《中英對照讀新聞》Thailand rules elephants cannot be sent to China 泰國裁定大象不能移往中國

◎羅彥傑

A Thai official ruled that five elephants from a safari park cannot be sent to China because they may have been smuggled into Thailand.

一名泰國官員裁定來自一座狩獵公園的5頭大象不得送往中國，因為牠們當初可能是被走私到泰國。

"I will not sign the approval," said Damrong Phidej, director-general of Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department.

「我不會簽署同意書，」天然資源暨環境部所屬國家公園、野生動植物保育局總局長達姆隆．費德說。

Chiang Mai Night Safari was scheduled to send 29 animals including five elephants to Chime-Long Night Zoo in China in exchange for 89 animals including a white tiger, according to media reports.

清邁夜間動物園預定運送包括5頭大象在內的29隻動物，至中國的長隆夜間動物園，交換包括一隻白虎在內的89隻動物，據媒體報導。

Damrong said he turned down the transfer after the zoo in northern Thailand failed to provide proof they were born in captivity. He said he suspects some of the elephants may have come from Myanmar, after learning they were purchased in a province that borders the country.

達姆隆說，這座位於泰北的動物園未能提出牠們是在豢養場所出生的證明後，他拒絕這項交換計畫。他說，他聽說牠們是在和接鄰緬甸的省份被買來的，因此懷疑若干大象可能來自緬甸。

Animal rights activists have opposed the elephant transfer, saying it would only contribute to their further decline in the country.

動物權倡議人士反對這項交換大象案，表示這只會導致泰國國內的大象數量進一步減少。

新聞辭典

smuggle︰動詞，走私、偷渡。例句︰A report by Save the Elephants last year said China was the destination of much of Africa’s smuggled ivory.（「拯救大象」組織去年公佈的報告說，中國是許多非洲走私象牙的目的地。）

to turn down︰片語，拒絕。例句︰She turned him down; she won’t marry him.（她拒絕他的求婚；她不嫁給他。）

to contribute to︰促成、做出貢獻。例句︰Air pollution contributes to respiratory diseases.（空氣污染會引起呼吸道疾病。）