VOA慢速英语2017 保护组织认为几维鸟的未来更美好（在线收听）

Conservation Group Sees Better Future for Two Kiwi Birds

News about endangered species often worries people. But on December 5, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, or IUCN, had some good news. In publishing its yearly "Red List" of endangered species it noted some success for two kinds of New Zealand birds. The IUCN said the Okarito kiwi and the Northern Brown kiwi are now in less danger of disappearing from existence than in the past.

濒危物种的相关消息经常令人担忧。但在12月5日，国际自然保护联盟（简称IUCN）宣布了一些好消息。该组织在其年度发布的《濒危物种红色名录》中提到了新西兰在保护两种鸟类上取得的一些成功。世界自然保护联盟表示，奥卡里托几维鸟和北布朗几维鸟目前濒临消失的危险性要低于以往。

Key to helping the kiwis

帮助几维鸟的关键

The IUCN reports that New Zealand is reducing the populations of animals that kill and hunt the birds. The animals include stoats and cats.

世界自然保护联盟报告称，新西兰正在减少捕食这种鸟类的动物种群，其中包括白鼬和猫。

The number of Okarito kiwi has risen from 160 in 1995 to as many as 450 now, the IUCN said. It reported a rise in Northern Brown kiwi numbers also.

世界自然保护联盟表示，奥卡里托几维鸟的数量已经从1995年的160只增加到了目前的450只。该组织也报告了北布朗几维鸟数量的增加。

The IUCN is made up of government and non-government experts. Its studies help guide conservation policies. The Red List identifies which local species are at risk of disappearing from Earth.

世界自然保护联盟是由政府和非政府的专家组成。其研究有助于指导保护政策。濒危物种红色名录确定了哪些本土物种面临从地球上消失的危险。

Two species are new to the IUCN endangered list. The Irrawaddy dolphin and the finless porpoise travel along the coastlines of Southeast Asia. The Red List report says these sea animals get trapped in fishing nets and are harmed by other human activities as well.

世界自然保护联盟的濒危物种红色名录上新增了两种物种，它们是沿东南亚海岸线游走的伊洛瓦底海豚以及江豚。濒危物种红色名录报告称，这些海洋动物被困在渔网里，同时还受到了其它人类活动的伤害。

The use of gillnets is among the fishing methods harmful to these species. The nets are used on the Mekong River and in other major waterways. They hang across waterways and entrap everything in the path.

捕鱼刺网的使用是对这些物种伤害最大的捕鱼方式之一。这种网在湄公河等主要河道上使用。它们横跨在河道上，网住了水路中的一切生物。

Researchers have counted for the Red List about 91,500 of almost 1.9 million described species. Of these, 25,821 are threatened, 866 no longer exist and 69 others no longer exist in the wild. The IUCN describes 11,783 species as vulnerable, 8,455 as endangered and 5,583 as critically endangered.

研究人员为这份濒危物种红色名录已经评估了190万种已知物种中的91500种。这其中有25281种受到威胁，866种不复存在（灭绝），还有69种在野外不复存在（野外灭绝）。

Australia’s Western Ringtail possum has moved from vulnerable to critically endangered on the Red List. The IUCN said its population dropped by 80 percent over the past ten years.

澳大利亚的西部环尾负鼠从红色名录上的易危变成了极危。世界自然保护联盟表示，过去十年这种动物的种群数量下降了80%。

Possum now in danger

负鼠处于危险之中

The Western Ringtail possum was once widespread in peppermint and eucalyptus forests. Now the animal has only a few disconnected places to live. High temperatures, which sicken the species, are becoming increasingly common where it lives.

西部环尾负鼠曾经在薄荷林和桉树林中广泛存在。目前这种动物只在少数几处分散的地方生存。高温在其栖息地变得愈发普遍，而高温天气会使这种动物患病。

The IUCN announced its findings in Tokyo. The Toyota automobile company helps pay for IUCN studies. The group warned of habitat loss and other dangers for some newly studied Japanese native species of lizards and snakes.

世界自然保护联盟在东京宣布了它的研究发现。丰田汽车公司资助了世界自然保护联盟的研究。该组织警告说，一些新研究的日本本土蜥蜴和蛇类物种也存在丧失栖息地等风险。

I’m Jill Robbins.

Words in This Story

endangered - adj. used to describe a type of animal or plant that has become very rare and that could die out completely

species - n. a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants

conservation - n. the protection of animals, plants, and natural resource

stoat – n. a small animal that has a long body and brown fur that turns white in winter

gillnet - n. a fishing net that is hung vertically so that fish get trapped in it by their gills.

habitat - n. the place or type of place where a plant or animal naturally or normally lives or grows

vulnerable - adj. open to attack, harm, or damage