Animal Sanctuary in Australia

Tasmanian Devils, pygmy-possums and native parrots are just some of Australia's threatened species. But thanks to a successful breeding season, one animal sanctuary¹ is optimistic for the future survival of these creatures.

Our reporter Li Dong has the details.

 
The Healesville Sanctuary, north east of the Australian city of Melbourne, has recorded high numbers of births in captivity² this year, giving some threatened species a much-needed boost in their population.

The sanctuary conducts captive-breeding programmes for native animals to help maintain dwindling³ populations. Among the species to benefit are Tasmanian Devils, Helmeted Honey-eaters, dingos and pygmy-possums.

No less than 20 Tasmanian Devil joeys were born at Healesville in the past year.

Sanctuary Director Glen Holland says it's now time to expand the programme:

"We've just has the best year that we've ever had, and we're building on that even further. We're about to build a third phase of the Tasmanian Devil enclosures."

Tasmanian Devils have come under threat in recent years due to a Facial Tumor⁴ Disease, which has spread throughout their native state.

Threatened Species Keeper Tammika McIvor says the sanctuary plays a big part in their preservation⁵:

"Over here, we're a little bit further away from the disease, we have a big body of water in between us and we're able to keep quarantine very strong."

Dr Melanie Lancaster is from the Australian Threatened Species Association. She says devil-breeding programs are vital to building populations:

"Our captive breeding programs are really one of the last hopes for the species survival. So if something should happen to these small populations that we have in the wild, we still have an insurance population here that we can breed back up and release back into the wild."

But these little devils aren't fleeing the nest just yet. Tammika McIvor says they too have an important role to play:

"Once they're weaned they'll live their first year growing up and learning how to be a devil. And then in their second year they'll go into the breeding programme and have a partner selected for them."

If the joeys weren't cute and cuddly⁶ enough, Healesville has also birthed a record 38 mountain pygmy-possums, and 23 orange-bellied parrots.

For CRI, I am Li Dong.

1 sanctuary   

n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区

参考例句：

• There was a sanctuary of political refugees behind the hospital.医院后面有一个政治难民的避难所。
• Most countries refuse to give sanctuary to people who hijack aeroplanes.大多数国家拒绝对劫机者提供庇护。

2 captivity   

n.囚禁；被俘；束缚

参考例句：

• A zoo is a place where live animals are kept in captivity for the public to see.动物园是圈养动物以供公众观看的场所。
• He was held in captivity for three years.他被囚禁叁年。

3 dwindling   

adj.逐渐减少的v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The number of wild animals on the earth is dwindling. 地球上野生动物的数量正日渐减少。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He is struggling to come to terms with his dwindling authority. 他正努力适应自己权力被削弱这一局面。 来自辞典例句

4 tumor   

n.（肿）瘤，肿块(英)tumour

参考例句：

• He was died of a malignant tumor.他死于恶性肿瘤。
• The surgeons irradiated the tumor.外科医生用X射线照射那个肿瘤。

5 preservation   

n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持

参考例句：

• The police are responsible for the preservation of law and order.警察负责维持法律与秩序。
• The picture is in an excellent state of preservation.这幅画保存得极为完好。

6 cuddly   

adj.抱着很舒服的，可爱的

参考例句：

• The beautiful crib from Mom and Dad is so cuddly.爸爸妈妈送的漂亮婴儿床真舒服。
• You can't call a hedgehog cuddly.你不能说刺猬逗人喜爱。