Kenyaislosinganaverageof100ofits2,000lionseachyearbecauseofgrowinghumansettlements,increasingfarming,climatechangeanddiseases,accordingtotheKenyaWildlifeService(KWS).“LionshaveaspecialplaceinKenyans’life,
Kenyaislosinganaverageof100ofits2,000lionseachyearbecauseofgrowinghumansettlements,increasingfarming,climatechangeanddiseases,accordingtotheKenyaWildlifeService(KWS).
“LionshaveaspecialplaceinKenyans’life,”saidPaulUdoto,aspokesmanfortheorganization. “Otherthanbeingthesymbolofnationalstrength,theyareamongtheBigFive,amainattractionforvisitorstoKenya.”
Therewere2,749lionsinKenyain2002andtheirpopulationdroppedto2,280by2004andtoabout2,000today,accordingtoKWSfigures.
“ThefallofthelionpopulationisworryingandeveryeffortneedstobemadetomakesurethatKenyaeitherprotectsitspopulationof2,000lionsatpresentorincreasesthenumberstoanecologically(生态上地)acceptablelevel,”saidMr.Udoto.
“Thereisnodoubtthatthenumbersareinfreefall.I’dbesurprisediftheyevenlastaslongas20years,”saidLaurenceFrank,projectdirectorofLivingWithLions,aKenya-basedanimalprotectionorganization.“WhenIfirstcamehere30yearsago,Iwouldalwayshearlionsroaringacrossthelandatnightandseetheirtracksinthemorning.Nowthatisveryrare.”
“Thereasonissimple.Asthenumbersofpeoplegrowandthenumbersofcowsincrease,theytakeupmuchofthelion’sspace.Alongsidethatthereareotherways,includingpoisoning,tokilllions.”
Animalloversaremakinganewstrategytosavetheanimals.Partofthemeasureswillincludetrackinglionsfittedwithradiocollars(无线电项圈)intheAmboseliareainsouthernKenya,closetotheborderwithTanzania.
WildlifeofficialsinTanzaniafacesimilarchallengesinprotectingtheirlions,butthereisfarlesshumanencroachment(侵犯)ontheanimals’homelandtherethaninKenya.
小题1:ThelionpopulationisfallinginKenyaforthefollowingreasonsEXCEPT__________.A.climatechangeB.toomanyvisitorsC.diseaseD.humanactivities小题2:InParagraph2,PaulUdotowantstoshow__________.A.theimportanceoflionsinKenyaB.thetouristattractionsinKenyaC.Kenyan’sspeciallifestyleD.Kenya’snationalsymbol小题3:Weknowfr