環(huán)球英語—939:Disappearing Dolphins: Can Tourists Help?

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Welcome to Spotlight. I’m Rena Dam.
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And I’m Joshua Leo. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand - no matter where in the world they live.
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A small group of people float down the Mekong River in Cambodia in a long boat. The wind blows across the brown water. A few metres away, two greyish blue bodies that look like large fish slide through the water. Their triangle-shaped fins stick up like sails. They shine in the hot sun. Then they disappear into the water again. This fish-like animal is an Irrawaddy dolphin.
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This dolphin is an important part of life in parts of South East Asia. But the number of dolphins is getting smaller. And people are worried that there may soon be none left. Why is this dolphin so important? And how can people help it to survive? Today’s spotlight is on the Irrawaddy dolphin.
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The Irrawaddy dolphin lives in fresh water - usually in rivers. It can grow up to two and a half metres long. And it can weigh as much as 150 kilograms. But the Irawaddy dolphin is different than other dolphins because it has a very round head. It is also the only dolphin that shoots water from its mouth. This is one way Irrawaddy dolphins communicate with each other. They also use many noises to talk to one another.
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Irrawaddy dolphins are very social. They usually live together in groups of up to ten. They live in the waters of South East Asia. Groups of Irrawaddy dolphins live over a wide area. They swim to Australia in the south and as far West as India.
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Some of these dolphins live in the Mekong River in Cambodia. The dolphin is an important part of life in the Mekong River. Many Cambodians feel that there is something special and spiritual about the dolphin. There is a special relationship between the dolphin and people.
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Dolphins are also important for the people who catch fish for a living - fishermen. The Irrawaddy dolphin can help people catch fish. Some dolphins swim around the fish. They push the fish into the fishing nets. Fishermen then pull up the nets full of fish. The fishermen eat the fish and sell them. The dolphins then get their payment: They eat the fish that are left in the river.
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But there are fewer Irrawaddy dolphins every year. The Wildlife Conservation Society says that they are endangered. This organization works to protect animals. Brian Smith is their expert in river animals. He says that he is afraid that soon there will be no Irrawaddy dolphins left. He tells National Geographic Magazine:
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“Irrawaddy river dolphins are among the river animals at greatest risk of disappearing. The area where they swim has decreased. Their numbers are low. We observe this and see that this population is seriously threatened."
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Right now there are less than 100 dolphins in the Mekong River in Cambodia. Why is the number of Irrawaddy dolphins getting smaller? Dolphins often get caught in fishing nets. The dolphins cannot escape from the nets and they die. The other reason dolphins are disappearing is that people and animals must share the river. At times, hungry people remove too many fish from the river. They do not leave enough fish for the dolphins to eat.
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But there may be a solution to this problem that will help everyone. Many people travel from other cities and countries to see the Irrawaddy dolphin. These tourists are usually good for local business. They bring in money and create jobs for local people. Ly Pha Laut is a fisherman on the Mekong. He noticed all the tourists - people who visit the Mekong River looking for fun. He decided to become a boat guide. Tourists pay people with boats to take them to see the dolphins. Ly Pha Laut tells the development organization SNV:
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“As a fisherman I did not earn much. But here by the boats, I saw that there were many tourists. I knew I would be able to earn money this way. So I asked if I could work here. The money earned from fishing is not regular. I did not earn the same amount of money every day. As a boat guide I can earn about five dollars a day.”
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SNV has started a new tourism project. It is called the ‘Mekong Development Trail’. Tourists can travel in the natural and less-busy parts of Cambodia. They can learn about the environment and the people who live there. SNV and the government of Cambodia hope that this will help the dolphins. They also hope it will help decrease poverty in the area.
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But there are some concerns authorities must keep in mind when encouraging tourism. Tourists can create more waste. They ride in cars and boats which can pollute the air and water. This pollution is very bad for the health of the local people and the Irrawaddy dolphins.
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Sharee Bauld is the business development advisor for the Mekong Development Trail. She wants tourists to use bicycles and walk on foot. She encourages tourists to respect the river and keep it clean. She also encourages tourists to learn about local culture. Sharee says:
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“The kind of tourists that we want to bring here are those who want to experience these kinds of things. So we want them to learn more about the communities and learn more about the issues.”
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No one knows the future of the Irrawaddy dolphin in the Mekong River. Hopefully, their numbers will grow. But there is something that tourists everywhere should remember. There is a saying in English about travel. It says: ”Take only pictures, leave only your footprints”.
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This saying explains that it is good to enjoy the beauty around you when you travel. Take photographs but do not remove anything. When you leave a place of nature it should look as beautiful as when you arrived. Hopefully, the tourists to the Mekong River and Irrawaddy dolphins will remember this.
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The writer and producer of this program was Rena Dam. The voices you heard were from the United States. All quotes were adapted for this program and voiced by Spotlight. You can listen to this program again, and read it, on the internet at www.radioenglish.net. This program is called, ‘Disappearing Dolphins: Can Tourists Help?’.
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