds that are traveling to warmer areas in the winter.

它还保护冬季飞往温暖地区的鸟类。

The water does not appear to be harming the birds, Wolfe said.

沃尔夫表示，这片水域似乎没有对鸟类造成伤害。

As a protected area, people are not supposed to enter the pond or let their animals in the water.

作为保护区，人们不应该进入该池塘或让他们的动物进入这片水域。

But officials have issued a special warning for people not to enter the water or eat any fish caught there.

但官员们已经发出了特别警告，要求人们不要下水，也不要吃在那里捕获的任何鱼。