ENVIRONMENT REPORT - Endangered Turtles Rescued

ENVIRONMENT REPORT -January 11, 2002: Endangered Turtles Rescued

By Cynthia Kirk
This is the VOA Special English ENVIRONMENT REPORT.

International environmental groups have begun transporting hundreds of endangered turtles to a wildlife
protection center in the American state of Florida. The turtles were part of an illegal shipment¹ of more than
seven-thousand freshwater turtles being sent to Chinese markets. Wildlife officials in Hong Kong rescued the
turtles last month from illegal traders in Southeast Asia.

The rescue effort is part of a plan to save freshwater turtles from disappearing. Among the turtles are some of the
world’s most endangered species². They include the Asian Brown turtle, the black marsh³ turtle, the box turtle
and the painted terrapin⁴. More than half of all Asian freshwater turtle species are endangered. The Yunnan box
turtle has already disappeared.

Turtles have survived on earth for more than two-hundred-million years. However, some of the best known soft-
shell species are endangered because of a growing market for them in China in recent years. The meat of soft-
shell turtles is especially popular among wealthy Chinese. Turtle shells are traded to supply the traditional
Chinese medicine industry. Many Chinese believe turtle shells can increase sexual⁵ powers.

Many countries in Southeast and East Asia have passed legislation⁶ providing some protection for turtles. But
those laws are not strongly enforced. Recently, officials in Hong Kong have begun to do more to stop the illegal
trade in turtles. Hong Kong is a port of entry to the mainland Chinese market.

Wildlife officials in Hong Kong say that the seven-thousand turtles seized in the raid⁷ last month were worth more
than three-million dollars. The turtles were crowded into small boxes. Many of the turtles suffered from the cold,
lack of water and disease. About five-hundred of them died shortly after they were discovered.

Conservation International and other environmental groups are leading efforts to save the turtles. They asked an
American airline company to transport hundreds of the turtles from Hong Kong to a rescue center in Miami,
Florida. The turtles will be treated and recorded by species and sex. Then they will be placed in zoos and other
nature centers. In time, the turtles will be returned to their natural homes in Southeast and East Asia.

This VOA Special English ENVIRONMENT REPORT was written by Cynthia Kirk.

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1 shipment   

n.装货，装载的货物

参考例句：

• The goods are done up in bundles for shipment.货物已打包以备装船。
• Please advise the date of shipment as soon as possible.请尽快通知装货日期。

2 species   

n.物种，种群

参考例句：

• Are we the only thinking species in the whole of creation?我们是万物中惟一有思想的物种吗？
• This species of bird now exists only in Africa.这种鸟现在只存在于非洲。

3 marsh   

n.沼泽，湿地

参考例句：

• There are a lot of frogs in the marsh.沼泽里有许多青蛙。
• I made my way slowly out of the marsh.我缓慢地走出这片沼泽地。

4 terrapin   

n.泥龟；鳖

参考例句：

• The diamondback terrapin in this undated photo has two heads.这张未标日期的图片上的钻纹龟有两个头。
• He also owns a two-headed goat,a two-headed terrapin and the world's only living three-headed turtle.他还拥有双头山羊、淡水龟，以及世上现存唯一的三头乌龟。

5 sexual   

adj.性的，两性的，性别的

参考例句：

• He was a person of gross sexual appetites.他是个性欲旺盛的人。
• It is socially irresponsible to refuse young people advice on sexual matters.拒绝向年轻人提供性方面的建议是对社会不负责任。

6 legislation   

n.立法，法律的制定；法规，法律

参考例句：

• They began to draft legislation.他们开始起草法规。
• The liberals band together against the new legislation.自由党员联合一致反对新的立法。

7 raid   

v.劫掠，攫取，袭击，突击搜捕；n.突然袭击

参考例句：

• Our house was blown up in an air raid.在一次空袭中我们的房子被炸掉了。
• During their raid on the house,the police found a lot of drugs.在对这所房子的搜查中，警方发现了大量的毒品。