濒临灭绝的肯尼亚野生紫羚羊迎来了新希望
濒临灭绝的肯尼亚野生紫羚羊迎来了新希望

An environmental group says a program to save one of Kenya’s most famous animals has returned a group of mountain bongos(紫羚羊) to the wild, the 3.1 square kilometer Mawingu Mountain Bongo Sanctuary(保护区) near Mount Kenya.

The bongo’s release is the high point of a breeding(繁殖) and rewilding program that began in 2004. Rewilding means planning the introduction of a rare animal back into the wild. The program aims to have 50-70 fully rewilded bongos in the sanctuary by 2025, and 750 by 2050, according to the government. “This is like the first step in the recovery,” said Isaac Lekolool, head of veterinary(兽医的) services at the Kenya Wildlife Service, or KWS.

Mountain bongos once roamed widely in large numbers. However, a combination of disease, illegal hunting and loss of forest habitat from illegal logging and agriculture have left fewer than 100 mountain bongos in the wild, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). “The mountain bongo is one of Kenya’s most important iconic animals,” said Najib Balala, minister of tourism and wildlife, after cutting the ribbon at the sanctuary’s opening ceremony on Wednesday. The few remaining animals live in forested areas around Kenya now. Their bodies have thin, white stripes, making them easy to recognize. 

Among the threats, the IUCN says there has been an increase in hunting of mountain bongos by local people, including hunting with dogs. “This species is being driven to extinction in the wild unless something is done quickly.” Said Robert Aruho, head of veterinary services at the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy (MKWC), a charity. MKWC has set up community conservation, education, and empowerment programs to raise awareness and help reduce human threats to the animal. To help maintain genetic diversity in the breeding program, approval has been given to import bongos from Europe and America, Aruho said.

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1.What’s the content of the breeding and rewilding program?

A Helping the damaged forests.

B Releasing the bongos into the wild.

C Preventing illegal hunting for bongos.

D Setting up a mountain bongo sanctuary.

解析:选B。B 细节理解题。根据第二段的“The bongo’s release is the high point of a breeding(繁殖) and rewilding program that began in 2004.”以及“The program aims to have 50-70 fully rewilded bongos in the sanctuary by 2025, and 750 by 2050”可知,该项目的主要目标是把紫羚羊放归野外。故选B。

2.Which of the following best describes mountain bongos?

A They look thin with white stripes.

B They were once a symbol of Kenya.

C They are Kenya’s highly endangered animals.

D They are used to living in areas of open grassland.

解析:选C。C 推理判断题。根据第三段的“have left fewer than 100 mountain bongos in the wild”可知,在肯尼亚野外仅剩不到100只野生紫羚羊,由此可知它们是肯尼亚的高度濒危动物。故选C。

3.What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A A variety of bongos will be seen in the sanctuary.

B Human hunting for bongos has appeared recently.

C MKWC is trying to make a profit from the programs.

D Reduce human threats can hardly help save the bongos.

解析:选A。A 细节理解题。根据第三段的“To help maintain genetic diversity in the breeding program, approval has been given to import bongos from Europe and America, Aruho said.”可知该项目会从欧洲和美洲进口紫羚羊,即在保护区里可以看到各种各样的紫羚羊。故选A。

4.What’s the best title for the text?

A Charities Raising Mountain Bongos.

B A Program to Save Mountain Bongos.

C A Sanctuary for Mountain Bongos.

D Why Mountain Bongos Disappear.

解析:选B。B 主旨大意题。本文主要介绍了一个繁殖和再野生化项目,这个项目主要是为了拯救濒危紫羚羊的项目。故选B。