VOA慢速英语2014--狮子的死亡威胁到塞内加尔

 

Senegal Threatened with Loss of Lions 狮子的死亡威胁到塞内加尔

From VOA Learning¹ English, this is Science in the News.

I’m Anna Matteo.

And I’m Christopher Cruise².

Today on the program, we tell about problems facing lions in West Africa. Wildlife experts say the big cats are being pushed out of their natural environments. We also tell about a life-size model of the final resting place for Egypt’s “boy king.”

West African Lions Under Threat in Senegal

Some experts say as many as 40,000 lions once lived in West Africa. But a recent wildlife study estimates³ that only 400 of the big cats remain. The lions have been pushed out of their homelands. Today, they are fighting for survival⁴ in just four protected parks in the area.    

Like many African countries, Senegal has attempted to balance environmental concerns with development. Today, Niokolo Koba National Park is the last place in Senegal where some of Africa’s most famous animals live in freedom. The 9,130 square kilometers of parkland are home to lions and other wildlife. But a busy road runs through the middle.

Colonel⁵ Ousmane Kane is the chief conservation officer for the park. He says all the animals living there are important, but the lion is central. He calls it a symbol, or sign, of the country. The colonel notes that Senegalese people sing about it in their national anthem⁶. And, the national football team is called the Lions. 

But Senegal is threatened with losing its lion population. Colonel Kane estimates that there are about 100 of the animals left in Niokolo Koba. But the international conservation group for wild cats -- Panthera -- says that is old information. It says there are only 16 lions left.

Phil Henschel works⁷ for the group. He is heading a study called the Lion Program Survey. 

“What is really telling is well is when I conducted the survey with five National Park Service staff in 2011, none of them had ever seen a lion in their lives. I mean, one of them had worked in the park for 10 years yet never, ever laid eyes on a lion. So people are realizing how rare these animals are nowadays.”

Senegalese officials are using suggestions from the Panthera study to help develop a plan to save the remaining lions. One of these suggestions is barring villagers from letting their cattle feed in protected areas. Those animals eat food needed by other wildlife in the park. That harms the wildlife that lions traditionally feed on.

El-Hadj Fadya is the chief in Dienoun Diala, a village near the park. He says villagers do let their livestock⁸ eat in the open national park. But he says they do not want the lions to disappear. He says there is not enough protection and enforcement⁹ efforts for a park the size of Niokolo-Koba.

Dr. Henschel says Senegal spends little to protect and preserve the lions in Niokolo-Koba. In fact, he says, Senegal spends about one-tenth of the amount spent in similar parks in Burkina Faso and Benin. He says those two countries are home to 90 percent of the remaining lions in West Africa. 

“I mean, those countries are, are seriously investing¹⁰ in lion, lion conservation and protected area management in general, and it does pay off.”

Their increased investment¹¹ increases the number of visitors, which helps pay for conservation operations. Dr. Henschel says Senegal should do the same to prevent illegal activity in the park. 

The trade for wild-animal meat in Senegal has cut the numbers of other animals in the park that lions would normally¹² eat. The population of animals like the buffalo¹³ and roan antelope¹⁴ has decreased by 95 percent over the past 20 years. 

Demba Faye is one of 150 rangers¹⁵ who guard the park. 

He says the rangers arrested four poachers earlier this year. He says they are fighting hard to save the park. But he says there is not enough money to end illegal hunting. 

Model of King Tut’s Tomb Opens in Egypt

The tomb of Egypt’s King Tutankhamun was lost to the world for thousands of years. Then, in 1922, a team led by British archeologist Howard Carter discovered the tomb and opened it. But in the years since then, the king’s ancient burial place has suffered serious damage. 

To rescue the tomb from further harm, workers in Egypt have created a full-size replica¹⁶ -- an exact copy of it. The replica was opened to visitors recently. The real tomb will remain open, at least for now. But archeologists hope that the replica will lead some people to visit the copied tomb instead of the real one. They hope less traffic to the actual tomb will reduce damage. 

Tutankhamun -- Tut, for short -- was arguably the world’s most famous ruler. He is often called the “boy king.” Scientists say Tut was born more than 3,300 years ago. He ruled from childhood and was thought to be about 19 years old when he died. He was buried among other members of ruling families in the Valley of the Kings. The area stretches along the Nile River, near Luxor. 

The replica of Tutankhamun’s tomb is so like the real tomb that some archeologists call it “unbelievable.” Laser¹⁷ instruments and printing equipment covered the replica’s walls with the colors and texture¹⁸ of the real murals. Over time, the ancient walls suffered damage from moisture¹⁹ in the air. The ancient tomb was unable to stay cool and dry because of all the visitors. Temperature changes made pieces of the paint fall off. Cracks in the walls got bigger. 

Work began on the replica in 2009. But political insecurity and unrest slowed the project. The number of foreign tourists visiting Egypt has dropped in recent years. The amount of money earned from tourism also is lower. 

