關(guān)于犀牛的5個驚人數(shù)據(jù)

關(guān)于犀牛的5個驚人數(shù)據(jù)

Rhinos are some of the planet's most iconic animals, thanks largely to their hulking physiques and distinctive horns. Yet fame has done little to protect rhinos lately, as a poaching crisis has rapidly shrunk many populations of the ancient mammals.

犀牛是地球上最具標志性的動物之一，這在很大程度上要歸功于它們粗壯的體格和獨特的角。然而，由于偷獵危機使這種古老哺乳動物的數(shù)量迅速減少，名聲近來對犀牛的保護作用甚微。

Photo: Bartosz Budrewicz/Shutterstock

In hopes of drawing more attention to rhinos and their recent troubles — and in honor of World Rhino Day, celebrated annually on September 22 — here are a few interesting facts about these misunderstood megafauna:

為了讓人們更多地關(guān)注犀牛和它們最近的麻煩，為了紀念每年9月22日的世界犀牛日，這里有一些關(guān)于這些被誤解的巨型動物的有趣事實:

1. Rhinos have been on Earth for around 50 million years.

犀牛已經(jīng)在地球上生活了大約5000萬年。

In that time, rhino species have roamed across not only Africa and Asia but also Europe and North America. Only five species exist today: white and black rhinos of Africa, greater one-horned rhinos of the Indian subcontinent, and Javan and Sumatran rhinos.

在此期間，犀牛不僅在非洲和亞洲游蕩，還在歐洲和北美游蕩。目前僅存五種犀牛:非洲的白犀牛和黑犀牛，印度次大陸的獨角犀牛，爪哇犀牛和蘇門答臘犀牛。

2. Some 500,000 rhinos existed across Asia and Africa just 100 years ago.

100年前，亞洲和非洲大約有50萬頭犀牛。

But since the beginning of the 20th century, their numbers have fallen precipitously. There were just 70,000 by 1970 and a mere 29,000 in the wild today.

但自20世紀初以來，它們的數(shù)量急劇下降。到1970年只有7萬只，而現(xiàn)在野生的只有2.9萬只。

3. The price for rhino horn is extremely high..

犀牛角的價格非常高。

Although the price is widely reported anyway, many conservationists worry this publicity can encourage more criminals to enter the rhino-horn trade and stimulate more consumer demand.

盡管犀牛角的價格已被廣泛報道，但許多環(huán)保人士擔(dān)心，這種宣傳可能會鼓勵更多的罪犯進入犀牛角貿(mào)易，并刺激更多的消費需求。

4. Wild rhinos could disappear within a few decades if poachers continue killing hundreds of rhinos every year.

如果偷獵者繼續(xù)每年捕殺數(shù)百頭犀牛，野生犀?？赡茉趲资陜?nèi)消失。

This would be not only a devastating blow to the world as a whole, but also to many national economies, which could continue to make money from rhinos through eco-tourism and photo safaris.

這不僅會對整個世界造成毀滅性的打擊，也會對許多國家的經(jīng)濟造成毀滅性的打擊，這些國家可以通過生態(tài)旅游和攝影狩獵活動繼續(xù)從犀牛身上賺錢。

5. A recent drop in rhino poaching isn't necessarily cause for celebration.

最近犀牛偷獵的減少并不一定值得慶祝。

South Africa is home to nearly 80% of the continent's remaining rhino population, yet more than 1,000 rhinos were poached every year there between 2013 and 2017. The country has been the hub of a broader African poaching crisis since 2008, which saw a growing number of rhinos killed every year until 2015, when the numbers finally seemed to peak.

南非擁有非洲大陸剩余犀牛數(shù)量的近80%，但在2013年至2017年間，每年都有超過1000頭犀牛被偷獵。自2008年以來，該國一直是一場更廣泛的非洲偷獵危機的中心。在這場危機中，每年都有越來越多的犀牛被獵殺，直到2015年，犀牛數(shù)量似乎終于達到峰值。

"The decline in the number of poached rhinos may demonstrate that the anti-poaching work taking place is having an effect, or it may also demonstrate that with significantly fewer rhinos surviving in the wild, it is getting harder for poachers to locate their prey," Save the Rhino explains. "More action is needed to stop the illegal trade and ensure rhinos have a positive future."

拯救犀牛組織解釋說:“偷獵犀牛數(shù)量的減少可能表明反偷獵工作正在發(fā)揮作用，也可能表明，野生犀牛數(shù)量顯著減少，盜獵者更難找到獵物。”“需要采取更多行動制止非法貿(mào)易，確保犀牛有一個光明的未來。”