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PatriciaMedici_2015F-_你一无所知的一种最酷的动物_我们该如何拯救它_
This is one of the most amazing animals on the face of the Earth. 这是地球表面最令人惊奇的动物之一。
This is a tapir . 这是貘。
tapir:n.[脊椎]貘;
Now this, this is a baby tapir, the cutest animal offspring in the animal kingdom. 那么这个呢,它就是貘宝宝啦, 它是动物王国中,最可爱的幼崽了,
offspring:n.后代,子孙;产物;
(Laughter) （笑声）
By far. 到目前为止。
There is no competition here. 没有之一。
competition:n.竞争;比赛,竞赛;
I have dedicated the past 20 years of my life to the research and conservation of tapirs in Brazil , and it has been absolutely amazing. 我把我过去20年的生活奉献给 研究和保护巴西的貘, 而且这份工作绝对已经令人惊叹了。
dedicated:adj.献身的; v.把…奉献给; (dedicate的过去分词和过去式) conservation:n.保存,保持;保护; tapirs:n.[脊椎]貘; Brazil:n.巴西(拉丁美洲国家); absolutely:adv.绝对地;完全地;
But at the moment, I've been thinking really, really hard about the impact of my work. 但此刻,我一直在努力地想 有关我的工作带来的深刻影响。
impact:n.影响;效果;碰撞;冲击力;v.挤入,压紧;撞击;对…产生影响;
I've been questioning myself about the real contributions I have made for the conservation of these animals I love so much. 我一直在问自己,那些我已经做了的, 关于为保护这些我热爱动物的贡献。
contributions:n.捐款;捐资;定期缴款;贡献;促成作用;(contribution的复数)
Am I being effective in safeguarding their survival ? 我是不是有效地 在保护它们的生存呢？
effective:adj.有效的,起作用的;实际的,实在的;给人深刻印象; safeguarding:v.保护;保障;捍卫;(safeguard的现在分词) survival:n.幸存,残存;幸存者,残存物;
Am I doing enough? 我做得足够吗？
I guess the big question here is, am I studying tapirs and contributing to their conservation, or am I just documenting their extinction ? 我想,这里最大的问题是 我是否在研究貘并致力于保护它们呢？ 还是我只是正在记录它们的灭绝过程呢？
contributing:v.捐献,捐赠(尤指款或物);捐助;增加;增进;(contribute的现在分词) extinction:n.绝种;
The world is facing so many different conservation crises . 世界正面临着许多不同的保护危机。
crises:n.危机,紧要关头;危险期(crisis的复数形式);
We all know that. It's all over the news every day. 这些我们都知道,每天全世界的新闻都在报道。
Tropical forests and other ecosystems are being destroyed, climate change, so many species on the brink of extinction: tigers, lions, elephants, rhinos , tapirs. 热带森林和其他生态系统都正在被破坏, 气候变化,导致许多物种在濒临灭绝的边缘: 包括老虎,狮子,大象,犀牛和貘。
Tropical:adj.热带的;热情的;酷热的; ecosystems:n.生态系统(ecosystem的复数); species:n.[生物]物种;种类; on the brink of:即将要;濒于;濒临;在…的边缘; rhinos:n.(非正式)犀牛;[俚]钱;现金;
This is the lowland tapir, the tapir species I work with, the largest terrestrial mammal of South America . 这是低地貘,我正在研究这类貘, 这是南美洲最大的陆生哺乳动物。
lowland:n.低地;苏格兰低地;adj.低地的;苏格兰低地的; terrestrial:adj.地球的;陆地的,[生物]陆生的;人间的;n.陆地生物;地球上的人; mammal:n.哺乳动物; South America:n.南美洲;
They're massive . They're powerful. 它们很巨大,还很强壮。
massive:adj.大量的;巨大的,厚重的;魁伟的;
Adults can weigh up to 300 kilos. 成年貘可以重达300公斤,
That's half the size of a horse. 那可是一匹马一半的大小。
They're gorgeous . 它们非常漂亮。
gorgeous:adj.华丽的,灿烂的;极好的;
Tapirs are mostly found in tropical forests such as the Amazon , and they absolutely need large patches of habitat in order to find all the resources they need to reproduce and survive. 这些貘大都在热带森林被发现,如亚马逊, 而且,它们绝对需要大片的栖息地, 以供它们找到繁殖和生存的资源所有资源
