澳洲加大力度保护考拉
Koalas are officially listed as at risk of disappearing in New South Wales, Australia. Now, the state's government has $34-million plan to protect the beloved animals.澳大利亚新南威尔士州正式将考拉列入濒临灭绝的名单。现在，该州政府计划投入3400万美元用于保护这种可爱的动物。
Koalas have large, hairy ears. They have especially sharp claws, which help them climb trees. They are marsupials, meaning they carry their babies in an opening of skin on the mother's stomach. The animals are native to Australia, and are described in many Aboriginal stories of creation.
考拉的耳朵大而多毛。它们有着锋利的爪子可以帮助它们爬树。它们是有袋动物，意思是它们将宝宝放在妈妈肚子上的皮肤开口处。这些动物原产于澳大利亚，在很多原住民创作的故事中都有描述。
Over the last 20 years, the koala population in New South Wales has fallen by 25 percent. About 36,000 koalas remain. The animals' numbers have fallen in other parts of Australia, too.
在过去20年里，新南威尔的考拉数量已经下降了25%，只剩下大约3.6万只。这些动物的数量在澳洲其它地区也有所减少。
As part of its plan, the government of New South Wales is setting aside nearly 25,000 hectares of forest where koalas will be able to breed freely.
作为其计划的一部分，新南威尔士州政府将留出2.5万公顷森林供考拉自由繁殖。
It will also add more signs to help car drivers avoid koalas that walk into roadways. And, the state will build specially made bridges so that koalas and other wildlife can cross roads while avoiding cars and trucks.
该州政府还将增加很多标志，帮助汽车司机避免撞到闯入公路的考拉。而且州政府将建造特制桥梁，这样考拉和其它野生动物穿越公路时就能避开车辆。
Koalas face several threats, including loss of habitat due to land-clearing, dog attacks and heatwaves. A sexually transmitted disease – chlamydia – is also harming koalas' health.
卡拉面临着多种威胁，包括由于垦荒造成的栖息地丧失、犬类袭击以及热浪。衣原体病这种性传播疾病也会伤害考拉的健康。
Gabrielle Upton is the environment minister of New South Wales. She told VOA about her state's plan to set up a group of wildlife hospitals to treat injured and sick koalas. She also said researchers are testing a vaccine that would protect the koalas against chlamydia.
加布里埃尔·厄普顿(Gabrielle Upton)是新南威尔士州的环境部长。她对美国之音表示，该州计划成立一批野生动物医院来治疗受伤和生病的考拉。她还表示，研究人员正在测试一种可以保护考拉免受衣原体感染的疫苗。
A new koala hospital will open in Port Stephens, north of Sydney. It will join an already existing hospital in the New South Wales town of Port Macquarie, which began treating injured marsupials in the 1970s.
悉尼北部的史蒂芬港将会开设一家新的考拉医院。该医院将加入新南威尔士州麦夸里港镇一家现有医院的行列。该医院从上世纪70年代开始治疗受伤的有袋动物。
Conservationists have welcomed the idea of opening a second hospital. However, they argue that the government's multi-million dollar plan does not deal with the number-one threat to koalas: land-clearing.
环保人员对开办第二家医院的想法表示欢迎。然而，他们认为政府数百万美元的计划并没有处理对考拉的头号威胁：垦荒。
Koala live in trees. They are herbivores, and need forest environments to survive.
卡拉住在树上。它们是草食动物，需要森林环境才能生存。
I'm Susan Shand.
苏珊·珊德报道。
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