全球最後一頭雄性白犀牛
Meet Sudan, The World's Last Known Northern White Male Rhino
全球最後一頭雄性白犀牛
Over the years, numerous animal and bird species have become extinct. However, it is rare for the entire world to witness one as it is happening. This could very well be the case with the northern white rhinos given that there are currently only five known specimens left. What's worse is that only one, a 42-year-old named Sudan is male! If he passes away without producing an offspring, the rhino sub-species will soon disappear.
多年來，無數動物和鳥類滅絕。不過全世界都在親歷一個物種的消失，這種事情還是比較少見的。這個物種就是北部白犀牛，目前僅存五頭。最糟糕的是，現在僅存一頭叫蘇丹的雄性白犀牛。如果它在繁衍子嗣之前死去，白犀牛就會徹底滅絕。
The massive 1.2-ton animal shares his 300-hectare enclosure with two female northern white rhinos, Najin and Fatu. The naturalists are hoping that he will take a fancy to one of them and produce an heir. Given Sudan's advanced age, Zoo veterinarians are also scrambling to find a way to keep the sub-species alive using alternative reproductive techniques.
這個1.2噸重的傢伙生活在300公頃的圍欄裏，與另外兩頭雌性白犀牛Najin和Fatu爲伴。自然學家希望它能與其中一頭繁衍子嗣。考慮到蘇丹的高齡，動物園的獸醫正在竭盡所能找出人工繁殖的方法。
Once found in abundance in several countries in East and Central Africa south of the Sahara, the population of this rhino sub-species has declined drastically in the last twenty years. In the 1960's there were an estimated 2000 of the magnificent animals roaming around in the wild. By 1984, ruthless poachers had reduced their numbers to fifteen and now, just five remain! In fact, the only reason Sudan is perhaps still alive is that most of his life was spent tucked away in a Czechoslovakian zoo.
過去20年，在東非和中非撒哈拉沙漠南邊的國家發現大量白犀牛之後，它們的數量就開始銳減。20世紀60年代，據估計還存活2000多頭野生白犀牛，到了1984年，殘忍的偷獵者就把它們殺害到只剩下15頭，而到現在只有5頭還活着了！事實上，蘇丹之所以能活這麼大年紀，也是因爲大半輩子都躲在了捷克斯洛伐克公園裏的緣故。
Of course, the northern white rhino is not the only one facing extinction. All rhino species are being ruthlessly hunted down for their horns! Though made from Keratin, the same material as human nails, they are believed to be a cure for many ailments by the residents of Vietnam and China.
當然，北部白犀牛並不是瀕臨滅絕的物種之一。所有種類的犀牛都因爲它們的角被殘忍捕獵。雖然這些角只是由角蛋白組成，成分和人類指甲一樣，還是被越南和中國民間認爲是治療許多疾病的良藥。
Whether Sudan can save his clan remains to be seen. But hopefully, the growing awareness of the plight of these majestic animals will result in more protection so that future generations can enjoy the ones left as much as we do!
蘇丹是否能拯救它的後代，這還有待觀察。希望人們對這些巨型生物的悲慘境遇越來越多的關注能帶給它們更多保護，這樣我們後代還能看到它們的身影。
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