开放陆军仓库或威胁到纽约白鹿

AS IT IS 2015-11-30 Freedom Threatens New York's White Deer 开放陆军仓库或威胁到纽约白鹿

In the 1940s, the U.S. Army fenced 40 kilometers of wilderness¹ in Central New York and turned it into a weapons depot².

By chance, the fencing enclosed a community of rare white deer and protected them from hunters and predators⁴ for more than 60 years. The refuge is near Seneca Lake, a resort area.

White deer are rare in most places around the world because they are easy to spot against green or brown forest backgrounds. It makes them a good target for hunters and animal predators like coyotes and wolves.

The white deer lived undisturbed in their enclosure. Their numbers increased as the years passed. The white deer passed along their unique genes⁵ to their offspring and thrived. There are about 200 white deer and 600 brown deer on the military base.

The storage area for military weapons stayed active until 2000.

The local newspaper says nuclear weapons were stored at the site during the Cold War. During that time, relations between the U.S. and Russia were tense but did not increase.

After the depot was closed, the Army Corps⁶ of Engineers took over, cleaned up the land and made it more useful.

The depot is supposed to be clean and ready for sale next year.

Activists⁷ say they want to protect the deer. They say they fear that the fences will be torn down when the property is sold. That might put the white deer in danger.

It will be easy for them to migrate to other areas and be targeted by hunters and predators.

Perhaps some will wander into roads and be killed by cars.

They will not be protected as they have been for over 50 years, activists say.

Dennis Money is working to protect the deer. His group – called Seneca White Deer Incorporated – can protect the deer by buying the property.

If Seneca White Deer buys about 1,000 hectares – the deer will be safe, the group says. It might offer guided tours so visitors from around the world can see the rare deer.

The Seneca County Industrial Development Agency received the rights to the land when the Army withdrew. The agency is a public corporation set up by New York State that promotes business development in the county.

The Army turned parcels of land over to the development agency. The agency sold them to local businesses. A prison and a law-enforcement center have been built on the land.

Bob Aronson is the executive director of the agency. He is trying to sell the rest of the land.

Aronson said farmers want to buy the land for cattle to graze and crops to grow. The profits from the land sale will be invested back into other projects in the county.

Another organization – the Nature Conservancy – also seeks to protect the deer habitat.

Aronson has offered the land to the towns of Romulus and Varick. They are closest to the depot. He said he will charge them one dollar if they manage who gets the land or how it will be used.

White deer are seen as special animals. Native Americans believe they are a blessing⁸.

In Michigan, Missouri and Ohio, hunters and civic⁹ workers shot and killed white deer in an effort to reduce the deer population. Local residents were furious.

Scientists say the deer are not albino. They just lack pigment¹⁰ in their fur.

Words in This Story

acre – n. a measure of land area in the U.S. and Britain that equals 4,840 square yards (about 4,047 square meters)

albino – n. a person or animal born with a medical condition that results in very pale skin, white hair, and pink eyes

bred – v. to produce young animals, birds, etc. : to produce offspring by sexual reproduction

corps – n. an organized part of the military — used in proper names

depot – n. a place where military supplies are kept or where soldiers are trained

enclose – v. to surround something

genes – n. a part of a cell that controls or influences the appearance, growth, etc., of a living thing

installation – n. a place that is used for training soldiers, keeping military supplies and machinery¹¹, etc.

offspring – n. the young of an animal or plant

predator³ – n. an animal that lives by killing¹² and eating other animals : an animal that preys¹³ on other animals

storage – n. space where you put things when they are not being used

thrive – v. to grow or develop successfully : to flourish or succeed

unique – v. very special or unusual

wilderness– n. a wild and natural area in which few people live

1 wilderness   

n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

2 depot   

n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站

参考例句：

• The depot is only a few blocks from here.公共汽车站离这儿只有几个街区。
• They leased the building as a depot.他们租用这栋大楼作仓库。

3 predator   

n.捕食其它动物的动物；捕食者

参考例句：

• The final part of this chapter was devoted to a brief summary of predator species.本章最后部分简要总结了食肉动物。
• Komodo dragon is the largest living lizard and a fearsome predator.科摩多龙是目前存在的最大蜥蜴，它是一种令人恐惧的捕食性动物。

4 predators   

n.食肉动物( predator的名词复数 )；奴役他人者（尤指在财务或性关系方面）

参考例句：

• birds and their earthbound predators 鸟和地面上捕食它们的动物
• The eyes of predators are highly sensitive to the slightest movement. 捕食性动物的眼睛能感觉到最细小的动静。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 genes   

n.基因( gene的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因，所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪

6 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

7 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

9 civic   

adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的

参考例句：

• I feel it is my civic duty to vote.我认为投票选举是我作为公民的义务。
• The civic leaders helped to forward the project.市政府领导者协助促进工程的进展。

10 pigment   

n.天然色素，干粉颜料

参考例句：

• The Romans used natural pigments on their fabrics and walls.古罗马人在织物和墙壁上使用天然颜料。
• Who thought he might know what the skin pigment phenomenon meant.他自认为可能知道皮肤色素出现这种现象到底是怎么回事。

11 machinery   

n.(总称)机械，机器；机构

参考例句：

• Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？
• Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。

12 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

13 preys   

v.掠食( prey的第三人称单数 )；掠食；折磨；（人）靠欺诈为生

参考例句：

• His misfortune preys upon his mind. 他的不幸使她心中苦恼。 来自辞典例句
• The owl preys on mice. 猫头鹰捕食老鼠。 来自辞典例句