英语新闻视频：Sun Bears - World's smallest bear face extinction

Cambodia is home to the largest population of sun bears left in the wild. As the world’s smallest bear species, they are now facing a high risk of extinction¹ due to the twin threat of habitat loss and illegal hunting. Charities are working hard to save the remaining animals, but are they fighting a losing battle?

　　Could anyone be so cruel as to touch the hairs on these cuddly² heads?

　　Sadly, the answer is yes.

　　They are called Sun bears, or honey bears, named after their long slender tongue used to extract honey from beehives.

　　These are the world’s smallest bear species. They are easily recognisable by a horseshoe-shaped yellow marking on their chest.

　　And now they are at the brink³ of distinction.

　　As the world’s smallest bear species, they are now facing a high risk of extinction due to the twin threat of habitat loss and illegal hunting.

　　Sun bears are hunted for their fur and bile which is used in traditional medicines. Their meat and paws are also used in soup - a delicacy⁴ in much of the Asia.

　　And to add to their misfortune, their relatively⁵ inoffensive nature and small size make them an easy capture to be bred as exotic pets.

　　Matt Hunt, Chief Executive of Free the Bears, has spent ten years working to protect the species in Cambodia. And he is becoming increasingly concerned.

　　Matt Hunt, Chief Executive of Free the Bears Fund, said, "Their long term prospects⁶ are not looking good based purely⁷ on the amount of human population growth, the amount of habitat that’s being lost for the species, and of course the amount of hunting that is increasing due to the fact of people’s wealth increasing and so more people are demanding traditional medicines or exotic animal dishes."

　　As the world’s smallest bear species, they are now facing a high risk of extinction due to the twin threat of habitat loss and illegal hunting.

　　Sun bears population has dropped by at least 30 per cent in the past 30 years. And their numbers are continuing to decline at that rate.

　　There are currently 84 sun bears housed at the rescue facility.

　　These two were saved in 2009. They were critically injured.

　　The fund works around the clock to fight for the animals. But there’s only so much they can do without more government action.

　　As the world’s smallest bear species, they are now facing a high risk of extinction due to the twin threat of habitat loss and illegal hunting.

　　Matt Hunt said, "We need a lot more protected area, law enforcement going on. We need greater enforcement around the borders to stop bears being transported across borders and a lot more education and awareness⁸ to make sure that people are no longer asking for Bear Paw Soup in restaurants or for bear gall⁹ bladders."

　　Sun bears are among the least studied bears in the wild. And now there’s the looming¹⁰ possibility that they will be wiped out even before they have been properly understood.

文化链接：马来熊别名狗熊、太阳熊，属于熊科。它是熊类中体型最小的种类，一般体长100厘米左右，体重约50千克。体态伶俐、矫捷，坐着的时候就象一只肥胖的小狗。马来熊栖息于热带、亚热带雨林、季雨林中，主要分布在印度尼西亚、马来半岛、缅甸等地。1972年在中国云南南部边境山地首次发现，数量极少。

1 extinction   

n.熄灭，消亡，消灭，灭绝，绝种

参考例句：

• The plant is now in danger of extinction.这种植物现在有绝种的危险。
• The island's way of life is doomed to extinction.这个岛上的生活方式注定要消失。

2 cuddly   

adj.抱着很舒服的，可爱的

参考例句：

• The beautiful crib from Mom and Dad is so cuddly.爸爸妈妈送的漂亮婴儿床真舒服。
• You can't call a hedgehog cuddly.你不能说刺猬逗人喜爱。

3 brink   

n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿

参考例句：

• The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
• The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。

4 delicacy   

n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴

参考例句：

• We admired the delicacy of the craftsmanship.我们佩服工艺师精巧的手艺。
• He sensed the delicacy of the situation.他感觉到了形势的微妙。

5 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

6 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

7 purely   

adv.纯粹地，完全地

参考例句：

• I helped him purely and simply out of friendship.我帮他纯粹是出于友情。
• This disproves the theory that children are purely imitative.这证明认为儿童只会单纯地模仿的理论是站不住脚的。

8 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

9 gall   

v.使烦恼，使焦躁，难堪；n.磨难

参考例句：

• It galled him to have to ask for a loan.必须向人借钱使他感到难堪。
• No gall,no glory.没有磨难，何来荣耀。

10 looming   

n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• The foothills were looming ahead through the haze. 丘陵地带透过薄雾朦胧地出现在眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then they looked up. Looming above them was Mount Proteome. 接着他们往上看，在其上隐约看到的是蛋白质组山。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望