【双语学习】澳大利亚射杀1万只骆驼，理由竟是…？

今日，澳大利亚持续了四个多月的山林大火连日来始终占据新闻的头条位置，这场火不仅烧在澳大利亚，更是烧在全世界人们的心里。“五万只动物丧生”、“考拉濒临灭绝”、“袋鼠在死前疯狂逃窜”、“网球比赛中选手呼气困难”…等等新闻都让人们痛心不已。近日，澳大利亚更是发布了“决定射杀1万只骆驼？”的新闻，此消息一出，人们彻底不淡定了！

在澳大利亚肆虐的森林大火还没被扑灭之时，多达1万头的骆驼将被枪械专家从直升机上射杀，究其原因，竟然是人们抱怨它们喝了太多的水。据悉，此次扑杀行动于15日开始，将持续约五天。在南澳大利亚偏远的西北部地区，大约有5000到10000头骆驼成为袭击目标。

13日，政府官员们表示，“这些动物对人们居住的地区构成威胁，澳大利亚该地区正处于严重的干旱，它们消耗了本已稀缺的水和食物，危及当地居民和游客的安全不说，还破坏了基础设施”。当地人抱怨说，“这些动物已经进入我们的居住地，它们会寻找任何可用的水源，并对我们的生活设施造成严重破坏。“近几个月来，我们一直被困在又热又臭的环境中，感觉很不舒服。骆驼会进来，推倒围栏，来到房屋周围，试图通过空调取水，”APY的董事会成员玛丽塔·贝克在接受媒体采访时说道。

据澳大利亚新闻报道，由于担心温室气体排放，这些骆驼和其他一些动物也会每年都被捕杀，因为它们每年会排放将近一吨的二氧化碳。南澳大利亚环境与水利部的一名发言人表示，骆驼数量的增加给该地区带来了一些问题。“骆驼对基础设施造成了严重的破坏，对家庭和社区造成了危险，增加了整片土地的放牧压力。一些骆驼因口渴而死亡，还有一部分为了取水而互相踩踏，这些都是严重的问题。”

尽管过去在澳洲也曾有过类似的因保护生态环境而不得不射杀动物的事情发生，但最近连绵不断的森林大火已经让无数可爱的考拉和袋鼠丧命，在如此敏感时期，又爆出这一新闻，难免不让人觉得心痛。生态平衡固然重要，但动物的生命又何尝不重要呢？

【消息来源】CHINA DAILY

【原文】

Amid the devastating wildfires spreading across Australia, up to 10,000 camels will be shot and killed by professional firearms experts from helicopters, following complaints that they are drinking too much water.

The cull will begin Wednesday and last approximately five days. About 5,000 to 10,000 camels in Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands in the remote northwest of South Australia are being targeted.

On Monday, the officials stated that the animals are threats to the community, consuming their scarce water and food supplies in a massive and afflicted drought, endangering locals and travelers, and destroying infrastructure.

Locals have complained that the animals have been entering communities and wreaking havoc as they look for any available water source, including taps and tanks.

"We have been stuck in stinking hot and uncomfortable conditions, feeling unwell, because the camels are coming in and knocking down fences, getting in around the houses and trying to get to water through air-conditioners," Marita Baker, a board member of the APY executive, told The Australian.

The animals are also being culled over concerns about greenhouse gas emissions, as they emit the methane equivalent to 1 ton of carbon dioxide per year, the paper reported. A spokesperson for the South Australia Department of Environment and Water said the increasing number of camels had caused several problems in the region.

"This has resulted in significant damage to infrastructure, danger to families and communities, increased grazing pressure across the lands and critical animal welfare issues as some camels die of thirst or trample each other to access water," the spokesperson said.

In some cases, dead animals have contaminated important water sources and cultural sites. Camels are far from the only species suffering in heatwaves and on-going wildfires, which have destroyed entire towns and stranded thousands of people.