Interpreting Speech #9 – Protecting Koalas (English-into-Mandarin)

Briefing

You have been called to interpret for a visiting delegation from China. They are visiting the office of the Koala Conservation and Research Foundation. The director of the foundation is giving a speech about the protection of koala populations in Australia.

 

Listen to Speech

Interpreting Speech #9 – Protecting Koalas (English-into-Mandarin)

Transcript and reference translation

First of all I’d like to welcome you all to Australia. I hope you have a pleasant stay here. My name is Bob Casswell and I’ll be talking to you today about the state of koalas in our country and the challenges we face in protecting them from extinction.

首先,我要欢迎你们大家来到澳大利亚。祝您们逗留愉快。我的名字是鲍勃.凯斯维儿,今天我要和你们谈谈考拉在我国的情况,以及我们面临的挑战,来保护它们免遭灭绝.

 

Along with the kangaroo and emu, the koala is one of the iconic animals of Australia. Although it resembles a bear, it is actually a marsupial. Historically they lived all across Australia , but today they can no longer be found in Tasmania , Western Australia or the Northern Territory.

和袋鼠和鸸鹋一样,考拉是澳大利亚标志性的动物之一。尽管它看起来象熊,它实际上是有袋目动物。历史上, 考拉生活在全澳大利亚,但是今天,在塔斯马尼亚,西澳和北领地已经找不到它们的身影了。

 

Koalas prefer to live in eucalyptus forests, coastal islands, and low woodlands. They consume eucalyptus leaves and bark from 12 different eucalyptus tree species. Koalas can sleep for up to 16 hours a day. They live exclusively in trees and prefer to be alone rather than in big groups.

考拉喜欢生活在桉树森林,海滨小岛以及低地树林里。它们吃12种不同的桉树上的树叶和树皮。考拉可以每天睡觉多达16 个小时,只在树上生活,它们喜欢独居, 而不喜欢群居。

 

(…)

 

Once numbering in the millions, there are now fewer than 100,000 koalas left in the wild. Koalas suffered major declines in population during the 1920s when they were hunted for their fur. Today, habitat destruction, traffic fatalities and attacks by dogs kill an estimated 4,000 koalas yearly.

考拉曾经有数百万只,现在只有不到10万只野生考拉。在20世纪20年代,在人们因为它们的皮毛而捕猎它们时,它们的数量急剧减少。今天, 每年估计有4000只考拉死于栖息地流失,车祸致死以及被狗袭击。

 

Koala numbers around Australia vary significantly. While some populations are declining in some areas, there are large or even increasing populations in other areas. In fact, in some areas in Victoria and on Kangaroo Island , koalas are eating themselves out of suitable foraging habitat and their numbers need to be managed.

考拉的数量在澳大利亚不同地区有很显著的差异。在有些地区它们的数量在减少,而在其它地区它们的数量很大,甚至还在增长。事实上,在维多利亚州的某些地区以及袋鼠岛上,考拉们吃得太多,这正在减少适合它们的食物充足的栖息地, 而需要来控制它们的数量。

 

But the koala populations in Queensland , New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory are clearly in trouble, so much so that the Environment Minister Tony Burke has announced Australia ‘s most at-risk koala populations in these areas will be included on the national list of threatened species.

但是在昆士兰,新南威尔士以及澳大利亚首都直辖区,考拉的数量存在明显的问题,所以环境部长托尼.博客宣布考拉的数量在这些地区存在最大的威胁,考拉将会被列入国家受濒危威胁物种名录内。

 

(…)

 

His decision to list the koala under national environment law follows a rigorous scientific assessment by the Threatened Species Scientific Committee which gathered information from a wide variety of experts over the past three years.

他的决定将考拉列入国家环境保护法的做出是通过威胁物种科学委员会事实的有力的科学评估,以及过去三年收集不同专家的信息基础之上的。

 

The Gillard Government has also committed $300,000 of new funding to find out more about koala habitats. The funding will be used to develop new survey methods that will gain insight into the quality of koala habitats and help gather data to better protect the species. The new funding is in addition to more than $3 million the government has invested since 2007 to ensure the resilience and sustainability of koala populations.

吉拉德政府也致力于投入30万新的资金用于找到更多考拉的栖息地。这项资金也将会用于开发新的调查方法,以及获取有质量的考拉栖息地,同时采集信息以更好的保护这一物种。新的资金结合2007年政府投入的3百万,可以确保考拉数量的适应性和可持续性。

 

I’ve heard that there are some members of the delegation who are planning on migrating to Australia in the future, and some of you also have relatives who already live here. Keep in mind that many housing areas in Australia have actually been built in and around koala habitat. So I’d like to give you a few pieces of advice should you choose to live here.

我听说一些代表团的成员计划移民到澳大利亚,你们中的还有一些有亲戚已经在这里生活。记住澳大利亚的很多生活区事实上已经建立于考拉栖息地以及周边地区。所以我想给你们一些建议,如果你们选择住在这里的话。

 

(…)

 

Firstly, try planting more trees in your backyard. All trees give shelter from predators and adverse weather conditions. Ideally plant a koala food tree that is common in your immediate area. If you are unsure of what eucalypts grow in your area your local nursery or botanic gardens may be able to give you some advice.

首先,在你们的后院种更多的树种。所有的树都可以为考拉提供住所以及免受扑食对象的袭击以及不利的天气状况。理想情况下在你附近种考拉可以吃的常见树种。如果你不确定哪一种桉树可以种,当地的苗圃以及植物园可能会给你提供建议。

 

Secondly, check with your local council before removing or lopping trees on your property. After permission is granted, check carefully for koalas before work commences.

其次,和当地市政厅联系,在你移走你们家的树或者剪枝之前。获得许可后,在开工之前仔细核查。

 

Thirdly, when driving close to bushland or where koala signs are, be on the lookout for koalas wandering on the road. Koalas are particularly active during the breeding season from August to February. Being nocturnal, they tend to be more mobile from dusk to dawn.

第三,当开车在灌木丛或者有考拉标志的地区时,注意考拉是否在路上活动。卡拉在每年8月到次年2月的繁殖季节格外活跃。在夜间,考拉可能从傍晚到清晨格外活跃。

 

Lastly, prevent your dog from roaming after dusk and keep it on a lead when walking. Dogs roaming freely in and near bushland areas are a significant threat to koalas. You may think your dog isn’t aggressive but even good-natured dogs can be unpredictable around wild animals.

最后,不要让你的狗在黄昏后活动,遛狗时拴上狗链。在灌木丛附近自由活动的狗对考拉是很大的威胁。你可能认为你的狗不凶猛,但是即使驯良的狗也可能无法预计。

 

Material adapted from numerous resources, including [1], [2] and [3]. The Foundation’s name is made up, but the cause is real.

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