Amazon:亚马逊;古希腊女战士; patches:n.斑点;小块;补丁;眼罩;v.打补丁;缝补;修补;(patch的第三人称单数和复数) habitat:n.[生态]栖息地,产地; resources:n.[计][环境]资源; v.向…提供资金(resource的第三人称单数); reproduce:v.繁殖;复制;再现;生育;
But their habitat is being destroyed, and they have been hunted out of several parts of their geographic distribution . 但是,它们的栖息地正遭到破坏, 而且在貘的一些栖息地,它们纷纷被猎杀。
geographic:adj.地理的;地理学的; distribution:n.分布;分配;分发;分销;
And you see, this is very, very unfortunate because tapirs are extremely important for the habitats where they are found. 你看,这实在是非常不幸的事, 因为对于栖息地的生态环境来说,这些貘是非常重要的。
extremely:adv.非常,极其;极端地; habitats:n.[生态]栖息地;(动植物的)[经]产地(habitat的复数形式);
They're herbivores . 它们是食草动物。
herbivores:n.[动]食草动物,植食动物;食草者(herbivore的复数形式);
Fifty percent of their diet consists of fruit, and when they eat the fruit, they swallow the seeds, which they disperse throughout the habitat through their feces . 水果占去它们每日摄食的50% 它们吃水果时,也吞下了种子, 它们通过其粪便在栖息地分散这些种子。
consists:v.由…构成;由…组成(consist的三单形式); swallow:v.吞下;咽下;吞没;相信;n.吞;咽;燕;一次吞咽的量; disperse:v.分散;驱散;疏散;散布;adj.分散的;弥散的 throughout:adv.自始至终,到处;全部;prep.贯穿,遍及; feces:n.排泄物;渣滓;
They play this major role in shaping and maintaining the structure and diversity of the forest, and for that reason, tapirs are known as gardeners of the forest. 它们在塑造和维护森林结构和多样性时 发挥了重要作用。 正是这个原因,貘被认为是森林的园丁。
maintaining:n.维护;保养;v.维持;保养;(maintain的现在分词) structure:n.结构;构造;建筑物;vt.组织;构成;建造; diversity:n.差异(性):多样性:多样化: gardeners:n.花匠;园丁;园艺爱好者;(gardener的复数)
Isn't that amazing? 这是不是很神奇呢？
If you think about it, the extinction of tapirs would seriously affect biodiversity as a whole . 如果你思考一下, 貘的灭绝将严重影响 整个森林生态系统的生物多样性。
biodiversity:n.生物多样性; as a whole:总的来说;
I started my tapir work in 1996, still very young, fresh out of college, and it was a pioneer research and conservation program. 我开始研究貘在1996,我当时还很年轻,刚大学毕业, 而且这是一个开创性的研究和保护课程。
At that point, we had nearly zero information about tapirs, mostly because they're so difficult to study. 在那时,我们几乎没有任何关于貘的信息, 主要是因为它们很难研究。
They're nocturnal , solitary , very elusive animals, and we got started getting very basic data about these animals. 它们是昼伏夜出,喜欢独处,难以寻觅的动物, 我们开始只获得有关这些动物的基本数据。
nocturnal:adj.夜的;夜曲的;夜间发生的; solitary:adj.孤独的;独居的;n.独居者;隐士; elusive:adj.难懂的;易忘的;逃避的;难捉摸的;
But what is it that a conservationist does? 但作为一名自然环境保护者,究竟要做什么呢？
conservationist:n.自然资源保护论者;
Well, first, we need data. 首先,我们需要数据。
We need field research. 我们需要实地调研。
We need those long-term datasets to support conservation action, and I told you tapirs are very hard to study, so we have to rely on indirect methods to study them. 我们需要长期的数据集,来支援动物的保护行动, 而且我说过,貘是很难研究的, 所以,我们必须依赖间接的方法来研究它们。
long-term:adj.长期的;从长远来看; datasets:n.数据集;数据集集合;数据集对象(dataset的复数形式); rely:vi.依靠;信赖; indirect:adj.间接的;迂回的;非直截了当的;
