VOA慢速英语--印尼动物园培育科莫多龙以拯救它们免于灭绝

Indonesian Zoo Tries to Save Komodo Dragons 

Young Komodo dragons move around in a zoo in the city of Surabaya, Indonesia. Some fight over a female while others look for food in a pond, a small body of water.

The zoo in Indonesia is breeding Komodo dragons in an effort to save the world's largest lizards¹ from dying out.

The large lizards are found on the island of Komodo and several neighboring islands in eastern Indonesia.

In September, the International Union for Conservation of Nature put them in its Red List of Threatened Species. The international group noted² that the dragons were at an increased risk because of the effects of climate change. It warned that rising temperatures and sea levels due to climate change are expected to reduce the Komodo dragon's living area by at least 30 percent in the next 45 years.

Zoo officials hope that their efforts to save the lizards will draw the attention of world leaders who are gathered in Glasgow, Scotland, to discuss climate change.

Since launching the breeding program, the zoo has built up its Komodo dragon population to 108 adults and 35 young ones. In addition, 40 Komodo dragon eggs are being kept warm for birth.

Zoo keeper Rukin said the temperature and humidity had to be just right for mating.

The hope is that dragons bred in the zoo could be returned to the wild, he said.

"I hope we can breed them well and correctly," Rukin added.

He said he hoped the project would make sure that future generations would still be able to see the dragons in real life, not just in pictures.

Words in This Story

breed – v. to produce offspring by sexual reproduction; to keep and take care of animals or plants in order to produce more animals or plants of a particular kind

humidity – n. the amount of moisture in the air

1 lizards   

n.蜥蜴( lizard的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Nothing lives in Pompeii except crickets and beetles and lizards. 在庞培城里除了蟋蟀、甲壳虫和蜥蜴外，没有别的生物。 来自辞典例句
• Can lizards reproduce their tails? 蜥蜴的尾巴断了以后能再生吗？ 来自辞典例句

2 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。