[彭蒙惠英語] 拯救南非野生動物(2/2)
SAVING RHINOS
Walker and his wife, Conita, operate a Rhino Museum north of Mabatlane. For several years the Walkers have rescued young rhinos from the wild and restored them to health. One black rhino, a 4-year-old named Moeng, coos and whines like a whale when Conita approaches.
"We've counted 14 different calls, where the?pitch goes from high to low," Conita says. The Walkers hope they can find a mate for Moeng and eventually release the pair into the wild.
SEEING THE ANIMALS
Encountering a rhino is a daunting experience. They seem prehistoric. Their poor eyesight but keen sense of hearing make it unwise to?dart around or drive too fast in their presence. The game reserves are surrounded by electric fences and have gates designed to withstand a charging rhino.
Some game farms in the Waterberg specialize in crocodiles, elephants and even white lions. Many are open for day visitors, and larger ones like Ka'ingo offer luxurious accommodations at?outback lodges with pools,?gourmet meals and zebras grazing in the yard. When you enter one of these properties, you must sign a form releasing the owners of liability if something goes awry with the animals.
SAVING THE WILDERNESS
It all seems a bit like the fictional Jurassic Park, where dinosaurs are brought to life for the benefit of tourism in an experiment gone awry.
Ross Howat, Ka'ingo's manager, agrees that there are similarities, but stresses the upside. "We're trying to manage the property back to untouched bushveld. That's our aim," he said. "Being [with ] the animals, and what happens to them every day and looking after them, it's an awesome experience."
"This is how South Africa used to be 300 years ago."
Vocabulary Focus
coo (v)--- to make soft murmuring sounds
daunting (adj)--- likely to discourage through fear
awry (adv)--- away from the expected course or normal plans
upside (n)--- the most positive aspet of something
Specialized terms
prehistoric (adj)--- 史前時代的 relating to times before recorded history
bushveld (n)--- 灌木草原 a large area of wilderness in South Africa
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