VOA慢速英語：阿拉斯加官員利用DNA幫助統(tǒng)計城市駝鹿數(shù)量

Alaska Officials Use DNA to Help Count City Moose

阿拉斯加官員利用DNA幫助統(tǒng)計城市駝鹿數(shù)量

Wildlife biologists in the U.S. state of Alaska are collecting genetic material from moose in an attempt to get a correct count of the big animals.

美國阿拉斯加州野生動物學(xué)家正在收集駝鹿的遺傳物質(zhì)，以試圖獲得這種大型動物的正確數(shù)量。

The counting is being done in Alaska's largest city, Anchorage. Many moose are found within the limits of the city of 300,000 people. But officials are not sure how many moose pass through the area.

這項統(tǒng)計工作正在阿拉斯加州最大城市安克雷奇市進行。在這座30萬人口城市的范圍內(nèi)發(fā)現(xiàn)了很多駝鹿，但是有關(guān)官員并不確定有多少駝鹿經(jīng)過該地區(qū)。

The counting process is not easy. The animals continually move and the city covers an area of over 5,000 square kilometers.

這一統(tǒng)計過程并不輕松。動物們不斷移動，而這座城市的面積超過了5千平方公里。

In the past, officials used low-flying airplanes to watch for moose on the ground to estimate numbers. But rules from the city's airport now bar such flights.

官員們以前利用低空飛行的飛機觀察地面上的駝鹿來估算數(shù)量，但是該市機場的規(guī)定現(xiàn)在禁止這么做。

So Alaska's Department of Fish and Game is experimenting with a new method for counting the city's moose. They are collecting genetic material called DNA from the animals. They say this will permit them to get better estimates and identify each individual moose without having to capture them.

所以阿拉斯加州漁獵局正在試驗一種統(tǒng)計該市駝鹿數(shù)量的新方法。他們正在收集這些動物的DNA遺傳物質(zhì)。他們表示，這將讓他們更好地估算出數(shù)量，并在無需捕獲的前提下確定每只駝鹿。

Biologists sought help from the public during their three-day project last month. They asked people to call or send text messages to report when they saw a moose. Teams of moose trackers then quickly drove to the areas.

上個月生物學(xué)家們在為期三天的項目中尋求了公眾的幫助。他們讓人們看到駝鹿時給他們打電話或發(fā)短信。駝鹿追蹤隊隨后會迅速趕到這些地區(qū)。

The teams shot the moose with special darts designed to capture small pieces of skin and hair. The darts are weighted so they fall off the moose and can be collected. Researchers say the darts do not hurt the animals. The skin and fur are then taken to a laboratory to be studied.

這些隊伍用特制飛鏢射擊駝鹿，以獲得小塊的皮膚或毛發(fā)。這些飛鏢被加重，所以它們會從駝鹿身上掉落，然后被收集起來。研究人員說這些飛鏢不會傷害這些動物。這些皮膚和毛發(fā)隨后被帶回實驗室研究。

Biologist Dave Battle helped lead the project. He told the Associated Press that until now, officials had to take an "educated guess" about the number of moose in the city.

生物學(xué)家戴夫·巴特爾(Dave Battle)協(xié)助領(lǐng)導(dǎo)了這個項目。他對美聯(lián)社表示，到目前為止，有關(guān)官員只能對這座城市的駝鹿數(shù)量進行一次“有依據(jù)的推測。”

"There's really been no technique up until now. And it's something we've been kind of beating our heads against the wall for the last couple of years about," he said.

他說：“到目前為止都沒有什么技術(shù)手段，這也是我們過去幾年一直碰壁的原因。”

The project is paid for with taxes on firearms, ammunition, and archery equipment, as well as state hunting licenses.

該項目的資金來源于槍支、彈藥、射箭設(shè)備以及國家狩獵許可證的稅收。

Battle says the technology is allowing officials to improve their knowledge and management of the moose population in the Anchorage area. But he added that it will take some time to study the DNA material to come up with specific numbers.

巴特爾表示，這項技術(shù)允許有關(guān)官員提高他們對安克雷奇地區(qū)駝鹿種群的認識和管理。但是他補充說，通過研究DNA材料得出具體數(shù)字還需要一些時間。

Safety was a big concern during the project. Moose, which weigh up to 700 kilograms, can be aggressive and dangerous to people.

項目期間的安全是一大擔憂。重達7百公斤的駝鹿對人們具有侵略性和危險性。

Moose can cause deadly traffic accidents and also can harm people and other animals by stepping on them.

駝鹿會造成嚴重交通事故，也可能會通過踩踏傷害到人類和其它動物。

I'm Bryan Lynn.

布萊恩·林恩報道。