VOA标准英语2012--Thai Wildlife Group Raided for Criticizing Elephant Poaching

Thai Wildlife Group Raided for Criticizing Elephant Poaching

Thailand's Department of National Parks last week began taking animals from the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand.
Officials say the foreign-run wildlife rescue group was unable to produce ownership documents for all of their animals and must surrender them.
However, the head of the group, Edwin Wiek, says his paperwork is in order and the visiting officials are not there to enforce the law.
"This is all lies, intimidation¹, only because we speak up about the illegal trade in elephants in Thailand and the illegal wildlife trade within Thailand. A cover-up for the criminals done by the Department of National Parks," said Wiek.
Wiek says park officials showed up after he published letters in Thai media in January that questioned their accounts of how elephants were killed at national parks.
Thai police suspected the deputy head of Kaeng Krachan National Park and some park rangers² were involved in the poaching, but so far only two villagers have been charged.
The head of the park, Chaiwat Limlikitaksorn, denies his staff committed any wrongdoing.
"I can confirm that every national park authority loves nature and no one is involved in elephant poaching," said Chaiwat. "What was broadcast by the media makes it sound like the national park authority is involved in elephant poaching."
While Thailand has earned praise from some conservationists for its anti-poaching programs, Chaiwat says his park does not have enough rangers and the punishments for killing³ a wild elephant are too lenient⁴.
Thai officials say elephants are killed mainly for their ivory tusks⁵, worth about $1,500 per kilogram, but poachers also take other parts such as genitals and meat to be sold as traditional medicine and exotic food.
The poachers also kill adult elephants that are protecting babies, which are sold for around $7,000 to work in Thailand's lucrative⁶ tourist trade.

1 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。

2 rangers   

护林者( ranger的名词复数 )； 突击队员

参考例句：

• Do you know where the Rangers Stadium is? 你知道Rangers体育场在哪吗？ 来自超越目标英语 第3册
• Now I'm a Rangers' fan, so I like to be near the stadium. 现在我是Rangers的爱好者，所以我想离体育场近一点。 来自超越目标英语 第3册

3 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

4 lenient   

adj.宽大的，仁慈的

参考例句：

• The judge was lenient with him.法官对他很宽大。
• It's a question of finding the means between too lenient treatment and too severe punishment.问题是要找出处理过宽和处罚过严的折中办法。

5 tusks   

n.（象等动物的）长牙( tusk的名词复数 )；獠牙；尖形物；尖头

参考例句：

• The elephants are poached for their tusks. 为获取象牙而偷猎大象。
• Elephant tusks, monkey tails and salt were used in some parts of Africa. 非洲的一些地区则使用象牙、猴尾和盐。 来自英语晨读30分（高一）

6 lucrative   

adj.赚钱的，可获利的

参考例句：

• He decided to turn his hobby into a lucrative sideline.他决定把自己的爱好变成赚钱的副业。
• It was not a lucrative profession.那是一个没有多少油水的职业。