2007年VOA标准英语-Group Trying to Save Endangered Orangutans

By Nia Sutadi
Santa Monica, California
30 April 2007

Orangutans are highly intelligent and are one of man's closest relatives. Found primarily in Indonesia, their name in English means "People of the Forest."  Just a century ago, their numbers were plentiful¹, but deforestation, illegal hunting and natural disasters have left these large, red apes on the verge² of extinction³. A group in the western state of California is working to save orangutans and the habitats they live in. It is called the Orang Utan Republik (OUR) Education Initiative and it is working to get Americans and Indonesians involved in saving Indonesia's orangutans. For producers Vena Anissa and Nia Sutadi, VOA's Jim Bertel has more.

A baby orangutan

Gary Shapiro has spent more than 30 years studying orangutans, spending many years in Indonesia where he taught sign language to ex-captive orangutans in the wild. Three years ago, Shapiro and his Indonesian wife Inggriani began Orang Utan Republik, an environmental organization working to save orangutans from extinction.

"Our goal is to inspire, to empower Indonesian people to be in charge to save the orangutan,” said Inggriani. “We invite them to participate through educational programs in art and science."

"The orangutan is an umbrella-species; if we can preserve orangutans, we can also preserve other animals that are threatened with extinction,” added Gary. “And we hope that Indonesians will learn the place of the orangutan in the ecosystem⁴, so that they will care what happens to them and we will be able to preserve the orangutan forever."

The Shapiros spend Sundays at Santa Monica, California’s farmer's market educating people about orangutans and their habitat. 

"An adult female orangutan usually gets pregnant every seven years,” explains Inggriani. “It takes such a long time for an orangutan mother to teach its offspring to survive in the forest. If the offspring are continually separated from their mothers, eventually the species will become extinct."

Nicky Coleman, who once visited an orangutan rehabilitation⁵ center in Indonesia, supports the Shapiro's efforts. "Some people just don't realize what they are doing to the environment, but if you can bring awareness⁶ and show them, they maybe think twice and make some changes in their life style."

While most of the estimated 57,000 orangutans in the wild are found in Indonesia, the Shapiros believe people around the world need to be educated about orangutans and their role in the tropical ecosystem in order to pressure Indonesians to do more to protect these creatures. 

"I have been concerned about the orangutan for a long time,” says Gary. “And like my adopted 'child,' an orangutan named Princess, I want a world where orangutans can live freely in the forest. And hopefully her children and grandchildren will also be able to live that way in Indonesia forever."

1 plentiful   

adj.富裕的，丰富的

参考例句：

• Their family has a plentiful harvest this year.他们家今年又丰收了。
• Rainfall is plentiful in the area.这个地区雨量充足。

2 verge   

n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。

3 extinction   

n.熄灭，消亡，消灭，灭绝，绝种

参考例句：

• The plant is now in danger of extinction.这种植物现在有绝种的危险。
• The island's way of life is doomed to extinction.这个岛上的生活方式注定要消失。

4 ecosystem   

n.生态系统

参考例句：

• This destroyed the ecosystem of the island.这样破坏了岛上的生态系统。
• We all have an interest in maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem.维持生态系统的完整是我们共同的利益。

5 rehabilitation   

n.康复，悔过自新，修复，复兴，复职，复位

参考例句：

• He's booked himself into a rehabilitation clinic.他自己联系了一家康复诊所。
• No one can really make me rehabilitation of injuries.已经没有人可以真正令我的伤康复了。

6 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。