《中英對照讀新聞》Biblical Zoo puts giraffe on birth control 聖經動物園要長頸鹿避孕

◎ 羅彥傑

There's a baby boom at the Biblical Zoo, but vets aren't happy about it.

「聖經動物園」出現嬰兒潮，但獸醫們對此可不太高興。

After the giraffe population tripled to nine in recent years, outgrowing the zoo on the edge of Jerusalem, the most fertile female- Shavit-has been put on birth control. The 5-year-old has been injected with birth control hormones after giving birth twice in four years.

在長頸鹿牲口數於近年來增加3倍、達到9頭，成長速度超過這座位於耶路撒冷邊緣的動物園所能負擔之後，最多產的母長頸鹿─夏薇特─已接受避孕安排。在4年來分娩2次後，這頭5歲大的長頸鹿已注射避孕荷爾蒙。

Zoo spokeswoman Sigalit Dzir said that while the babies are cute and female giraffes make good mothers, there isn't enough room for more. Zoo keepers are also worried about inbreeding.

動物園女發言人席加里特．季兒說，雖然小嬰兒很可愛，而且母長頸鹿會是好媽媽，但是並沒有足夠的空間可以容納更多的長頸鹿。動物園管理員也擔心近親交配的問題。

The zoo recently moved two giraffes to a zoo in Singapore, but American and European zoos don't want animals from Israel because of the risk of foot-and-mouth disease, Dzir said, adding that it's also difficult to transport giraffes overseas.

季兒說，動物園最近將兩頭長頸鹿送到新加坡的1間動物園，但美國與歐洲動物園並不想要來自以色列的動物，因為有口蹄疫的風險。她補充說，運送長頸鹿到海外地區也非易事。

Shavit has received an injection of hormones that will prevent her from getting pregnant for at least a year. During the year, Shavit will be monitored, and the Biblical Zoo will share its information with other zoos around the world, including those in Berlin and San Diego.

夏薇特已注射了能讓她至少1年免於懷孕的荷爾蒙。在這1年期間，夏薇特將受到觀察，而「聖經動物園」將和世界上的其他動物園分享資訊，包括柏林與聖地牙哥的動物園。

新聞辭典

birth control︰名詞，指節育、避孕。例句：Before you consider having sex, you need to learn information about birth control.（在考慮從事性行為前，你必須先學會避孕的知識。）

baby boom︰名詞，指嬰兒潮，baby boomer指嬰兒潮出生者。例句：As the baby boom generation turns fifty, it is important to reconsider its impact for the employment.（當嬰兒潮世代邁入50歲時，重新考慮它對就業的衝擊是很重要的。）

to outgrow︰動詞，成長到使∼不再適用，或長得比∼快。例句：Our family has outgrown our house.（我家的人口已讓我們的房子不夠住。）

inbreeding︰名詞，指近親交配。例句：This inbreeding may lower the population's ability to survive and reproduce.（近親交配可能會降低總群體存活與繁殖的能力。）