Scientists use 'Romantic Solution' to Help Endangered Species
2021-05-10
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1White abalone are at risk of dying out.
2But scientists in California have developed a special way to help the sea snail population reproduce.
3Kristin Aquilino is lead scientist for the White Abalone Captive Breeding Program, based at the University of California, Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory.
4White abalone, in her words, "cannot come back without our help."
5The creatures, once common in the coastal waters of Southern California and Mexico, have been on the U.S. federal endangered species list since 2001.
6Its population has been hurt by overfishing, low reproduction rates and disease.
7After about ten years - a time in which no white abalone were produced - Aquilino's team increased their numbers by making up a special mixture.
8In the day-long process, the scientists soak the snails for hours in what they call a "chemical love potion."
9A potion is a liquid or drink that has a special or mysterious effect on something.
10The scientists' potion has seawater and hydrogen peroxide.
11It leads the creatures to release their sperm and eggs.
12Aquilino said, "The abalone are terrible at long-distance relationships ... We're putting them in a really romantic solution."
13She added the goal of the work was to create young "that will end up back out in the wild."
14Numbers of young abalone, known as larvae, reached 25,000 in 2019, but dropped in 2020 as pandemic lockdowns limited the lab to just one event for the season.
15However, the larvae created then had among the highest survival rates so far, Aquilino said.
16Failure to reproduce means another abalone mating takes place again several weeks later.
17"We want to make sure we're not stressing them out too much," Aquilino said.
18"Hopefully that little bit of extra time gives them some more time to become very productive."
19The young abalone formed are packed in bags and shipped to partner organizations in California.
20These young abalone have a better chance of survival with more space.
21For Aquilino, the work is personal.
22As a student, she met her husband on a dive that studied red abalone.
23Aquilino's engagement ring also has an abalone pearl.
24Her daughter plays with a fake abalone farm tank at home.
25"It has become a really important part of my identity and my family's identity," Aquilino said.
26I'm John Russell.
1White abalone are at risk of dying out. But scientists in California have developed a special way to help the sea snail population reproduce. 2Kristin Aquilino is lead scientist for the White Abalone Captive Breeding Program, based at the University of California, Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory. 3White abalone, in her words, "cannot come back without our help." 4The creatures, once common in the coastal waters of Southern California and Mexico, have been on the U.S. federal endangered species list since 2001. Its population has been hurt by overfishing, low reproduction rates and disease. 5After about ten years - a time in which no white abalone were produced - Aquilino's team increased their numbers by making up a special mixture. 6In the day-long process, the scientists soak the snails for hours in what they call a "chemical love potion." A potion is a liquid or drink that has a special or mysterious effect on something. 7The scientists' potion has seawater and hydrogen peroxide. It leads the creatures to release their sperm and eggs. 8Aquilino said, "The abalone are terrible at long-distance relationships ... We're putting them in a really romantic solution." 9She added the goal of the work was to create young "that will end up back out in the wild." 10Numbers of young abalone, known as larvae, reached 25,000 in 2019, but dropped in 2020 as pandemic lockdowns limited the lab to just one event for the season. 11However, the larvae created then had among the highest survival rates so far, Aquilino said. 12Failure to reproduce means another abalone mating takes place again several weeks later. 13"We want to make sure we're not stressing them out too much," Aquilino said. "Hopefully that little bit of extra time gives them some more time to become very productive." 14The young abalone formed are packed in bags and shipped to partner organizations in California. These young abalone have a better chance of survival with more space. 15For Aquilino, the work is personal. As a student, she met her husband on a dive that studied red abalone. 16Aquilino's engagement ring also has an abalone pearl. Her daughter plays with a fake abalone farm tank at home. "It has become a really important part of my identity and my family's identity," Aquilino said. 17I'm John Russell. 18Nathan Frandino reported on this story for Reuters. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. __________________________________________________________ 19Words in This Story 20snail - n. a small animal that lives in a shell that it carries on its back, that moves very slowly, and that can live in water or on land 21endangered -- adj. used to describe a type of animal or plant that has become very rare and that could die out completely 22species - n. biology : a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants : a group of related animals or plants that is smaller than a genus 23soak - v. to put (something) in a liquid for a period of time 24stress - v. to feel very worried or anxious about something : to feel stress 25engagement - n. an agreement to be married : the act of becoming engaged or the state of being engaged to be married 26fake -- adj. not true or real