VOA慢速英语2021 美国西部需捕获更多野马（在线收听）

U.S. land managers have begun efforts to capture about 50 percent more wild horses than originally planned this year because of severe drought across the U.S. West.

美国西部地区严重干旱，美国土地管理人员已经开始捕获比原计划多出50%的野马。

That means they will capture about 6,000 additional animals, mostly in the western states of Nevada, Oregon and Colorado.

这意味着他们将额外捕获约6000只马，主要分布在西部的内华达州、俄勒冈州和科罗拉多州。

The Bureau of Land Management, or BLM, said the emergency roundups, or mass capture, began Sunday in Oregon and Monday in Nevada.

美国土地管理局(BLM)表示，周日，俄勒冈州开始紧急围捕行动，周一内华达州也开始了相关行动。

The BLM actions are centered on places where long-term overpopulation of the herds "already has stretched the available food and water to its limits."

美国土地管理局的行动地点主要集中在马群长期过度繁殖、“已经导致水和食物到达极限”的地方。

Nada Wolff Culver is the bureau's deputy director for policy and programs.

纳达·沃尔夫·卡尔弗是土地管理局负责政策和项目的副局长。

She said, "As one of the agencies charged with the responsibility to protect and manage America's wild horses and burros,

她说:“作为负责保护和管理美国野马和驴子的机构之一，

the BLM is prepared to take emergency action where we can in order to save the lives of these cherished animals."

为了拯救这些珍贵的动物，美国土地管理局已经准备好采取紧急行动。”

In announcing the effort Monday, Culver said the agency goal is "continuing our efforts to reduce overpopulation across the West."

周一，卡尔弗宣布这项计划时说，该机构的目标是“继续努力减少西部地区马群数量过多的问题”。

That means having healthy herd sizes that can live through severe conditions like long periods of drought.

这意味着要有健康的马群规模，能够在长期干旱等恶劣条件下生存。

She noted that droughts "are becoming more frequent due to climate change."

她指出，“气候变化导致干旱更加频繁”。

Those who advocate for the wild horses say that the BLM action comes from pressure from cattle ranchers, who want to keep the food and water for their livestock.

那些支持野马的人说，土地管理局的行动源自牧场主的压力，后者想为自己的牲畜保留食物和水。

Horses compete with cattle for the same plants and watering places.

马和牛会竞争同样的食物和饮水池。

Laura Leigh is president of the nonprofit group Wild Horse Education.

劳拉·利是非盈利组织“野马教育”的主席。

She said she is unhappy that the Biden administration is continuing the policies of former President Donald Trump and previous administrations.

她表示对拜登政府沿用前总统特朗普和前几届政府的政策感到不满。

They removed the protected horses, but did not limit the number of cattle and sheep grazing on the same land.

他们减少了受保护的马群的数量，却没有控制依赖于同一片土地的牛羊的数量。

Leigh does not believe the administration's claim to care about the environment and wild animals.

利不相信政府关于关心环境和野生动物的声明。

While ranchers are harming the land, "we blame the horse," she said.

她说，明明是牧场主们在损害土地，但“我们却把责任推到马头上。”

Kaitlynn Glover is executive director of resources for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association.

凯特琳·格洛弗是“国家养牛人牛肉协会”的资源执行董事。

She said ranchers have already made voluntary changes to reduce their use of federal lands for feeding their cattle.

她说，牧场主已经自愿做出改变，减少使用联邦土地喂养他们的牛。

She noted that the current drought is more severe than in recent years.

她指出，眼下的这场干旱比近些年来更严重。

Culver said in an email to The Associated Press that the removal of the horses is important to the health of both the horses and the land.

卡尔弗在给美联社的一封电子邮件中说，减少马群数量对马和土地的健康都很重要。

"Even in times where resources are plentiful, these overpopulated herds cause serious damage to the landscape," she wrote.

她写道:“即使在资源丰富的时候，过多的畜群也会对地貌造成严重破坏。”

The bureau says the estimated 86,000 free-roaming horses and burros on federal lands is three times larger than what the environment can support.

该局表示，联邦土地上大约有86000匹行动自由的野马和驴，超出了环境所能承受的畜群数量的三倍。

Animal advocates disagree.

动物权利提倡者们不同意。

About 1,400 of the captured animals may be returned to the wild after they receive birth control drugs.

大约1400只被捕获的动物在接受节育药物后可能会被放归野外。

Culver noted that the BLM announced last week that it was taking steps to make certain that any horses taken in by individuals are treated well.

卡尔弗指出，土地管理局上周宣布，它正在采取措施，以确保被任何人收养的马都能得到良好的照顾。

In the past, some were sold to be killed for their meat.

过去，有些动物会被宰杀，变成肉食。

Horse advocates welcomed efforts to more strictly control the process, but said the reforms don't go far enough.

马群的支持者希望有更为严格的措施来控制这一过程，但他们表示改革还远远不够。

They fear that horses will still end up being killed as long as the government offers $1,000 cash to people who take the animals.

他们担心，只要政府向领养马匹的人提供1000美元现金，马最终还是会被杀死。

U.S. Representative Dina Titus is a Nevada Democrat.

美国众议员迪娜·提图斯是内华达州的民主党人。

She said the problems with wild horses show poor management by BLM.

她说，野马的问题表明美国土地管理局管理不善。

She added that she "led an effort to provide funding... for safe and humane birth control."

她补充道，她“努力为…… 安全和人道的避孕措施提供资金。”