VOA慢速英语--塞浦路斯活动人士称猎人的铅弹威胁火烈鸟

Animal activists¹ in Cyprus are asking officials to expand a hunting ban throughout a group of salt lakes near the coast. They are worried that migrating² flamingos⁴ could possibly eat deadly amounts of lead shotgun pellets.

A flamingo³ is a large bird, usually bright pink or orange, that often walks along the water line in coastal⁵ areas.

Martin Hellicar is director of Birdlife Cyprus. He said flamingos are at risk of eating the small pellets that lie on the edge of the water as they feed.

"Last year, we had tens of losses of flamingos," Hellicar said.

Cyprus is an important stop on the migration⁶ path for many kinds of birds flying from Africa to Europe. The Larnaca Salt Lake is a wetlands area of four lakes. As many as 15,000 flamingos from colder climates arrive on the southern coast of the island nation in the eastern Mediterranean⁷. They stay through the winter and leave in March.

Hunting is banned around most of the Larnaca Salt Lake. But hunters are still permitted to shoot ducks in the area's southern end.

The government's Game and Fauna⁸ Service says in the first two months of 2020, 96 flamingos were found dead in the Larnaca Salt Lake wetlands as a result of lead poisoning.

Panayiotis Constantinou is an official with Cyprus Veterinary Services. He has examined the dead birds and confirmed that they were poisoned by lead.

The amount of lead pellets increased two years ago, after a heavy rain caused many to come up from the ground around the lake.

A sport shooting range near the lake's northern end closed nearly 18 years ago. Officials then organized a clean-up of lead pellets in the area. But Hellicar says the clean-up was not effective.

The European Union paid for an investigation⁹ to identify where large amounts of lead pellets remain so they can be removed.

Early results show "very high" lead levels in the wetlands' southern tip. Continued duck hunting there could make the problem worse, Hellicar said.

"The danger is real for the flamingos and other birds that use the area," he said.

Cyprus Hunting Federation¹⁰ official Alexandros Loizides disagrees. He says that hunting in a 200-meter area is not a problem due to the small number of hunters. He said chemicals used by nearby farms are creating a pollution problem that hurts the birds.

"I think the effect of hunting there is very small on the specific part of the lake," said Loizides. "It'd be a shame for hunters to lose the only area where hunting is permitted near wetlands," he added.

A ban on the use of lead pellets near wetlands has been in force in Cyprus for several years. A similar ban throughout the EU took effect last month. But some say the laws are not being enforced¹¹ enough.

Pantelis Hadjiyeros is head of the Game and Fauna Service. He said it is less important to ban hunting in the area and more important to urge hunters to stop using weapons with lead pellets.

People need to know and accept "that the use of lead pellets is prohibited¹³ near wetlands and that only steel pellets are permitted," Hadjiyeros said.

Words in This Story

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pellet – n. a small metal object that is shot from a gun

fauna – n. all the animals that live in a particular area, time period, or environment

shame – n.a feeling of guilt¹⁴, regret, or sadness that you have because you know you have done something wrong

specific – adj. special or particular

prohibit¹² – v. to order someone not to use or do something

1 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》

2 migrating   

v.迁移，移往( migrate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The mudflats offer a winter home to thousands of migrating swans. 泥滩成为成千上万只迁徙的天鹅越冬的场所。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Many Asians are migrating to the West. 许多亚洲人移民去了西方国家。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 flamingo   

n.红鹳，火烈鸟

参考例句：

• This is the only species of flamingo in the region,easily recognized by its pink plumage.这是那个地区唯一一种火烈鸟，很容易凭粉红色的羽毛辨认出来。
• In my family,I am flamingo in the flock of pigeons.在家里，我就像一只被困在鸽笼里的火烈鸟。

4 flamingos   

n.红鹳，火烈鸟（羽毛粉红、长颈的大涉禽）( flamingo的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Flamingos stand in a salt lake in Larnaca, Cyprus. 塞浦路斯的拉纳卡市一个盐湖中的火烈鸟。 来自互联网
• The research started researchers studied greater flamingos and in a bird sanctuary in southern Spain. 研究人员在西班牙南部的一个鸟类保护区对大型火烈鸟进行研究。 来自互联网

5 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

6 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

7 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

8 fauna   

n.(一个地区或时代的)所有动物，动物区系

参考例句：

• This National Park is an area with unique fauna and flora.该国家公园区域内具有独特的动物种群和植物种群。
• Fauna is a biological notion means all the animal life in a particular region or period. 动物群是一个生物学的概念，指的是一个特定时期或者地区的所有动物。

9 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

10 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

11 enforced   

n.强迫的v.实施( enforce的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；强迫；强制执行

参考例句：

• a period of enforced absence 不得不离开的一段时间
• This reform must be enforced. 此项改革势在必行。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

12 prohibit   

vt.禁止；阻止，使不可能

参考例句：

• Laws must be put through to prohibit this act.必须通过法律来制止这种作法。
• Swimming after drinking is strictly prohibit.严禁酒后下水。

13 prohibited   

v.禁止，阻止( prohibit的过去式和过去分词 )；不许

参考例句：

• The tourists are prohibited from getting on the island. 旅游者被禁止登上那个小岛。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Unlawful search of, or intrusion into, a citizen's home is prohibited. 禁止非法搜查或者非法侵入公民的住宅。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

14 guilt   

n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责

参考例句：

• She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。
• Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。