密歇根新闻广播 沙丘鹤会很快来到密歇根吗

Right now, it's illegal in the state of Michigan to hunt the sandhill crane, the state's largest and oldest bird. But a proposal to hunt the species within the state is gaining traction¹ and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says if the state of Michigan asks, it will grant permission to hunt the bird. Michigan would join 15 other states that currently allow sandhill crane hunting. In these states, hunting requires both a state and federal license².

Detroit Free Press reporter Keith Matheny has been following this proposal closely. He explains Michigan is part of a "flyway" that's home to the eastern population of sandhill cranes, a population that's been smaller in size for a while. The species was almost hunted into extinction³ in the early 20th century in Michigan, but now, Matheny reports, it's "making a rebound⁴."

According to Matheny, because the sandhill crane is a migratory⁵ bird, it falls under the umbrella of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, meaning the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has the final word on whether or not the population can be hunted.

"Because the population has rebounded⁶ to a point that they believe it can sustain hunting, basically any state along this flyway that asks will be able to hunt it," Matheny said.

In Michigan, Matheny said the Michigan United Conservation Clubs have been pushing for the legalization of sandhill crane hunting. The state House of Representatives passed a resolution supporting hunting the sandhill crane this past fall. The state's Natural Resources Commission has not yet considered the resolution, but according to Matheny there's "some indication that there is support for a hunt at the DNR level."

While the Department of Natural Resource's official position is neutral on this issue, Matheny says emails obtained through the Freedom of Information Act reveal otherwise, with private emails between staff openly advocating for hunting the sandhill crane.

Some support the hunt for agricultural purposes. Some farmers, for instance, say the bird uproots⁷ young corn shoots in the spring to eat the kernels⁸.

"There is a federal program where hunters that are experiencing a nuisance from these birds can get a permit now to shoot them," Matheny said. "You actually can eat them after you shoot them when you kill them with this permit, but that permit use in Michigan has been pretty limited. It's under 80 permits as of last count, have been used in a year."

When the state House was considering the resolution to support a hunt, James Lower, R-Cedar Lake, presented a photo of a farmer's tractor surrounded by what looked like hundreds of birds. He argued this photo was an accurate representation of the nuisance the sandhill crane poses to farmers.

"Well, turns out that photo came from a USDA report and it was a photo from Israel, not Michigan," Matheny said. "The birds were another type of crane, not sandhill cranes, and that tractor in the photo was there to feed them, which is why they were crowding around, the idea being if we feed them in this location, maybe they'll leave our crops alone."

For now, the state is waiting on a decision from the Natural Resources Commission, which says it's currently looking for more information on what problems farmers are having and what potential alternatives there are to a hunt in an effort to mitigate⁹ agricultural problems caused by the sandhill crane. If the state approves hunting, the case moves on to the federal level for approval.

"If it's approved at the state level, it will then have to go through this federal process," Matheny said. "But my reporting's indicated that federal process will be more or less a rubber stamp allowing a hunt."

1 traction   

n.牵引；附着摩擦力

参考例句：

• I'll show you how the traction is applied.我会让你看如何做这种牵引。
• She's injured her back and is in traction for a month.她背部受伤，正在作一个月的牵引治疗。

2 license   

n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许

参考例句：

• The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
• The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。

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 rebound   

v.弹回；n.弹回，跳回

参考例句：

• The vibrations accompanying the rebound are the earth quake.伴随这种回弹的振动就是地震。
• Our evil example will rebound upon ourselves.我们的坏榜样会回到我们自己头上的。

5 migratory   

n.候鸟，迁移

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• This does not negate the idea of migratory aptitude.这并没有否定迁移能力这一概念。

6 rebounded   

弹回( rebound的过去式和过去分词 )； 反弹； 产生反作用； 未能奏效

参考例句：

• The ball rebounded from the goalpost and Owen headed it in. 球从门柱弹回，欧文头球将球攻进。
• The ball rebounded from his racket into the net. 球从他的球拍上弹回网中。

7 uproots   

v.把（某物）连根拔起( uproot的第三人称单数 )；根除；赶走；把…赶出家园

参考例句：

8 kernels   

谷粒( kernel的名词复数 )； 仁； 核； 要点

参考例句：

• These stones contain kernels. 这些核中有仁。
• Resolving kernels and standard errors can also be computed for each block. 还可以计算每个块体的分辨核和标准误差。

9 mitigate   

vt.（使）减轻，（使）缓和

参考例句：

• The government is trying to mitigate the effects of inflation.政府正试图缓和通货膨胀的影响。
• Governments should endeavour to mitigate distress.政府应努力缓解贫困问题。