VOA慢速英语--环保人士称肯尼亚的鳄梨农场将限制了大象的活动

Environmentalists: Kenyan Avocado Farm Would Block Elephant Movements

A proposed new avocado farm in Kenya would block the movements of elephants and other wildlife near a major national park.

Local conservation activists¹ say the farm would cut off the free movement of about 2,000 elephants living in the area around Amboseli National Park. The park is in southern Kenya near the border with Tanzania.

The area is also home to other wildlife, including giraffes, zebras and hippos.

Kenyan agriculture company KiliAvo Fresh Ltd has farms near Amboseli on nearly 70 hectares of land. The company is preparing to grow avocados which have been rising in popularity around the world.

Conservationists say the new farm and an electric fence around it will block the path of animals moving between Amboseli and other national parks nearby. The parks bring large numbers of tourists from around the world. Area tourism is mostly related to safaris³. Tourism brought in about $1.6 billion in 2019 to the country.

But avocado farming also brings in a lot of money. With ideal conditions for growing avocados, Kenya's export earnings⁴ rose 33 percent to about $127 million in the past year to October 2020.

KiliAvo says it received government approval in mid-2020 to begin work on the farm after presenting an environmental report. Jeremiah Salaash is a shareholder⁵ in KiliAvo and runs a farm for the company. "Local people here all know the project and they are happy because it's another source of employment and of making their land have value," Salaash told Reuters news agency.

However, Kenya's National Environment Management Agency ordered work halted last September. The agency said it wanted to withdraw the permission to build the new farm. Lawyers representing KiliAvo say the company has appealed that decision.

The agency's acting⁶ director, Mamo Mamo, told Reuters it first decided⁷ to approve the farm plans because of support of the project by the Amboseli Ecosystem⁸ Trust. The trust is a coalition⁹ that includes community groups and government representatives. But the agency said it changed its position after that organization withdrew its approval.

Conservationists say blocking the elephants could harm their population and the large tourism trade.

Vicki Fishlock is a scientist working for the Amboseli Elephant Trust group. "We can't just say to the elephants: ‘Would you mind not going that way because we have decided that we are going to do stuff here?'" she told Reuters.

Blocking the animals "would surely kill the sanctuary¹⁰ as it depends on the animals migrating from Amboseli," added Samuel Kaanki. He leads a group of 342 members of the Maasai tribe who own more than 8,000 hectares where elephants live.

Kaanki said the elephants would seek other paths if they are blocked by farms like KiliAvo's or others. "This would...result in massive human-wildlife conflicts."

Lawyers for KiliAvo say the farm sits about 17 kilometers away from Amboseli within an area approved for farming. The company also noted¹¹ the project has been good for the local economy. It says the farm employs about 300 workers and established new technology in the area.

The lawyers for KiliAvo also told Reuters that those who are opposed to the project have "mischaracterized" it for their own gain. They said the company is being mistreated.

Another conservation group, Big Life Foundation, released video from October of four gazelles that appeared to be trapped on one side of the fence and could not pass through. It also said the fence was damaged at least three times last month by elephants.

"If they are trapped in one place, populations will collapse," said Big Life project manager Ernest Lenkoina.

Words in This Story

conservation – n. the protection of animals, plants and natural resources

tourist – n. someone who travels to another place for pleasure

safari² – n. a trip to see or hunt animals, especially in Africa

source – n. someone or something that provides what is wanted or needed

sanctuary – n. a place where people or animals are given protection and shelter

mischaracterize – v. to wrongly characterize; to wrongly describe the qualities, or character, of a person

manager – n. someone who is oversees a business or department of an organization

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 safari   

n.远征旅行(探险、考察)；探险队，狩猎队

参考例句：

• When we go on safari we like to cook on an open fire.我们远行狩猎时，喜欢露天生火做饭。
• They went on safari searching for the rare black rhinoceros.他们进行探险旅行，搜寻那稀有的黑犀牛。

3 safaris   

n.游猎，陆路旅行（尤指在东非或中非）( safari的名词复数 )；类似游猎的假日旅行

参考例句：

• I've had too many safaris with rich dentists to listen to any more suicidal ideas. 我已经带过太多有钱牙科医生的狩猎队，我不能再听取任何自杀性建议了。 来自电影对白
• Camel diving safaris are a popular attraction in South Sinai. 骆驼的潜水之旅是南西奈一个受欢迎的景观。 来自互联网

4 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

5 shareholder   

n.股东，股票持有人

参考例句：

• The account department have prepare a financial statement for the shareholder.财务部为股东准备了一份财务报表。
• A shareholder may transfer his shares in accordance with the law.股东持有的股份可以依法转让。

6 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

8 ecosystem   

n.生态系统

参考例句：

• This destroyed the ecosystem of the island.这样破坏了岛上的生态系统。
• We all have an interest in maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem.维持生态系统的完整是我们共同的利益。

9 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

10 sanctuary   

n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区

参考例句：

• There was a sanctuary of political refugees behind the hospital.医院后面有一个政治难民的避难所。
• Most countries refuse to give sanctuary to people who hijack aeroplanes.大多数国家拒绝对劫机者提供庇护。

11 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。