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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Judy Woodruff: Sea turtles have inhabited the oceans for at least 120 million years. But they are now among the most endangered species on the planet. John Yang has the story about a global effort aimed at saving them. It is part of our Breakthrough reporting for our series the Leading Edge of science.
John Yang: Most people head to the beach for the sun. In Costa Rica, we went as the sun was setting, and stayed into the night. We were with a group of wildlife conservationists hoping to find sea turtles coming ashore1 to lay eggs.
Helen Pheasey: And keep not in front of me, but sort of a little bit behind me, just so that, if I see tracks ahead of me, I will be able to stop us and just say, OK, there is something.
John Yang: Bright lights spook the turtles, so we used a night-vision camera. The search was hit-or-miss. Turtles' ancient instincts don't always synch with human schedules. We came upon this black turtle, a particularly skittish2 subspecies, just as she was heading back into the waters of the Pacific. These days, the odds3 are stacked against sea turtle survival. Among the biggest threats? Humans. They encroach on their habitats and kill them for their meat and for their shells to make jewelry4, illegal worldwide, but still freely available. And the threat exists even before they hatch. Across Central America, poachers destroy more than 90 percent of sea turtle nests on unguarded beaches. Turtle eggs are considered a local delicacy5 and an aphrodisiac. Eating them is so ingrained in the culture that poachers are almost never punished. Less exotic animals here?
Kim Williams-Guillen: That's right.
John Yang: One possible tool in the fight against poaching has its roots thousands of miles from the turtle's nesting sites, a farm in Michigan. That's where conservation biologist Kim Williams-Guillen developed a way to learn more about poachers, 3-D-printed plastic decoy eggs with GPS trackers. If a nest is poached, the decoy is scooped6 up, too.
Kim Williams-Guillen: One day, I was just walking around, and suddenly had an aha moment of, what if we could track the poachers of the turtle eggs?
John Yang: Williams-Guillen works for Paso Pacifico, a California-based group that protects biodiversity in Central America. Her inspiration came from some unlikely sources.
Kim Williams-Guillen: I have seen a couple similar devices used actually on TV shows. So, in the TV show "Breaking Bad," there is one episode in which somebody puts a GPS tracker on a barrel of chemicals. There's another TV show called "The Wire." And in one episode of that, there are two detectives who are putting a listening device into a tennis ball.
John Yang: In fact, the information from Williams-Guillen's decoy eggs could ultimately help law enforcement.
Kim Williams-Guillen: If you're deploying7 eggs on several beaches in a country, and let's say they all end up going to the same neighborhood or the same block, then that suggests maybe a very centralized network with a couple of really key players.
John Yang: It takes Williams-Guillen's 3-D printer about 90 minutes to lay a decoy egg, and then it's elaborately painted to look like the real thing, with the help of a Hollywood special effects makeup8 artist. The eggs go from the snowy fields of Michigan to the tropical forests of Costa Rica. Wildlife biologist Helen Pheasey takes them from there. She joined Paso Pacifico's project in late 2016 as part of her Ph.D. research. It's her job to plant the decoy eggs, which takes us back to our nighttime beach excursion. Three hours after our first sighting, we'd given up on seeing another one. But on the way back to our cars, we stumbled upon an olive ridley turtle digging her nest. For 20 minutes, her hand-like rear flippers scooped away sand, crafting a chamber9 for her eggs, and then… Oh, there you go. The turtle laid more than 50 eggs. And, to demonstrate, Pheasey added an impostor.
Helen Pheasey: She has no idea it's there. The poachers won't know it's there. And so we have got a nice little decoy hiding in there, tracking away, waiting to see where they take them. So — and it's a very, very mixed feeling when you see the eggs move. On the one hand, you're like, yes, they're moving, they're working, like, damn it, someone's stolen the eggs. Like…
John Yang: And how does the information help fight poaching?
Helen Pheasey: So, the moment we know that the eggs leave the beach, we know that they end up in the market. What we don't know is what's going on in the middle.
John Yang: Later, Pheasey showed us the decoys' electronic trail, using one she carried with her. And what specific information is it telling you?
Helen Pheasey: OK, so the name of the egg I have given it, the date and the time that it was at that location, and then the mileage10. So, we can start to get an idea of, like, not only where they're going, but how fast they're moving, what type of vehicles they're using.
