VOA新闻杂志2022 美国科罗拉多州现未知高传染性疾病致85匹野马死亡

U.S. government officials say an unknown and fast-spreading disease has killed 85 wild horses in less than one week in the western state of Colorado.

美国政府官员表示，在西部的科罗拉多州，一种未知的、快速传播的疾病在不到一周的时间里已经造成85匹野马死亡。

Federal officials made the announcement Wednesday.

联邦官员于周三宣布了这一消息。

The number of deaths at a federal corral, or holding area for horses, increased from an earlier announcement of 67.

在一个联邦畜栏，即关马的区域，其马的死亡数量比早些时候宣布的67匹有所增加。

Steven Hall of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, BLM, told Reuters the facility is under quarantine.

美国土地管理局的史蒂文·霍尔告诉路透社，该联邦畜栏正在隔离中。

That means animals are not permitted to enter or leave the area.

这意味着动物不被允许进入或离开该区域。

More than 2,500 animals are held at the facility in Canon City, 190 kilometers southwest of Denver.

超过2500只动物被关在丹佛西南190公里处的佳能城的这处畜栏中。

Animals that are sick or have been exposed to infected horses are being kept away from the healthy ones.

患病或接触过受感染马匹的动物被禁止接近健康的马匹。

A BLM statement earlier this week said, "Wild horses at the Wild Horse facility in Canon City have been infected with an unknown yet highly contagious¹ and sometimes fatal disease."

本周早些时候，美国土地管理局在一份声明中称：“佳能城野马畜栏的野马感染了一种未知的但高传染性的疾病，有时甚至是致命的。”

Fatal is a term that means deadly.

Fatal的意思是致命的。

Most of the sickened horses had been transported from Rio Blanco County, near the neighboring state of Utah.

大多数患病的马都是从邻近的犹他州附近的里奥布兰科县运来的。

Officials collected the animals last autumn, the BLM said.

美国土地管理局表示，官员们去年秋天汇集了这些动物。

Hall said the dead animals are being examined.

霍尔说，正在对死亡的动物进行检查。

Blood and tissue samples are being carefully studied at two university laboratories.

两所大学实验室正在仔细研究血液和组织样本。

"The main symptoms seem to be respiratory issues and chest congestion," Hall said, adding that federal, state and independent veterinarians are investigating the issue.

霍尔说：“主要症状似乎是呼吸问题和胸部充血”，他还说，联邦、州和独立兽医正在调查这一问题。

Horses are not native to the United States.

马不是美国的本土动物。

Their ancestors were animals freed or left by people during the settlement of the American West.

它们的祖先是在美国西部的开拓过程中被人们释放或遗弃的动物。

The BLM said the horses must be controlled because the animals damage water supplies and eat food that native species eat.

美国土地管理局表示，必须控制这些马，因为这些动物破坏供水，吃本地物种吃的食物。

There are an estimated 80,000 wild horses in the U.S.

据估计，美国有8万匹野马。

The agency collects some of the wild animals in events called roundups.

该机构以“围捕”的方式汇集了一些野马。

BLM transports the animals to holding areas where some are sold.

美国土地管理局将这些动物运送到关马的区域，在那里出售一些马。

Activists² say the roundups and living conditions for the animals are inhumane.

活动人士表示，对这些动物进行围捕并破坏生活环境是不人道的。

Suzanne Roy of the American Wild Horse Campaign said in a statement posted on the group's website, "Disease outbreaks and deaths are the direct result of the BLM's mass roundups."

“美国野马运动”的苏珊娜·罗伊在该组织网站上发布的一份声明中表示，“疾病暴发和死亡是美国土地管理局大规模围捕的直接结果。”

Roy added, "We can expect to see more suffering and death if BLM continues down this dangerous and destructive path."

罗伊还说，如果美国土地管理局继续沿着这条危险和具有毁灭性的道路走下去，我们可能会看到更多的痛苦和死亡。

I'm John Russell.

约翰·拉塞尔为您播报。

1 contagious   

adj.传染性的，有感染力的

参考例句：

• It's a highly contagious infection.这种病极易传染。
• He's got a contagious laugh.他的笑富有感染力。

2 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》