VOA标准英语2014--South Africa Game Parks Wage New Battles Against Poachers 南非狩猎公园向偷猎者宣战

 

South Africa Game Parks Wage New Battles Against Poachers 南非狩猎公园向偷猎者宣战

HOEDSPRUIT, SOUTH AFRICA — South Africa is known around the world for its breathtaking wildlife.  The country is home to an astounding¹ number of mammal species.  But some, like elephants and lions, face a serious threat from poachers.  Animal parts are being sold for high profits on black markets, particularly in Asia. Protecting the wildlife from poachers is a top priority in a private game park in South Africa.

This private South African game park is home to hundreds of mammals.  This area, part of the larger Kruger National Park region, is also a hotbed for animal poachers.  They kill elephants for their ivory tusks² and lions for their bones. The poachers are also targeting rhinos⁴ for their horns.  

Park Ranger⁵ C.J. Lombard has seen the devastating⁶ impact of rhino³ poaching.

"You find a female that's been hacked⁷ apart and the calf⁸ next to a dead mother, knowing that the calf has been staying there for weeks with its mom - refusing to leave the mom and dying of starvation.  It really does make you very angry," said Lombard.

The South African government says more than a thousand rhinos were killed by poachers in 2013, the highest number on record. Already in January more than 37 rhinos have been slain⁹.

In Asian countries rhino horn, which is believed to have some medicinal value, can sell for about $60,000 per kilo.

Lombard and his tracker Patrick Moyane guide tourists through the game park.  They're also part of frontline efforts to stop poaching within this 11,000 hectare private park.

"As a member of a team if I can find the poachers we will catch them and put them in jail," said Moyane.

This game park has increased security as part of a number of anti poaching measures.

C.J. and Patrick are tracking rhinos here at the Thornybush Game Reserve in South Africa. One of the initiatives that is being done at this park to stop rhino poaching is to inject poison into each of the rhinos' horns, making it unsuitable for human consumption.

Another measure used to protect the rhino from extinction¹⁰ includes farming them and harvesting their valuable horns.  The horns grow, much like hair and nails do.

Lombard says he favors a South African government proposal to sell some of its stockpile of rhino horns to finance conservation and potentially flood a thriving black market.

"Maybe it works manybe it doesn't work. I think anything is worth trying at this point as long as it does not create a new niche¹¹ to make rich men richer at the cost of our wildlife," he said.

Some argue legalizing the sale of rhino horns will drive up demand.

Chief park ranger Juan Pinto says more public awareness¹² campaigns are needed to stop animal poaching.

"For me the biggest issue is it is a belief.  It is someone's belief that the rhino horn gives them this benefit and you cannot change a belief because belief is stronger than fact," said Pinto.

 

Lombard and Moyane keep an eye out for poaching activity during game viewing excursions.  They say until other anti-poaching measures prove successful, they will continue to work with the park's security teams to protect the animals.

1 astounding   

adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词)

参考例句：

• There was an astounding 20% increase in sales. 销售量惊人地增加了20%。
• The Chairman's remarks were so astounding that the audience listened to him with bated breath. 主席说的话令人吃惊，所以听众都屏息听他说。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 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）

3 rhino   

n.犀牛，钱, 现金

参考例句：

• The rhino charged headlong towards us.犀牛急速地向我们冲来。
• They have driven the rhino to the edge of extinction.他们已经令犀牛濒临灭绝。

4 rhinos   

n.犀牛（rhino的复数形式）

参考例句：

• There are many reports of people taming and even training Indian rhinos. 有许多关于人们驯养甚至训练印度犀牛的记载。 来自辞典例句
• The rhinos had fed during the night in the rice fields of these villagers. 犀牛夜里在这些村民的庄稼地里也已吃饱了。 来自辞典例句

5 ranger   

n.国家公园管理员，护林员；骑兵巡逻队员

参考例句：

• He was the head ranger of the national park.他曾是国家公园的首席看守员。
• He loved working as a ranger.他喜欢做护林人。

6 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

7 hacked   

生气

参考例句：

• I hacked the dead branches off. 我把枯树枝砍掉了。
• I'm really hacked off. 我真是很恼火。

8 calf   

n.小牛，犊，幼仔，小牛皮

参考例句：

• The cow slinked its calf.那头母牛早产了一头小牛犊。
• The calf blared for its mother.牛犊哞哞地高声叫喊找妈妈。

9 slain   

杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词)

参考例句：

• The soldiers slain in the battle were burried that night. 在那天夜晚埋葬了在战斗中牺牲了的战士。
• His boy was dead, slain by the hand of the false Amulius. 他的儿子被奸诈的阿缪利乌斯杀死了。

10 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。

11 niche   

n.壁龛；合适的职务(环境、位置等)

参考例句：

• Madeleine placed it carefully in the rocky niche. 玛德琳小心翼翼地把它放在岩石壁龛里。
• The really talented among women would always make their own niche.妇女中真正有才能的人总是各得其所。

12 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。