John Yang: But you have had cases where poachers — or at least there's indications from the movements that the poachers have found the decoy eggs?
Kim Williams-Guillen: Everybody's going to find them at some point.
John Yang: Right.
Kim Williams-Guillen: Somewhere along the trade line, they're going to find them. We did have occasion where we actually tracked the egg, and the final point where it like transmitted a signal was from in the middle of a riverbed.
John Yang: Liza Gonzalez, Paso Pacifico's Nicaragua director, was initially11 skeptical12 about the decoy idea. The first time you heard this suggested, what was your reaction?
Liza Gonzalez: Well, I think, you're crazy. I think that not going to happen. How you can do that? But, you know, Kimberly, she work again with the artist, and she did it. She did it. Absolutely, it was so good, yes, and I would say, oh, my gosh, you are a genius. Yes.
John Yang: To learn even more about the poachers, Pheasey sends locals to buy eggs, so she can sample their DNA13.
Helen Pheasey: You have got like a salsa, kind of a chili14 salsa.
John Yang: And this is how people eat them?
Helen Pheasey: Mm-hmm. Yes, they knock them back with beer or alcohol of some sort.
John Yang: So, you're trying to determine what species these eggs are?
Helen Pheasey: Yes. What I want to know is what species laid the egg and which population did that species come from. If we start getting a load of eggs from that same population, we know that there's a serious poaching problem going on, on that beach. And that's where we can say, OK, we need to target law enforcement now, or we need to get a conservation project up and running that patrols the beach.
John Yang: Activists15 say the patrols are crucial. The night we visited this community, there was a meeting with police, prompted by the recent discovery of a dead turtle apparently16 killed for her eggs. Marlon Mora Vargas was there. He was a fisherman for more than 20 years and is now part of a regional network trying to save sea turtles.
Marlon Mora Vargas (through interpreter): The people know that it's an endangered species, that it shouldn't be done. They just don't want to change. That's why we're working with kids, because they can change. They can learn. They can take new ideas, make a generational change. My kids know turtles. They have gone to see births of turtles. They want to be in the beaches with me. I show them the species that exist, what they shouldn't do.
John Yang: Liza Gonzalez's daughter, Ashley Hodgson, is studying Marine17 biology, a second-generation sea turtle defender18.
Ashley Hodgson: They have been in the earth for thousands of years. They can survive through all these changes. And right now, they are in the stage when they can't change anymore. Like, they can't survive anymore, and they need our help.
Liza Gonzalez: And I am very happy that you are doing this too.
John Yang: Your daughter seems to have captured this passion as well.
Liza Gonzalez: Oh, yes, thank God. She is the one that decide to help me in this subject that I have to protect biodiversity.
John Yang: There's a big emphasis on outreach to young people. Local children watched as newly hatched sea turtles were released and made their way to the ocean. The turtles were born earlier that day and kept safe until after dark to protect them from birds and the scorching19 heat. Conservationists hope that, among these kids, there's another Ashley Hodgson.
Ashley Hodgson: My plan is to save sea turtles.
Ashley Hodgson: I know that's an ambitious plan, but I think, if we work together, we can get the goal.
John Yang: And they believe these decoy eggs from Michigan will help them get there. For the PBS NewsHour, I'm John Yang on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.