We have to capture and anesthetize them so that we can install GPS collars around their necks and follow their movements, which is a technique used by many other conservationists around the world. 我们必须捕获,然后麻醉它们, 这样我们就可以安装GPS定位项圈在它们的脖子, 而且跟踪它们的行动, 这是世界各地很多自然环境保护者使用的一种方法。
capture:v.俘虏;捕获;攻占;夺得;刻画,描述;n.(被)捕获;(被)俘获 anesthetize:vt.使麻醉(anaesthetize);使麻痹; install:v.安装;设置;安置;建立(程序); collars:n.衣领;领子;颈圈;v.抓住;捉住;逮住(collar的第三人称单数和复数) technique:n.技巧,技术;手法; conservationists:n.自然资源保护论者;
And then we can gather information about how they use space, how they move through the landscape , what are their priority habitats, and so much more. 然后我们可以收集有关它们如何使用空间的信息, 包括它们如何在园林区走动, 以及什么地方是它们优先考虑的栖息地, 还有很多其他信息收集。
landscape:n.景观;乡村风景画;(文件的)横向打印格式;v.对…做景观美化;美化…的环境; priority:n.优先;优先权;[数]优先次序;优先考虑的事;
Next, we must disseminate what we learn. 接下来,我们必须传播学到的有于貘的信息。
disseminate:vt.宣传,传播;散布;vi.散布;广为传播;
We have to educate people about tapirs and how important these animals are. 我们必须对大众进行关于貘的教育, 并且让人们了解这些动物是多么重要。
And it's amazing how many people around the world do not know what a tapir is. 惊人的是, 世上有许多人连貘是什么都不知道。
In fact, many people think this is a tapir. 实际上,很多人觉得这就是貘。
Let me tell you, this is not a tapir. 让我告诉你,这不是貘。
(Laughter) （笑声）
This is a giant anteater . 这是一只巨型的食蚁兽。
giant:n.巨人;伟人;巨兽;adj.巨大的;特大的 anteater:n.食蚁兽;
Tapirs do not eat ants. Never. Ever. 貘从来不吃蚂蚁。
And then next we have to provide training, capacity building. 然后,接下来我们必须提供培训和能力的培养。
capacity:n.能力;容量;资格,地位;生产力;
It is our responsibility to prepare the conservationists of the future. 我们的责任就是去为培养未来的环保者做准备。
We are losing several conservation battles, and we need more people doing what we do, and they need the skills, and they need the passion to do that. 我们正在失去一些环保区域, 我们需要更多的人,从事我们所做的工作, 而且他们需要有技能和热情从事这样的工作。
passion:n.激情;热情;酷爱;盛怒;
Ultimately , we conservationists, we must be able to apply our data, to apply our accumulated knowledge to support actual conservation action. 最终,作为自然环保者, 我们必须能够运用我们的数据, 和运用我们积累的知识 来支持实际的保护行动。
Ultimately:adv.最终;最后;归根结底;终究; apply:v.申请;涂,敷;应用;适用;请求; accumulated:v.积累;积聚;(数量)逐渐增加;(accumulate的过去式和过去分词)
Our first tapir program took place in the Atlantic Forest in the eastern part of Brazil, one of the most threatened biomes in the world. 我们第一个貘的研究计划 坐落在大西洋的森林 在巴西东部, 这是世界上最受威胁的生物群落区之一。
Atlantic:adj.大西洋的;巨人阿特拉斯的;n.大西洋; eastern:adj.东方的;向东的;东部的;东方国家的;n.东方人;东正教信徒; biomes:n.[生态]生物群落;[生态]生物群区(biome的复数);
The destruction of the Atlantic Forest began in the early 1500s, when the Portuguese first arrived in Brazil, beginning European colonization in the eastern part of South America. 对大西洋森林的破坏 开始于16世纪初, 当葡萄牙人最初抵达巴西, 在南美洲东部开始进行欧洲殖民化。
destruction:n.破坏,毁灭;摧毁; Portuguese:adj.葡萄牙的;葡萄牙人的;葡萄牙语的;n.葡萄牙人;葡萄牙语; colonization:n.殖民;殖民地化;
