One Family's Efforts to Save Endangered Animals

（单词翻译）

Imagine a world with no more wild animals: no elephants, no giraffes or lions.

To some people, that thought is too terrible for words. So, they are doing something about it.

Being surrounded by wild animals -- feeding them and caring for them -- is all Tiffany Soechting has wanted to do with her life.

And that is exactly what she does!

Soechting is the human "mother" to the 500 animals that live on her family's wildlife farm in San Antonio, Texas.

At the Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch¹, she cares for creatures from around the world. They come from every continent except Antarctica. Soechting says she loves them all. However, the giraffes occupy a special place in her heart. Buddy² the giraffe and his twin brother Wasswa live at the wildlife ranch.

Buddy and Wasswa are one of just nine sets of twin giraffes born at zoos around the world. After getting some media attention, Soechting launched the Giraffe Conservation Foundation to help protect giraffes living in the wild.

Buddy and Wasswa belong to a sub-group of giraffes known as reticulated giraffes. The animals are native to East Africa. Tiffany Soechting says wildlife experts are concerned about their shrinking numbers.

“And reticulated giraffes … their population in the last 15 years has declined⁴ by 80 percent. I was very blessed that I made connections with five of those researchers that took the giraffes up to a level that they are classified as vulnerable⁵.”

Here, Soechting is talking about organizations that follow the condition of animal populations and rate their standing⁶ in the wild. On this rating⁷ scale, “vulnerable” is worse than “near threatened” but better than “endangered.”

One such organization is the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which publishes a Red List of Threatened Species⁸. The IUCN claims that currently⁹ 26,500 animal species are at risk of disappearing forever. So, it is good news when an animal is removed from the endangered list. That is what happened with reticulated giraffes.

At her Texas wild ranch, Tiffany Soechting wears many hats, meaning she does many different jobs. In addition to her business and animal care duties, she also holds monthly classes, where she teaches school children about the animals.

The ranch is also open to the public. Over 500 animals -- including some endangered species -- live there.

Visitors not only learn about all the creatures, they also get a chance to interact¹⁰ with them. And the animals are not against that. For them, people and special vehicles used on the ranch are part of their natural environment.

Soechting explains that most of the animals were born and raised on the ranch.

"For the most part, the majority of them are born and raised here. And even if we bring them in, like if we bring a new male in, the whole rest of the herd¹¹ is comfortable with what's going on.”

The Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch is part conservatory¹², part educational center and part animal park. But for her, the ranch is just home. And it has been for many generations.

"My husband is the fifth generation. We raised both of our boys on the ranch. Now my oldest son had a son just last night. So, now the seventh generation lives on the Wildlife Ranch as well.”

As the animals walk peacefully around the grounds, it is easy to forget that San Antonio, a busy city, is just a few minutes away. Tiffany Soechting and the 500 animals do not seem to give it a second thought.

I’m Anna Matteo.

Words in This Story

ranch – n. a large farm especially in the U.S. where animals (such as cattle, horses, and sheep) are raised

twin – n. either one of two babies that are born at the same time to the same mother

zoo – n. a place where many kinds of animals are kept so that people can see them

decline³ – v. to become lower in amount or less in number

blessed – adj. bringing pleasure, contentment, or good fortune

vulnerable – adj. open to attack, harm, or damage

conservation – n. a careful preservation¹³ and protection of something

comfortable – adj. not having any physically unpleasant feelings : experiencing physical comfort : allowing you to be relaxed : causing no worries, difficulty, or uncertainty