US Agency Studies Rare Whale Habitat Expansion Request
2022-07-15
LRC
TXT
大字
小字
滚动
全页
1The U.S. government has agreed to a request from environmental groups to study increasingly important habitats for North Pacific right whales.
2The animals are among the rarest whales in the world.
3The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries estimates there are about 30 North Pacific right whales left in the world.
4Centuries of hunting, ship strikes, and entrapment in fishing equipment have badly harmed the species.
5They have been listed as endangered since 1973.
6In 2008, NOAA declared two areas in the northern Pacific Ocean as critical habitats for the whales.
7One area is about 3,043 square kilometers in the Gulf of Alaska.
8The other is 91,841 square kilometers in the southeast Bering Sea.
9Two groups -- the Center for Biological Diversity and Save the North Pacific Right Whale - are asking the agency to increase the protected areas by connecting them.
10NOAA said in a statement that this would increase the Bering Sea boundary west and south.
11The proposal would also extend the critical habitat area off Alaska's Kodiak Island east to the Gulf of Alaska to include new feeding grounds.
12The Center for Biological Diversity said these feeding grounds for the whales were confirmed by new research.
13Kristin Carden is a scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity.
14She said in a statement, "Safeguarding the North Pacific right whale's habitat is crucial to protecting these magnificent animals."
15Carden added, "The threats to North Pacific right whales grow with each passing day."
16NOAA Fisheries said the extended habitat would include productive fishing areas and paths that many ships take.
17But it also would include places where the large whales have been seen and heard.
18The environmental groups said in their request to NOAA that physical and biological features in the proposed critical habitat require special considerations and protections.
19They may include placing speed limits on ships.
20Keven Campion is with the Save the North Pacific Right Whale group.
21He said the proposal is, "is a step in the right direction for making sure these animals get to exist on the planet."
22NOAA Fisheries is taking comments on the proposal until September.
23The agency must publish its decision within a year.
24I'm Jill Robbins.
1The U.S. government has agreed to a request from environmental groups to study increasingly important habitats for North Pacific right whales. 2The animals are among the rarest whales in the world. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries estimates there are about 30 North Pacific right whales left in the world. Centuries of hunting, ship strikes, and entrapment in fishing equipment have badly harmed the species. They have been listed as endangered since 1973. 3In 2008, NOAA declared two areas in the northern Pacific Ocean as critical habitats for the whales. One area is about 3,043 square kilometers in the Gulf of Alaska. The other is 91,841 square kilometers in the southeast Bering Sea. 4Two groups -- the Center for Biological Diversity and Save the North Pacific Right Whale - are asking the agency to increase the protected areas by connecting them. 5NOAA said in a statement that this would increase the Bering Sea boundary west and south. The proposal would also extend the critical habitat area off Alaska's Kodiak Island east to the Gulf of Alaska to include new feeding grounds. The Center for Biological Diversity said these feeding grounds for the whales were confirmed by new research. 6Kristin Carden is a scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity. She said in a statement, "Safeguarding the North Pacific right whale's habitat is crucial to protecting these magnificent animals." 7Carden added, "The threats to North Pacific right whales grow with each passing day." 8NOAA Fisheries said the extended habitat would include productive fishing areas and paths that many ships take. But it also would include places where the large whales have been seen and heard. 9The environmental groups said in their request to NOAA that physical and biological features in the proposed critical habitat require special considerations and protections. They may include placing speed limits on ships. 10Keven Campion is with the Save the North Pacific Right Whale group. He said the proposal is, "is a step in the right direction for making sure these animals get to exist on the planet." 11NOAA Fisheries is taking comments on the proposal until September. The agency must publish its decision within a year. 12I'm Jill Robbins. 13Mark Thiessen reported this story for The Associated Press. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English. 14_____________________________________________________________________ 15Words in This Story 16habitat - n. the place or type of place where a plant or animal naturally or normally lives or grows 17whale - n. an often very large animal that lives in the ocean and that is a mammal rather than a fish 18species - n. a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants 19endangered - adj. used to describe a type of animal or plant that has become very rare and that could die out completely 20crucial - adj. extremely important 21magnificent - adj. very beautiful or impressive 22feature - n. an interesting or important part, quality, or ability, 23__________________________________________________________________ 24What do you think of protecting animals? 25We want to hear from you. We have a new comment system. Here is how it works: 26Each time you return to comment on the Learning English site, you can use your account and see your comments and replies to them. Our comment policy is here.