Giant Galapagos tortoises used to be a symbol for endangered animals. In the 1960s, there were just 15 of the animals in existence. They were dying out because wild goats were eating their food and damaging their habitat. This caused conservationists to take action to help them. Forty years later, the tortoises are doing well. There are over 1,000 of them living and breeding in the wild. Scientists say it is a conservation success story. Conservationist James Gibb said: "What we basically found over time is that about half of the tortoises that were released have survived." Mr Gibbs added: "That's actually pretty amazing." Gibbs said the tortoises can now survive without human help.
巨大的加拉帕戈斯陸龜是瀕危動物的典型。在20世紀60年代,只有15只加拉帕戈斯陸龜存活。他們?yōu)l臨滅絕,是因為野生山羊吃了它們食物,破壞了它們的棲息地。這促使自然資源保護者采取行動,幫助它們。四十年后, 加拉帕戈斯陸龜都活得很好。1000多只烏龜在野外生活、繁殖后代??茖W家們說,這是保護物種的一個成功案例。自然資源保護人士詹姆斯吉布說,隨著時間的推移,我們基本上發(fā)現(xiàn),當時大約半數(shù)獲救的烏龜,都幸存下來了。吉布斯先生補充道,這很讓人吃驚。吉布斯說,烏龜現(xiàn)在不需要人類的幫助,也能生存。
Giant tortoises used to live all over the world. People hunted them and destroyed their habitat, so they almost became extinct. Giant tortoise numbers fell from over 250,000 in the 16th century to just a few thousand in the 1970s. Giant tortoises can weigh up to 250 kg and can live in the wild for over 100 years. One tortoise lived in captivity for more than 170 years. Wikipedia says: "Tortoises also live very uncomplicated lives, and can nap up to 16 hours a day." Mr Gibbs said the conservation story in the Galapagos Islands would continue. Next year, a small island that lost all of its tortoises a few years ago will get 200 tortoises. Gibbs is looking forward to "another success".
巨龜曾生活在世界各地。人們獵殺他們,破壞他們的棲息地,所以他們幾乎絕種了。16世紀的時候,巨龜有250,000多只,到了20世紀90年代,數(shù)量減少至幾千只。巨龜可以重達250公斤,可以在野外存活100多年。一只烏龜曾被囚禁了170多年。維基百科說,烏龜?shù)纳詈芎唵?一天可以睡16個小時。”吉布斯先生說,在加拉帕哥斯群島,保護自然資源的故事將繼續(xù)上演。一個曾在幾年前失去所有烏龜?shù)男u,明年將會獲得200只烏龜。吉布斯期待再一次“成功”。