2007年VOA标准英语-Wild Ambassador at New York Zoo

By Ravi Khanna
New York City
12 June 2007
 

The Bronx Zoo these days has a special attraction for visitors -- a snow leopard¹ from Pakistan. "Leo" landed at the zoo last year after his mother was killed and authorities found him confused and wandering in the snowy mountains of northern Pakistan.  VOA Urdu TV's Ravi Khanna has the details.

Animals, in general, do not seem happy when they are moved from their birthplace to a zoo in another country. That is why every time they are transferred zookeepers try to create an atmosphere for them that is similar to the one they came from.

Leo's homeland

But Pakistani snow leopard Leo had no problem when he was transferred from his homeland to the Bronx Zoo because there was plenty of snow, and fellow snow leopards³ to play with. He was brought here last year, because Pakistan did not have the facilities or the expertise⁴ to raise him in a zoo.

The Curator of Mammals at the Bronx Zoo, Patrick Thomas, says if Leo were not found, he would have starved to death in the mountains because he had no hunting skills.  He says Leo would have had to spend two years with his mother to learn how to hunt. "It was in Leo's best interest to bring him to a place that could provide a superior home for him."

Thomas says he wants to take advantage of Leo's presence at the zoo and bring new genetics into the captive North American snow leopard population.  He says if Leo reproduces, he will be really valuable in enhancing the gene² pool of snow leopards in North America. 

Thomas also talks about Leo's role as a goodwill⁵ ambassador from Pakistan. "He serves as a tremendous ambassador, both for his species, but also a good link between U.S. and Pakistani peoples."

Pakistani First Lady Sehba Musharraf visits the Bronx Zoo

Last year when Pakistani First Lady Sehba Musharraf was in New York she made it a point to visit the zoo. "I wish the Wildlife Conservation Society and the management of the Bronx Zoo luck in their efforts towards the preservation⁶ of wildlife, which is our joint⁷ heritage."

Thomas says he cannot say how long Leo will be at the zoo, because under the agreement with Islamabad, one of these days he will have to go back to Pakistan.  But, he says, that will be only after Pakistani zookeepers are trained in raising and handling snow leopards. "We are going to work with Pakistan wildlife officials to help design a facility for snow leopards in Pakistan, probably in the northern areas. But how long that facility will take to complete we don't know."

And as far as Leo is concerned, he is unaware⁸ of these plans, and is really enjoying the zoo as his own home.

1 leopard   

n.豹

参考例句：

• I saw a man in a leopard skin yesterday.我昨天看见一个穿着豹皮的男人。
• The leopard's skin is marked with black spots.豹皮上有黑色斑点。

2 gene   

n.遗传因子，基因

参考例句：

• A single gene may have many effects.单一基因可能具有很多种效应。
• The targeting of gene therapy has been paid close attention.其中基因治疗的靶向性是值得密切关注的问题之一。

3 leopards   

n.豹( leopard的名词复数 )；本性难移

参考例句：

• Lions, tigers and leopards are all cats. 狮、虎和豹都是猫科动物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• For example, airlines never ship leopards and canaries on the same flight. 例如，飞机上从来不会同时运送豹和金丝雀。 来自英语晨读30分（初三）

4 expertise   

n.专门知识(或技能等)，专长

参考例句：

• We were amazed at his expertise on the ski slopes.他斜坡滑雪的技能使我们赞叹不已。
• You really have the technical expertise in a new breakthrough.让你真正在专业技术上有一个全新的突破。

5 goodwill   

n.善意，亲善，信誉，声誉

参考例句：

• His heart is full of goodwill to all men.他心里对所有人都充满着爱心。
• We paid ￡10,000 for the shop,and ￡2000 for its goodwill.我们用一万英镑买下了这家商店，两千英镑买下了它的信誉。

6 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。

7 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

8 unaware   

a.不知道的，未意识到的

参考例句：

• They were unaware that war was near. 他们不知道战争即将爆发。
• I was unaware of the man's presence. 我没有察觉到那人在场。