This forest was almost completely cleared for timber , agriculture, cattle ranching and the construction of cities, and today only seven percent of the Atlantic forest is still left standing. 这片森林几乎完全被砍伐殆尽, 为了木材,农业,牧牛场和城市建设的需要, 如今大西洋森林只有原来7%的面积 仍然保存。
timber:n.木材;木料; ranching:n.经营大牧场;v.经营牧场(ranch的ing形式); construction:n.建设;建筑物;解释;造句;
And tapirs are found in very, very small, isolated , disconnected populations. 而这些貘在很小,隔离的和不联系的的群落中被发现。
isolated:adj.偏远的; v.隔离,孤立,脱离; disconnected:adj.分离的; v.切断(煤气、水或电的供应); (disconnect的过去式和过去分词)
In the Atlantic Forest, we found out that tapirs move through open areas of pastureland and agriculture going from one patch of forest to patch of forest. 在大西洋森林,我们发现貘在 牧场和农业开放区域间走动 从森林中一小块地移动到另一小块地。
pastureland:n.牧场;牧草地;
So our main approach in this region was to use our tapir data to identify the potential places for the establishment of wildlife corridors in between those patches of forest, reconnecting the habitat so that tapirs and many other animals could cross the landscape safely. 因此,我们在这一地区使用的主要方法 是用貘的数据来识别潜在的栖息地, 为建立野生动物保护区 在森林的这些小块土地之间, 重新连接它们的栖息地, 使貘和其他许多动物能够安全地通过那些开放区。
approach:n.方法;路径;v.接近;建议;着手处理; region:n.地区;范围;部位; identify:v.识别:鉴定:确认:发现: potential:n.潜能;可能性;[电]电势;adj.潜在的;可能的;势的; establishment:n.大型组织;企业;旅馆;权威人士;建立; corridors:n.廊道,[建]走廊(corridor的复数形式); reconnecting:n.重新连线中;正在重新连接;v.再接合(reconnect的现在分词);
After 12 years in the Atlantic Forest, in 2008, we expanded our tapir conservation efforts to the Pantanal in the western part of Brazil near the border with Bolivia and Paraguay. 通过12年在大西洋森林的观察和研究, 终于在2008年,我们在巴西西部的Pantanal, 靠近玻利维亚和巴拉圭边境的地方 加大了貘的保护区。
expanded:adj.扩充的;展开的;vt.扩大(expand的过去式);
This is the largest continuous freshwater floodplain in the world, an incredible place and one of the most important strongholds for lowland tapirs in South America. 这是世界上最大的淡水洪泛区, 一个不可思议的地方, 这里是南美洲低地貘最重要的生存堡垒之一。
continuous:adj.连续的,持续的;继续的;连绵不断的; freshwater:adj.淡水的;无经验的;n.淡水;内河;湖水; floodplain:n.泛滥平原; incredible:adj.难以置信的,惊人的; strongholds:n.[军]据点;要塞;堡垒(stronghold的复数形式);
And working in the Pantanal has been extremely refreshing because we found large, healthy tapir populations in the area, and we have been able to study tapirs in the most natural conditions we'll ever find, very much free of threats. 在Pantanal工作已经令人耳目一新, 因为在这个地区,我们发现大量的,健康的貘种群, 我们已经可以在那里研究貘了 这是我们找到的最原生态的环境 在这里貘的生存没有威胁
In the Pantanal, besides the GPS collars, we are using another technique: camera traps . 在Pantanal, 除了GPS定位项圈,我们还使用另一种技术: 相机陷阱
besides:adv.此外;而且;prep.除…之外; traps:n.陷阱,捕捉器; v.使落入险境; (trap的第三人称单数和复数)
This camera is equipped with a movement sensor and it photographs animals when they walk in front of it. 这个摄像机装备了移动传感器, 当动物走到相机前时它会拍照。
sensor:n.传感器;