Before the fall of President Hosni Mubarak, Zahi Hawass was the best-known archeologist in Egypt. Several American and international researchers say he influenced many tourists to visit Egypt’s ancient places. 

Zahi Hawass was known for his energy and ability to make difficult information available to non-students of archeology. He often appeared on television. He gave public talks and wrote books. He organized a traveling exhibit²⁰ called “Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs.” The show helped raise more than $100 million for Egypt. 

Zahi Hawass wore a hat similar to that of the movie character Indiana Jones. He also had an online fan club. But some people thought of him as being too close to the Mubarak government, which he denies. Some called him “the Mubarak of archeology.” His critics included many other archeologists and students of the science. 

1 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

2 cruise   

v.巡航，航游，缓慢巡行；n.海上航游

参考例句：

• They went on a cruise to Tenerife.他们乘船去特纳利夫岛。
• She wants to cruise the canals of France in a barge.她想乘驳船游览法国的运河。

3 estimates   

估计

参考例句：

• Unofficial estimates put the figure at over two million. 非官方的估计数字为200万以上。
• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 survival   

n.留住生命，生存，残存，幸存者

参考例句：

• The doctor told my wife I had a fifty-fifty chance of survival.医生告诉我的妻子，说我活下去的可能性只有50%。
• The old man was a survival of a past age.这位老人是上一代的遗老。

5 colonel   

n.(英国陆军、美国陆空军及海军陆战队)上校

参考例句：

• It's a pity we didn't mend our fences with the colonel.可惜我们还没有和上校先生调整好关系。
• An army major ranks between a captain and a colonel.陆军少校的军阶在上尉与中校之间。

6 anthem   

n.圣歌，赞美诗，颂歌

参考例句：

• All those present were standing solemnly when the national anthem was played.奏国歌时全场肃立。
• As he stood on the winner's rostrum,he sang the words of the national anthem.他站在冠军领奖台上，唱起了国歌。

7 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

8 livestock   

n.家畜，牲畜

参考例句：

• Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
• The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。

9 enforcement   

n.实施, 执行

参考例句：

• MPs called for tougher enforcement of the existing laws on drugs. 下院议员呼籲加强现行毒品法律的执行力度。
• The court is ineffective because it lacks the necessary enforcement machinery. 法院效率低是因为缺乏必要的执行机制。

10 investing   

v.投资，花费( invest的现在分词 )；授予；（把资金）投入；投入（时间、精力等）

参考例句：

• He was timid about investing money. 他不敢投资。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Europe also caught the excitement of investing in American railroads. 欧洲人对投资美国铁路也极感兴趣。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

11 investment   

n.投资，投资额；(时间、精力等的)投入

参考例句：

• It took two years before I recouped my investment.我用了两年时间才收回投资。
• The success of the project pivots on investment from abroad.这个工程的成功主要依靠外来投资。

12 normally   

adv.正常地，通常地

参考例句：

• I normally do all my shopping on Saturdays.我通常在星期六买东西。
• My pulse beats normally.我脉搏正常。

13 buffalo   

n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛

参考例句：

• Asian buffalo isn't as wild as that of America's. 亚洲水牛比美洲水牛温顺些。
• The boots are made of buffalo hide. 这双靴子是由水牛皮制成的。

14 antelope   

n.羚羊；羚羊皮

参考例句：

• Choosing the antelope shows that China wants a Green Olympics.选择藏羚羊表示中国需要绿色奥运。
• The tiger was dragging the antelope across the field.老虎拖着羚羊穿过原野。

15 rangers   

护林者( ranger的名词复数 )； 突击队员

参考例句：

• Do you know where the Rangers Stadium is? 你知道Rangers体育场在哪吗？ 来自超越目标英语 第3册
• Now I'm a Rangers' fan, so I like to be near the stadium. 现在我是Rangers的爱好者，所以我想离体育场近一点。 来自超越目标英语 第3册

16 replica   

n.复制品

参考例句：

• The original conservatory has been rebuilt in replica.温室已按原样重建。
• The young artist made a replica of the famous painting.这位年轻的画家临摹了这幅著名的作品。

17 laser   

n.激光

参考例句：

• We keep a laser record.我们保存激光唱片。
• Laser beams are also used in surgery.激光束还可用于外科手术。

18 texture   

n.(织物)质地；(材料)构造；结构；肌理

参考例句：

• We could feel the smooth texture of silk.我们能感觉出丝绸的光滑质地。
• Her skin has a fine texture.她的皮肤细腻。

19 moisture   

n.水分；降雨量；水气；湿气

参考例句：

• This tree drank up more moisture than that one.这棵树吸收的水分比那棵树多。
• The moisture in the air makes it humid today.今天空气中水气大，天气很潮湿。

20 exhibit   

vt.展览，展出，陈列；n.展览品；陈列品

参考例句：

• Next week those goods will exhibit in that shop. 下个星期，这些货物将在那家商店展出。
• The economy continued to exhibit signs of decline in September.9月份，经济继续呈现出衰退的迹象。