英语听力：自然百科 海军护卫海龟繁殖

 As thousands of turtles arrive at a beach in Oaxaca, Mexico, to lay their eggs this season, federal and local authorities have been deployed¹ to protect them against poachers. As the turtles nest on the Pacific coast, Mexican Navy patrols keep watch and a group of at least five biologists tirelessly keeps records on the number of nests and the eggs they contain. Each turtle deposits around 100 eggs each time she clambers ashore². La Escobilla has been declared a natural protected area to prevent poaching of the Golfina or Olive Ridley turtles. The turtles left about 1.3 million eggs in La Escobilla last year and biologists expect a similar number this year. One of the turtle guides says the site is the most important in the world.

 

This is the most important beach for marine³ turtle nesting in the world. It's above Costa Rica and India.

 

The turtles arrive in eight to ten waves between June and December. Each arrival can bring from 50,000 to 70,000 turtles. Due to protective measures, populations of Golfina have increased, and they're now classified as vulnerable, while the Leatherback, or Laud⁴ turtle is still critically endangered. According to the Turtle Center, there were only 100 nests built worldwide last year. Both species were hunted for decades, their eggs taken for sale or eaten. But in 1990, a law banned hunting and the sale of eggs and turtle meat in Mexico. Officials have also run public information campaigns to discourage poaching. Despite the law, environmental officials say the animals are still targeted. At La Escobilla beach, locals formed a cooperative to serve as guides and help protect the Golfina. Once they sold eggs and turtle meat. Now they understand that protecting their former prey⁵ can be far more profitable.

 

We are very aware that the more we take care of this, the longer it's going to last.

 

The turtle sanctuary⁶ is open to tourists, who take boat tours into the Pacific to see the turtles swim in their natural habitat.

1 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

2 ashore   

adv.在(向)岸上，上岸

参考例句：

• The children got ashore before the tide came in.涨潮前，孩子们就上岸了。
• He laid hold of the rope and pulled the boat ashore.他抓住绳子拉船靠岸。

3 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

4 laud   

n.颂歌；v.赞美

参考例句：

• Kathy was very pleased to have graduated cum laud in her class.凯西在班上以优等成绩毕业，她为此而非常高兴。
• We laud him a warmhearted man.我们称赞他是个热心人。

5 prey   

n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨

参考例句：

• Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
• The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。

6 sanctuary   

n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区

参考例句：

• There was a sanctuary of political refugees behind the hospital.医院后面有一个政治难民的避难所。
• Most countries refuse to give sanctuary to people who hijack aeroplanes.大多数国家拒绝对劫机者提供庇护。