生存環境變遷 日本黑熊頻繁現身人類「領地」
As Japans people grow older, bears grow bolder
Scarce acorns, silent guns and rural depopulation arebringingJapans bears out of the woods.
原本棲居於深山老林中的日本黑熊目前正在逐步「走出森林」,而具體原因主要是:黑熊缺少足夠多的可做為食物來源的橡樹果實,獵人們「刀槍入庫,馬放南山」以及該國農村人口日益減少等。
The number of Japanese black bears caught feasting in fieldsofsweet corn, s and other crops has jumped this year, withtheanimals increasingly undisturbed by hunters, whose ranksaredwindling as the population ages.
日本黑熊在甜玉米地、蘋果地及種植其它種類農作物的土地中「大吃大喝」的情景如今已經變得越來越頻繁,由於該國人口老齡化趨勢的進一步加劇,日本獵人的數量也在日漸減少,從而使得黑熊能比以往更少地受到來自獵槍的威脅。
There are plenty of bears out there whove never even heardagunshot, so if they do see people, they think its OK not torunaway, said Hidetake Hayashi of the Shinshu Black BearResearchGroup, which monitors bears in Nagano prefecture.
負責監控長野地區黑熊生存狀況的一位科學家說:「現在有相當一部分黑熊甚至從未聽到過槍響,所以在與人類不期而遇的時候,它們會認為十分安全,根本沒必要轉身逃跑。」這位科學家還說:「村莊的面積日漸萎縮,所以現在黑熊們也許會認為它們進村的舉動是理所應當的。」
Black bears can grow to about 1.5 metres (5 ft) in border=1Height andweigh 100 kg (220 lbs) or more.
Docile when center alone, they can be dangerous if caughtunawares,and recent newscasts have reported attacks on humans.
日本黑熊在成年後的身高一般為大約1.5米,體重可達到100公斤甚至更多。黑熊在獨處時通常顯得性情溫順,而在與人類意外遭遇時,則會變得異常危險,最近頻繁傳出其對人類發起攻擊的消息。
The number of hunters in Japan has fallen from almost halfamillion in the late 1970s to about 150,000 in 2005, accordingtoDainihon Ryoyukai, the Japan hunters association, so peoplemightappear less intimidating to their ursine neighbours.
根據日本獵人聯合會的估計,該國的獵人數量已經由上個世紀70年代末期時的接近50萬人銳減到了2005年時的大約15萬人。日本一位獵捕協會的成員說,由於獵人數量的銳減,這些狗熊的生存威脅已經減緩了很多了。
(實習編輯:顧萍)