VOA科学技术2022 智利海域部署漂浮装置保护鲸鱼免受船只伤害（在线收听）

Floating Device Deployed off Chile to Protect Whales from Ships

A device floating in waters off the coast of southern Chile aims to collect data on nearby whales to protect them from passing ships.

漂浮在智利南部沿海水域的一种装置旨在收集附近鲸鱼的数据，以保护它们免受过往船只的伤害。

The first electronic buoy was recently placed in the sea in the Gulf of Corcovado, about 1,100 kilometers from the capital, Santiago.

第一个电子浮标最近被放置在距离首都圣地亚哥约 1,100 公里的科尔科瓦多湾的海中。

The device is designed to listen to the sounds whales make when they communicate with each other. The animals use sound to map their movements and to hunt.

该设备旨在聆听鲸鱼相互交流时发出的声音。这些动物使用声音来绘制它们的动作并进行狩猎。

The sounds are processed by artificial intelligence (AI)-powered computer systems in an effort to identify where the animals are. This information is then sent to shipping operators to help them avoid crashing into whales.

这些声音由人工智能(AI) 驱动的计算机系统处理，以识别动物的位置。然后将这些信息发送给航运运营商，以帮助他们避免撞到鲸鱼。

A non-profit organization called the Blue Boat Initiative put the buoy in place. The group seeks to develop and deploy technology tools to provide a warning system for shipping companies. In addition to helping protect whales, the "smart" buoy also collects data on the health of the ocean and the effects of climate change.

一个名为“蓝船倡议”的非营利组织放置了浮标。该小组寻求开发和部署技术工具，为航运公司提供预警系统。除了帮助保护鲸鱼外，“智能”浮标还收集有关海洋健康和气候变化影响的数据。

The group plans to place a series of buoys along the path whales take on trips from Antarctica to the equator. The Gulf of Corcovado is rich in sea life, including a large number of blue whales, as well as sei and Southern right whales. All these whales are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. The area's whale population is largest during the summer season in the Southern Hemisphere.

该小组计划在鲸鱼从南极洲到赤道的旅途中放置一系列浮标。科尔科瓦多湾的海洋生物丰富，包括大量的蓝鲸，以及海鲸和南露脊鲸。根据《濒危物种法》，所有这些鲸鱼都被列为濒危物种。该地区的鲸鱼数量在南半球的夏季是最多的。

In 2008, Chile banned whaling activities, including whaling for scientific purposes. The country has established a number of protected areas for whales and other endangered species.

2008 年，智利禁止捕鲸活动，包括出于科学目的的捕鲸活动。该国已经为鲸鱼和其他濒危物种建立了一些保护区。

"This is the beginning of a longer road," said Sonia Espanol, director of the Blue Boat Initiative. She noted that her team plans to cover the gulf with at least six buoys. "The idea is to be able to cover the entire migratory route of the whales from Antarctica to the equator," Espanol said.

“这是一条漫长道路的开始，”蓝船倡议主任索尼娅·埃斯帕诺尔说。她指出，她的团队计划用至少六个浮标覆盖海湾。“这个想法是为了能够覆盖鲸鱼从南极洲到赤道的整个迁徙路线，”西班牙人说。

The buoy works by using software called Listening to the Deep Ocean Environment (LIDO). The device continuously monitors ocean sounds. It uses AI to identify the kind of whales and where they are in real time. It then sends messages to nearby ships so they can reduce noise levels and try to avoid crashes.

浮标通过使用名为聆听深海环境 (LIDO) 的软件工作。该设备持续监测海洋声音。它使用人工智能来实时识别鲸鱼的种类和它们的位置。然后它会向附近的船只发送消息，以便它们可以降低噪音水平并尽量避免碰撞。

The buoys also contain sensors to measure water temperatures, oxygen levels and more to predict ocean health and the effects of climate change. That information is expected to be used to help guide public environmental policies.

浮标还包含传感器，用于测量水温、氧气含量等，以预测海洋健康和气候变化的影响。预计该信息将用于帮助指导公共环境政策。

In the United States, scientists recently deployed a similar whale warning system off America's west coast. That system, called Whale Safe, also uses buoys to identify the presence of whales.

在美国，科学家们最近在美国西海岸部署了一个类似的鲸鱼预警系统。该系统名为 Whale Safe，也使用浮标来识别鲸鱼的存在。