朱迪·伍德瑞夫：早在1.2亿年前，海龟就已遨游海洋。但如今它们却是地球上最为濒危的物种之一。约翰·杨将为我们介绍一个海龟拯救全球行动。这些内容在我们的科学前沿系列节目突破报道中，也有涉及。
约翰·杨：大多数人去海滩都是为了晒太阳。而在哥斯达黎加，黄昏时分，我们来到了海滩，直到夜幕降临。在那里我们和一群野生动物保护者一起，守候上岸产卵的海龟。
海伦·菲斯：大家不要站在我面前，到我身后一点去，这样，如果我看到前面有它们的踪迹，就能告诉大家停下，说一声，好，有情况。
约翰·杨：亮光会令海龟不安，所以我们用夜视摄像机。这种搜寻全看运气。海龟拥有原始本能，它们可不按人类预计出牌。我们偶遇了这只黑龟，一个特别活跃的亚种，她正要返回太平洋，投入大海的怀抱。如今，海龟生存率越来越低。其中最大的威胁是什么？人类。人类侵占海龟的栖息地，将海龟猎杀吃肉，将龟壳制称珠宝。这些行为在全球范围内均属违法，但仍然大量存在。甚至这些威胁早在他们孵化之前就已经存在了。在中美洲无人看管的海滩上，偷猎者对海龟巢的摧毁率高达90%。在当地，人们认为海龟蛋是美味佳肴，催情春药。吃海龟蛋在当地文化中，根深蒂固，以至于偷猎者几乎从未受到过任何惩罚。在这里海龟并不是什么特别的动物？
吉姆·威廉姆斯·吉伦：是的。
约翰·杨：在数千英里外的密歇根州，有一个农场，海龟会在那里筑巢，于是那里也诞生了一个打击偷猎的可行方案。保育生物学家吉姆·威廉姆斯·吉伦用3D印刷塑料诱饵蛋和GPS追踪器，了解偷猎者的行踪。如果有人偷猎了海龟巢，诱饵也会一起被挖走。
吉姆·威廉姆斯·吉伦：有一天，我随便散步，突然灵感乍现，如果我们是否能对海龟蛋偷猎者进行追踪呢？
约翰·杨：威廉姆斯·吉伦现任职于Paso Pacifico，这是一家总部设在加利福尼亚州的中美洲生物多样性保护组织。她的灵感来自一些不可思议的消息。
吉姆·威廉姆斯·吉伦：我在电视节目上见过一些类似装置。在电视节目"Breaking Bad"中，有一集讲的是，有人把GPS跟踪器放在一桶化学品上。还有一个电视节目叫做"The Wire"，有一集讲的是，两名侦探把一个监听装置放入了网球。
约翰·杨：事实上，威廉姆斯·吉伦假海龟蛋的追踪结果，最终可能协助执法。
吉姆·威廉姆斯·吉伦：如果我们在一国的多个海滩上部署诱饵蛋，如果说最终它们都流向了同一街道或街区，那么这可能意味着，那就是偷猎者集中的据点，那里有人经常从事偷猎活动。
约翰·杨：威廉姆斯·吉伦的3D打印机打印一个诱饵蛋需要约90分钟，然后好莱坞特效化妆师再把它们精心一画，看起来就像真的一样。野生动物学家海伦·菲斯把这些诱饵蛋从密歇根雪原带到哥斯达黎加热带森林。2016年底，海伦·菲斯加入Paso Pacifico项目，并将其作为博士研究内容。她的工作就是布设诱饵蛋，我们就随着她夜访海滩。我们只在三个小时前发现过一只，现在我们已经放弃了，等不到下一只了。而就在我们踏上归途，去找车的途中，却意外发现了一只橄榄龟，它正在挖巢。20分钟后，她像手一样的脚蹼铲掉了沙子，做出一个产卵室，然后…哦，看吧。这只海龟产下了50多个蛋。而且，为了演示给我们看，菲斯在这放置了一个诱饵蛋。
海伦·菲斯:她并不知道这有诱饵蛋。偷猎者也不会知道。所以我们做了一个很好的小诱饵，把它藏在那里，跟踪，等待，看看偷猎者会把他们带到哪去。所以，当你看到有人动这些蛋的时候，心情非常非常复杂。一方面你就像，好，他们动了，起作用了，另一方面就像，该死的，有人偷了龟蛋。像…
约翰·杨：这些偷猎信息，对打击偷猎活动起到什么作用？
海伦·菲斯：我们知道蛋离开海滩的时候，就知道它们最终会流入市场。我们不知道的是这中间发生了什么。
约翰·杨：后来，菲斯自己搬动诱饵蛋，向我们演示了诱饵诱饵蛋的电子轨迹。它告诉了你什么具体的信息？
海伦·菲斯：好的，我给蛋起好名字，记录日期时间，布设地点，以及英里数。因此，我们就可以了解到，比如，不光是他们将要去哪里，而且还有他们移动的快慢，用的是哪种类型的车。
约翰·杨：但有没有偷猎者——或者至少有迹象表明偷猎者已经识别出了诱饵蛋呢？
吉姆·威廉姆斯·吉伦：人们迟早都会发现它们。
约翰·杨：是呀。
吉姆·威廉姆斯·吉伦：在贸易链条的某个环节，他们一定会发现的。我们确实有机会在那里跟踪诱饵蛋，而最后一个信号是从河床中间发出来的。
约翰·杨：丽莎·冈萨雷斯是Paso Pacifico的尼加拉瓜导演，从最初就对诱饵的想法持怀疑态度。你第一次听到这个提议时，是什么反应？
丽莎·冈萨雷斯：嗯，我想，你疯了。我认为那根本不成。你怎么做？但是，你知道，金佰利，她和那个化妆师再度联手，然后她成功了。她做到了。当然，这太好了，是的，我会说，哦，天哪，你真是个天才。对。
约翰·杨：为了更好地了解偷猎者，菲斯让当地人去买海龟蛋，这样她就可以从中获得DNA样本。
海伦·菲斯:味道就像酱，一种辣酱。
约翰·杨：人们就是这样吃的？
海伦·菲斯：嗯，是的，他们还会喝啤酒或（其他）酒精饮品。
约翰·杨：那么，你想确定这些蛋属于那个亚种？
海伦·菲斯：对。我想弄清楚这些蛋属于那个亚种，这个亚种又源自何方。如果我们发现这些蛋都属于同一亚种，我们就知道那个海滩偷猎猖獗。那么我们就可以说的，好，我们现在需要精准执法，或者我们要立项保护巡逻那个海滩。
约翰·杨：保护活动的积极分子说巡逻至关重要。我们去那个社区的当晚，见到了警察，因为最近他们发现了一只海龟被杀，显然目的是为了取蛋。马龙·莫拉·巴尔加斯在那。过去20多年来，他一直以打鱼为生，现在他参加了区域保护活动，尝试拯救海龟。
马龙·莫拉·巴尔加斯（经翻译）：人们知道海龟是濒危物种，不应该偷猎。他们只是不想改变。这就是为什么我们在做孩子们的工作，因为他们还可以改变。他们可以学习。他们可以接受新思想，进行一代人的变革。我的孩子知道海龟。他们看过小海龟出生。他们想和我一起在海滩上（工作）。我向他们展示尚还存活的海龟物种，告诉他们什么事不应该做。
约翰·杨：艾希礼·霍奇森是丽莎·冈萨雷斯的女儿，目前她正是研究海洋生物学，也是第二代海龟守护者。
艾希礼·霍奇森：他们在地球上已生存了几千年，历经风云变幻，直至今日。而现在，它们已无能改变，它们无法生存，他们需要我们的帮助。
丽莎·冈萨雷斯：我很高兴你也参与了进来。
约翰·杨：你的女儿似乎也捕捉到了这样一种激情。哦，是的，感谢上帝。她也决定帮助我一起保护海龟，我必须保护生物多样性。
约翰·杨：让年轻人拓宽眼界是个重点。当地的孩子们看着刚孵出的海龟们被释放，来到了大海。那一天，海龟们早早就出生了，我们保护它们不受鸟类和酷热的侵袭，直到夜幕降临。环保主义者希望，在这些孩子中，会出现另一个艾希礼·霍奇森。
艾希礼·霍奇森：我的计划是要保护海龟。
艾希礼·霍奇森：我知道这是个宏伟的目标，但我想，如果我们同心协力，就能实现。
约翰·杨：他们相信这些来自密歇根州的诱饵蛋会帮助他们实现目标。PBS NewsHour，我是约翰·杨，在哥斯达黎加太平洋海岸为您报道。
收听单词发音 |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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skittish
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| adj.易激动的，轻佻的 | |
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odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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jewelry
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| n.（jewllery）（总称）珠宝 | |
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delicacy
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| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
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scooped
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| v.抢先报道( scoop的过去式和过去分词 )；（敏捷地）抱起；抢先获得；用铲[勺]等挖（洞等） | |
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deploying
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| （尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的现在分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用 | |
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makeup
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| n.组织；性格；化装品 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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mileage
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| n.里程，英里数；好处，利润 | |
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initially
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| adv.最初，开始 | |
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skeptical
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| adj.怀疑的，多疑的 | |
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DNA
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| (缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸 | |
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chili
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| n.辣椒 | |
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activists
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| n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 ) | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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marine
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| adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵 | |
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defender
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| n.保卫者，拥护者，辩护人 | |
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scorching
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| adj. 灼热的 | |
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