Cheetahs Back from the Brink in Malawi
VOA News
Last Updated: June 08, 2017 2:05 PM (source)
Cheetahs Back from the Brink in Malawi
獵豹再現馬拉威國家公園
Last Updated: June 08, 2017 2:05 PM
VOA News
LIWONDE NATIONAL PARK, MALAWI — Poaching and wildlife trafficking have endangered some of Africa's most iconic species and the loss of the animals has cost African countries critical tourism revenue.
But at least one national park is getting a second chance. Liwonde National Park in southern Malawi has just welcomed some new inhabitants – four cheetahs relocated there from South Africa courtesy of the nonprofit African Parks group.
Park rangers lured the first cheetah out into its new home with a fresh carcass. It's the first cheetah Malawi has had in the wild in two decades.
The cheetah is the fastest land animal in the world, but even that couldn't protect the species in Malawi. Poachers killed off the cheetahs' prey and ultimately the cheetahs themselves.
"They were last seen in Malawi about 20 years ago," said Craig Reid of the Liwonde National Park. "Specifically in Liwonde area, they have been absent for over a 100 years. So, as part of the rehabilitation of the park, we feel it is very important to bring back the cheetah to Malawi and Liwonde specifically."
A total of four cheetahs – two males and two females – were airlifted to Liwonde from South Africa in May.
Before being released into the park, the cheetahs spent their first three weeks in an enclosure to allow them to become acclimated to their new surroundings.
Liwonde National Park has a population of 12,000 large mammals. These include bush buck, water buffalo and antelope.
The cheetah is the first large predator to be reintroduced to the park.
"We have a very healthy animal base and now that the protection measures are in place as we have got a very good law enforcement in the park," Reid said. "The numbers of animals are increasing very rapidly and, as a result to that, there are more than enough animals to provide for some carnivorous animals such as the cheetah".
Officials are holding meetings with communities surrounding the park.
"Those people are likely to face danger," said David Nongoma of African Parks. "And our message to the community is to say that...they refrain from entering the park and stop doing what they used to be doing because these animals are definitely very dangerous. They can kill a human being."
Park officials say they also plan to reintroduce leopards and lions to restore the park's lost glory.
非洲一些最具代表性的(iconic)物種因為偷獵(poach)和野生動物的違法販運(traffic)而陷入危機，而非洲國家極為重要的觀光收入(revenue)也因為失去了這些動物而減少。
不過，非洲至少有一處的國家公園現正獲得重生的機會(a second chance)。馬拉威(Malawi)南部的利翁代國家公園(Liwonde National Park)剛歡迎一批新的居民到來，是由非盈利的非洲公園集團所提供(courtesy of . . .)，從南非遷移(relocate)過來的四隻獵豹(cheetah)。
公園管理員(park ranger)用新鮮的動物屍體(carcass)把第一隻獵豹引誘(lure)入新家。這是馬拉威二十年以來首次於野外再見到獵豹。
獵豹是世界上速度最快的陸地動物，但即使如此，仍無法在馬拉威逃過一劫。盜獵者(poacher)殺光(kill off)了獵豹的獵物，最終也使得獵豹滅亡。
「最近一次在馬拉威看到獵豹已是20多年前的事了」，在利翁代國家公園工作的克雷格‧瑞德(Craig Reid)如此說著，「獵豹在利翁代一帶已經消失了一百多年。因此我們認為，作為公園復興(rehabilitation)的一部分，讓獵豹重現馬拉威和利翁代更是特別地重要。」
兩公兩母，共四隻獵豹在5月時從南非空運(airlift)到了利翁代。
獵豹在被釋放進入公園內之前，於圍場(enclosure)裡度過了三個星期的時間，這是為了讓牠們能適應(become acclimated to . . .)新的環境。
利翁代國家公園擁有1萬2千隻大型的哺乳類動物，包括藪羚(bush buck)、水牛和羚羊(antelope)。
獵豹是第一個重新被引進的大型捕食性動物(predator)。
「公園內的動物基底已非常健全。由於園內執法(law enforcement)確實，對動物的保護措施(measure)都能發揮作用」，瑞德如此表示，「園內的動物數量正迅速增加，也因此現在有十分充足，甚至還過量的動物可供應給像獵豹這樣的肉食性(carnivorous)動物。」
國家公園的管理人員與公園周遭的社區召開會議。
「附近居民可能會面臨到危險」，在非洲公園工作的大衛‧南格瑪(David Nongoma)如此表示，「而我們想對社區傳達的訊息是，他們得避免(refrain from . . .)進入公園，停止從事他們以前會做的事，因為這些動物的確非常危險，牠們能奪去人的性命。」
公園管理人員表示，他們也計劃重新引進豹(leopard)和獅子，以恢復(restore)公園失去的榮景(glory)。
Language Notes
poach [poʧ] (v)（侵入他人地界）偷獵，偷捕；盜獵
traffic (v) 非法交易
* 表此意時，須注意字尾的變化：現在分詞與動名詞為 "trafficking"，過去式與過去分詞為 "trafficked"
revenue [`rɛvəˏnju] (n)（政府的）稅收，歲入；（公司的）收益
(by) courtesy of (n phr)承蒙. . . . . .的允許；蒙. . . . . .提供
* "courtesy" 一字另有常見的意思為「禮貌，禮節」
lure (v) 引誘，誘惑，誘導
carcass [`kɑrkəs] (n)（尤指大型動物的）屍體；（供野生動物食用的）畜體
rehabilitation [ˏrihəˏbɪlə`teʃən] (n) 復興；修復
* rehabilitate (v) [ˏrihə`bɪləˏtet] (v)（使）復興；（使）復原
enclosure (n) 圍起來的區域；圍場；圍地
acclimate [`ækləmeɪt] (v)（使）適應；（使）習慣於；（使）服水土
* 本字亦可拼為 "acclimatize"，發音為 [ə`klaɪməˏtaɪz]
measure (n) 方法，措施
* 表此意時，常用複數形，即 "measures"
carnivorous [kɑr`nɪvərəs] (a) 肉食性的
* carnivore [`kɑrnəˏvɔr] (n) 食肉動物
refrain [rɪ`fren] (v) 避免；忍住；節制
Check your vocabulary!
Fill in the blanks with a word or phrase from the list above. Make necessary changes. After you finish, highlight the blanks to reveal the hidden answers.
These fish are carnivorous and eat a variety of small animals including insects, crustaceans, and worms.
We found it impossible to acclimate ourselves to the new working conditions.
They were arrested for trafficking in the eggs of protected species of birds.
We refrained from talking until we knew that it was safe.
What further measures can we take to avoid terrorism?
編譯：簡嘉呈
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