So thanks to these amazing devices , we have been able to gather precious information about tapir reproduction and social organization which are very important pieces of the puzzle when you're trying to develop those conservation strategies . 所以,要感谢这么好的技术设备。 我们才可以收集到珍贵的资料, 这些资料是有关貘的繁殖和群居的组织, 这是了解貘非常重要的一些资料, 当你试图要发展一些保护措施会用到。
devices:n.[机][计]设备;[机]装置;[电子]器件(device的复数); precious:adj.宝贵的;珍贵的;矫揉造作的; reproduction:n.繁殖,生殖;复制;复制品; organization:n.组织;机构;体制;团体; puzzle:n.谜;疑问;智力游戏;不解之谜;v.迷惑;使困惑; strategies:n.策略;行动计划;部署;战略;(strategy的复数)
And right now, 2015, we are expanding our work once again to the Brazilian Cerrado, the open grasslands and shrub forests in the central part of Brazil. 而现在,在2015年,我们再次扩大工作范围 这里位于巴西中部,拥有开阔的草场和灌木林
expanding:v.扩大,增加,增强细谈;详述;(expand的现在分词) grasslands:n.[畜牧]草原;大草原(grassland的复数形式); shrub:n.灌木;灌木丛;
Today this region is the very epicenter of economic development in my country, where natural habitat and wildlife populations are rapidly being eradicated by several different threats, including once again cattle ranching, large sugarcane and soybean plantations , poaching , roadkill , just to name a few. 今天,这一地区是我们国家的经济发展中心。 这里是自然栖息地,同时许多野生动物种群 正受不同因素威胁,濒临灭绝, 其中又一次包括牛牧场经营, 大型甘蔗和大豆种植园, 偷猎和路杀动物,我在这里仅举几例。
epicenter:n.震中;中心; economic:adj.经济的,经济上的;经济学的; eradicated:adj.画着根的;v.摆脱;擦掉;连根拔起(eradicate的过去分词); sugarcane:n.[作物]甘蔗;糖蔗; soybean:n.大豆;黄豆; plantations:n.[农]种植园(plantation的复数形式); poaching:v.水煮;炖;去壳水煮蛋;偷猎;(poach的现在分词) roadkill:n.在公路上被车撞死的动物;
And somehow , tapirs are still there, which gives me a lot of hope. 不知为什么,貘仍然存在, 这给了我很大希望。
somehow:adv.以某种方法;莫名其妙地;
But I have to say that starting this new program in the Cerrado was a bit of a slap in the face . 但是我不得不说,在Cerrado开始的这个新计划 是在自己脸上打了一耳光。
a slap in the face:脸上挨了一耳光;耳光;
When you drive around and you find dead tapirs along the highways and signs of tapirs wandering around in the middle of sugarcane plantations where they shouldn't be, 当你开车转转 你会发现公路旁被撞死的貘。 也会找到貘在甘蔗种植园里游荡的踪迹, 但它们不应该在那里,
and you talk to kids and they tell you that they know how tapir meat tastes because their families poach and eat them, it really breaks your heart. 如果你与这里的小孩谈话,他们会告诉你貘肉的味道如何, 因为他们的家人偷捕并吃这些动物, 这事真的让人伤心。
The situation in the Cerrado made me realize -- it gave me the sense of urgency . 在Cerrado 的这种情况使我意识到该做的事, 这种情况给了我紧迫感。
urgency:n.紧急;催促;紧急的事;
I am swimming against the tide . 我正在拼搏,逆流而上。
tide:n.潮汐; v.顺应潮水航行;
It made me realize that despite two decades of hard work trying to save these animals, we still have so much work to do if we are to prevent them from disappearing . 这使我认识到,尽管二十年的艰苦努力 我们试图拯救这些动物,但还有许多工作要做, 如果我们要阻止貘的消失。
despite:prep.尽管,不管;n.轻视;憎恨;侮辱; disappearing:v.消失;不复存在;灭绝;丢失(disappear的现在分词)
We have to find ways to solve all these problems. 我们必须找出方法解决所有这些问题。
We really do, and you know what? 我们真的需要,你知道吗？
We really came to a point in the conservation world where we have to think out of the box. 在保护世界里,我们真的到了这个时刻, 一个我们必须要开放思想,打破固有的模式的时刻。
