肯尼亞長頸鹿“坐船”搬家

浙江 周晨曲

幫長頸鹿搬家，需要花多長時間？在肯尼亞，人們花了15個月執行了一項“長頸鹿救援行動”，幫助9 只長頸鹿搬了家——從一個即將被淹沒的小島，坐船搬到了大陸上的自然保護區里。

體裁新聞報道文章詞數343建議用時6分鐘

Wildlife conservation organizations have been working against time to rescue nine endangered giraffes trapped on a flooded Kenyan island and their efforts have finally paid off with the last two being brought to shore.

A small calf named Noelle and her mother Ngarikoni were loaded onto the same steel barge (駁船)that carried the other seven one-mile through Lake Baringo to the Ruko Community Conservancy. Ngarikoni gave birth to Noelle while on the island and they were the last to be saved because extra care was needed to move such a young giraffe. The rescue team cheered as little Noelle stepped confidently off the barge and onto dry land, followed by her mother, marking the successful conclusion of this ambitious rescue.

The 15-month project was a collaboration with the Ruko Community Conservancy, the Northern Rangelands Trust,and Kenya Wildlife Service,in addition to the Dallas-based Save Giraffes Now and locals living in the area.

David O'Connor, president of Save Giraffes Now, which works on over 20 giraffe conservation projects in nine African countries, said,“We felt a great sense of urgency to complete this rescue. With giraffes undergoing a silent extinction, every one we can protect matters, making this rescue an important step in supporting the survival of this species.”

The first successful rescue happened in December 2020 and rescued a critically endangered Nubian giraffe named Asiwa. The area had been troubled by intense rain that caused water levels of Lake Baringo to steadily rise up to six inches a day.Ruko rangers brought food to the trapped animals.Working with the other teams, the rangers attempted to make each animal get used to to the barge by leaving treats like seed pods (莢)and mangos on board with the hopes that the giraffes would walk inside voluntarily and make the journey with ease.

Today, fewer than 3,000 are left in Africa, with only about 800 in Kenya. Mike Parkei, a ranger at the Ruko Community Conservancy,said,“These giraffes are the heart of our homeland.We knew we had to come together and do everything possible to save them.”

Reading Check

1.Ngarikoni and Noelle were the last to be rescued because________.

A.the flood became severe

B.Noelle was unwilling to leave

C.Ngarikoni was seriously ill

D.special care was needed to move a young giraffe

2.What does the third paragraph mainly talk about?

A.The organizations and people participating in the rescue project.

B.The attitude of the locals to the rescue project.

C.The high cost of the rescue project.

D.The benefit of the rescue project.

3.What does David O'Connor think of rescuing giraffes from a flooded island?

A.It is difficult.B.It is interesting.

C.It is meaningful.D.It is inessential.

4.What did Ruko rangers do to make giraffes walk inside the barge?

A.They decorated the barge with wild plants.

B.They left treats on the board of the barge.

C.They made the barge large and steady.

D.They put mangos outside the barge.

Language Study

Useful expressions

work against time to do 爭分奪秒去做

pay off 奏效

give birth to 生（孩子）

in addition to 除……之外

feel a great sense of urgency to do 感到做……非常緊迫

do everything possible 做一切可能的事