VOA慢速英语--疫情期间阿尔巴尼亚鹈鹕的数量增加

Pelican¹ Population Grows in Albania During Pandemic

The pandemic has brought one good thing to western Albania's Divjaka-Karavasta Lagoon²: peace and quiet for rare pelicans³. It is this calm that the birds need to mate – which has led to their population growth.

Area environmental officials say nesting pairs have increased from 68 in 2019 to 85 this year. At the same time, the number of human visitors has dropped by 50 percent.

The Divjaka-Karavasta National Park is near the Mediterranean⁴ Sea and covers around 22,000 hectares. That includes a long sandy beach, a saltwater lagoon with small islands and an area of pine forest. The park is 90 kilometers southwest of the capital, Tirana, and is home to 260 kinds of birds.

But the national park is best known for the giant Dalmatian pelicans on Pelican Island. They spend the months of December to June there. It is their only nesting colony in Albania.

Pelicans are huge birds that reach close to two meters in length. The birds' wings can measure three meters across. They also are an endangered animal in Albania, where their numbers fell to 19 nesting pairs about 20 years ago.

"Peace and quiet during the pandemic has helped us a lot in the preservation⁵ of Pelican Island," said Adrian Koci. He leads an agency that works to protect the environment.

In 2014, Koci and fewer than 24 of his workers started to take care of the small island.

People in boats were banned from going closer than 180 meters. And a 24-hour guard was put to work in a small building across the water to protect the birds. Small wooden fences along parts of the waterways prevent coastal⁶ damage.

Koci observes the island with a drone from January to June during the mating period.

"We have freed the island of the fishermen who disturbed the pelicans," he said. This group also has raised the birds' nest to protect them from the water. But intensive fishing has still "reduced the number of fish the pelicans eat," he explained.

Koci is an animal doctor who also cares for other injured birds in neighboring Kosovo and Montenegro. A few years ago, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) helped him launch Albania's first bird recovery center.

A rare vulture bird found injured in Montenegro was treated for two months there and then let free to continue its trip toward Africa.

Two Dalmatian pelicans, named Johnny and Vlashi, have called the center home for the past three years. Johnny cannot fly because of a damaged wing. But Vlashi can, and both are calm with visitors. Workers think of the birds as part of their family and often buy fish to feed them.

Since the early UNDP support, the center has had little financial help. Now, it gets money from donors⁷, a small volunteer money-collecting box, and even donations from its workers.

The place is becoming increasingly popular with visitors. But that is not always a good thing with birds that need calm to reproduce. Visitor numbers rose from 1,300 in 2014 to 550,000 in 2019. Last year, however, that number was cut in half because of the pandemic. But workers said it would be better if the visitors returned because donations are needed.

Koci is urging local officials to replace the engines of the five boats used by visitors with electric ones, or to put in more solar power.

Limya Eltayeb is a UNDP representative. She said the organization is supporting Albania in using "nature-based solutions" in Divjaka and other places. She said the UNDP is also helping⁸ the center become more independent beyond the small state financing and private donations.

Klara Perinova, who is 28 years old, came from Prague to spend two weeks in Albania with her boyfriend. She praised Divjaka's "undiscovered beauty."

"We're here (because) you have a very beautiful nature...not the same nature you can see in other parts of Albania," she said.

Words in This Story

lagoon –n. an area of sea water that is separated from the sea by an area of sand or a reef

nesting pair –n. a female and male bird that begin to prepare a nest to have eggs and raise young

wing –n. the part of an animal's body used to fly

preservation –n. the act of taking care of something to keep it in good condition

drone –n. a kind of small aircraft that flies without a pilot in it

disturb –v. to worry or cause to be upset

solar –adj. using the sun's light or heat

1 pelican   

n.鹈鹕，伽蓝鸟

参考例句：

• The pelican has a very useful beak.鹈鹕有一张非常有用的嘴。
• This pelican is expected to fully recover.这只鹈鹕不久就能痊愈。

2 lagoon   

n.泻湖，咸水湖

参考例句：

• The lagoon was pullulated with tropical fish.那个咸水湖聚满了热带鱼。
• This area isolates a restricted lagoon environment.将这一地区隔离起来使形成一个封闭的泻湖环境。

3 pelicans   

n.鹈鹕( pelican的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Kurt watched the Pelicans fire their jets and scorch the grass. 库尔特看着鹈鹕运兵船点火，它们的喷焰把草烧焦。 来自互联网
• The Pelican Feeding Officers present an educational talk while feeding the pelicans. 那个正在喂鹈鹕的工作人员会边喂鹈鹕边给它上一节教育课。 来自互联网

4 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。

5 preservation   

n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持

参考例句：

• The police are responsible for the preservation of law and order.警察负责维持法律与秩序。
• The picture is in an excellent state of preservation.这幅画保存得极为完好。

6 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。

7 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。