VOA慢速英语--在过去三年中，澳大利亚三分之一的考拉消失了

Australia Lost One-Third of its Koalas in Last Three Years

The Australian Koala Foundation¹ says Australia has lost about 30 percent of its koalas over the past three years. The non-profit group says drought², wildfires and development projects played a part in the drop in the koala population. They are urging the government to do more to protect the creature's environment.

The group estimated³ the koala population has dropped to less than 58,000 this year from more than 80,000 in 2018. The biggest decrease was in the state of New South Wales, where the numbers have dropped by 41 percent.

Deborah Tabart leads the Australian Koala Foundation. She called the drop "quite dramatic⁴."

Only one area in the study was estimated to have more than 5,000 koalas. Some areas were estimated to have as few as five or 10.

Tabart said the country needs a koala protection law.

She added, "What we're concerned about is places like western New South Wales where the drought over the last ten years has just had this cumulative⁵ effect - river systems completely dry for years, river [red gum⁶ plants], which are the lifeblood of koalas, dead."

The loss in New South Wales likely sped up after large forest areas were destroyed by wildfires in late 2019 and early 2020. But some of those areas already had no koalas.

Land clearing by property developers and road builders has also destroyed the koala's environment.

"I think everyone gets it, we've got to change. But if those bulldozers keep working, then I really fear for the koalas," Tabart said.

Words in This Story

drought – n. a long period of time during which there is very little or no rain

dramatic – adj. sudden and extreme

cumulative – adj. increasing or becoming better or worse over time through a series of additions

lifeblood – n. the most important part of something; the part of something that provides its strength and energy

bulldozer – n. a powerful and heavy vehicle that has a large curved piece of metal at its front and that is used for moving dirt and rocks and pushing over trees and other structures

1 foundation   

n.[pl.]地基；基础；基金会；建立，创办

参考例句：

• The foundation of the university took place 600 years ago.这所大学是600年前创办的。
• The Foundation gives money to help artists.那家基金会捐款帮助艺术家。

2 drought   

n.旱灾，干旱，久旱

参考例句：

• The plants are growing in again,despite the drought.尽管干旱，植物又长出来了。
• The ground is as hard as stone after the drought.长期干旱后土地硬得就像石头一样。

3 estimated   

adj．根据估计的

参考例句：

• She estimated the breadth of the lake to be 500 metres. 她估计湖面大约有500米宽。
• The man estimated for the repair of the car. 那人估算了修理汽车的费用。

4 dramatic   

adj.引人注目的；戏剧的；演戏的

参考例句：

• She plays a very dramatic woman with flashing eyes.她饰演一位双眼闪光的引人注目的妇人。
• His speech was dramatic.他的演说激动人心。

5 cumulative   

adj.累积的，渐增的

参考例句：

• This drug has a cumulative effect.这种药有渐增的效力。
• The benefits from eating fish are cumulative.吃鱼的好处要长期才能显现。

6 gum   

n.牙龈；口香糖；树胶

参考例句：

• We can stick these pictures into the book with gum.我们可用胶水把这几张画粘贴在书里。
• Americans like to chew gum.美国人喜欢嚼口香糖。