think out:解决;仔细考虑;发现;
We'll have to be a lot more creative than we are right now. 我们必须要比现在更有创造力
creative:adj.创造性的;
And I told you, roadkill is a big problem for tapirs in the Cerrado, so we just came up with the idea of putting reflective stickers on the GPS collars we put on the tapirs. 而且我要告诉你们,路上被撞死的貘在Cerrado是个大问题, 我们想出了一个方法,放反光贴纸 在貘脖子的GPS 定位项圈上。
reflective:adj.反射的;反映的;沉思的; stickers:n.粘贴标签;贴纸;(sticker的复数)
These are the same stickers used on big trucks to avoid collision . 这些反光贴纸同样贴在大卡车上 以避免碰撞。
collision:n.抵触;碰撞(或相撞)事故;
Tapirs cross the highways after dark, so the stickers will hopefully help drivers see this shining thing crossing the highway, and maybe they will slow down a little bit. 天黑后,貘穿过公路, 那么但愿反光贴纸会帮助司机,看到这个闪亮的东西 正在横穿公路。 也许他们会开慢一点。
For now, this is just a crazy idea. 目前而言,这只是个疯狂的想法。
We don't know. We'll see if it will reduce the amount of tapir roadkill. 我们不知道,这方法是否会减少貘被撞死的数量。
But the point is, maybe this is the kind of stuff that needs to be done. 但关键点是,也许这类事情是我们需要做的。
stuff:n.东西:物品:基本特征:v.填满:装满:标本:
And although I'm struggling with all these questions in my mind right now, 虽然我正在抗争,对这些 在我脑海里的问题,
I have a pact with tapirs. 我与貘有个约定。
I know in my heart that tapir conservation is my cause. 在我心里,我知道 保护貘是我做这一切的理由。
This is my passion. 这是我的热情。
I am not alone. 我并不孤单。
I have this huge network of supporters behind me, and there is no way I'm ever going to stop. 在我背后有一个巨大的支持网, 我也没有办法停下来。
supporters:n.拥护者;(运动队的)支持者;(supporter的复数)
I will continue doing this, most probably for the rest of my life. 我会在我的余生继续从事貘的研究,
And I'll keep doing this for Patrícia, my namesake , one of the first tapirs we captured and monitored in the Atlantic Forest many, many years ago; for Rita and her baby Vincent in the Pantanal. 我会为了一只以我命名的貘继续努力, 它是在大西洋森林被我们发现和跟踪的头几只, 这是在很多年前的事了; Rita和她的孩子Vincent在Pantanal。
namesake:n.名义;同名物;同名的人; captured:adj.捕获的;被俘的;v.捕获;占领;引起;(capture的过去式和过去分词) Vincent:n.模锻摩擦压力机;
And I'll keep doing this for Ted, a baby tapir we captured in December last year also in the Pantanal. 我会继续为Ted做貘的研究工作,这是一只我们捕获的貘宝宝 在Pantanal,去年12月。
And I will keep doing this for the hundreds of tapirs that I've had the pleasure to meet over the years and the many others I know I will encounter in the future. 我会继续做这项工作 为了数以百计的貘,那些我这些年有幸 遇到的貘。 还包括许多其他的貘,那些我将来会遇到的貘。
encounter:v.遭遇,邂逅;遇到;n.遭遇,偶然碰见;
These animals deserve to be cared for. 这些动物应该受到关心。
deserve:vi.应受,应得;
They need me. They need us. 它们需要我们,需要我们去保护它们。
And you know? We human beings deserve to live in a world where we can get out there and see and benefit from not only tapirs but all the other beautiful species, now and in the future. 而且你们知道吗？人类应该生活在一个这样的世界里, 一个我们可以走去看看,并从中获益的世界。 一个不仅有貘, 还有其他美丽物种的世界, 从现在开始,直到将来。
Thank you so much. 谢谢。
(Applause) （鼓掌）