SCIENCE IN THE NEWS - Sumatran Tiger

SCIENCE IN THE NEWS - Sumatran Tiger

Zoo Director Lucy Spelman
and Wayne Milner, great cat
keeper, with Berani
(Photo - National Zoo)
Broadcast: January 15, 2002

The Smithsonian National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C. recently showed a new baby Sumatran tiger to
the public for the first time. Thousands of people are waiting in long lines to see the rare animal. He was born at
the zoo September Eighteenth. Only about one-hundred-seventy Sumatran tigers live in zoos.The baby tiger is
called Berani.

The name means “brave”
in the Bahasa Indonesian language. Sumatran tigers
come from the island of Sumatra in northern Indonesia. Like all tigers in the world,
they are threatened with dying¹ out. Fewer than five-hundred of these animals now
survive in the wild in Sumatra.

Zoo scientists examined Berani for the first time two weeks after his birth. At that
time, he weighed less than three kilograms. He now weighs more than ten
kilograms. Zoo director Lucy Spelman says information gained from studying
Berani will help zoo experts protect other Sumatran tigers.

VOICE ONE:

The birth of Berani resulted from a scientifically managed reproduction plan for Sumatran tigers. The National
Zoo cooperates² with the American Zoo Association³ in this effort. Other agencies⁴ involved are the Save the Tiger
Fund⁵ and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

Berani’s mother is Soyono. His father is Rokan. The birth marked the second time in recent years that the
National Zoo has welcomed Sumatran tigers. Rokan became the father of three Sumatran baby tigers in Nineteen-
Ninety-Nine.

For many years, experts believed Sumatran tigers belonged to a larger scientific grouping of tigers. However, a
Nineteen-Ninety-Eight study of tiger cells questioned this belief. Researchers from several areas of science made
the study. The magazine “Animal Conservation”
published their results.

The study reported that Sumatran tigers are unlike other tigers. Blood taken from Sumatrans showed three genetic⁶
markers not found in other kinds of tigers. Zoos throughout the world since then have increased their efforts to
produce more Sumatran tigers.

VOICE TWO:

Sumatrans are the smallest surviving tigers in the world. If Berani is average, he will measure about two meters
when fully⁷ grown. He will weigh about one-hundred-twenty kilograms. The Sumatran has the darkest skin of any
tiger. It has many black marks on its dark orange body.

Two other kinds of tigers once lived in Indonesia. However, these Javan and Balinese tigers have disappeared
from Earth. In Nineteen-Ninety-Four, Indonesia developed a reproduction program aimed at saving⁸ Sumatran
tigers in the wild.

Humans threaten the existence of these animals, as they threaten all tigers. Increases in human population and
agriculture have robbed the tigers of places where they once lived.

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1 dying   

adj.垂死的，临终的

参考例句：

• He was put in charge of the group by the dying leader.他被临终的领导人任命为集团负责人。
• She was shown into a small room,where there was a dying man.她被领进了一间小屋子，那里有一个垂死的人。

2 cooperates   

合作，配合，协助( cooperate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• We anticipated hand in hand cooperates with you, altogether creates magnificently. 我们期待与您携手合作，共创辉煌。
• The hope cooperates hand in hand with you, realizes altogether wins! 希望与您携手合作，实现共赢！

3 association   

n.联盟，协会，社团；交往，联合；联想

参考例句：

• Our long association with your company has brought great benefits.我方和贵公司的长期合作带来了巨大的利益。
• I broke away from the association ten years ago.我10年前就脱离了那个团体。

4 agencies   

n.代理( agency的名词复数 )；服务机构；（政府的）专门机构；代理（或经销）业务（或关系）

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations. 联合国有许多专门机构。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The project is funded by the World Bank and other multilateral agencies. 这项计划由世界银行和其他多国机构资助。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 fund   

n.基金，资金，存款，财源，贮藏；vt.提供资金，积累

参考例句：

• They decided to set up a fund for this purpose.他们决定为此专立一项基金。
• This fund may not be drawn on without permission.这笔钱非经批准不得动用。

6 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

7 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

8 saving   

n.节省，节约；[pl.]储蓄金，存款

参考例句：

• Energy saving is term strategic policy of our country.节约能源是我国长期的战略国策。
• Old-fashioned housewives were usually very saving.旧时的家庭主妇通常都很节俭。