VOA慢速英語：航運是世界上最大的魚類的主要威脅

VOA慢速英語：航運是世界上最大的魚類的主要威脅

Marine biologists have noticed that whale shark numbers have been falling in recent years.
海洋生物學家注意到，近年來鯨鯊的數(shù)量一直在下降。
 
But the scientists have not known exactly why.
但科學家還不知道確切的原因。
 
A new international study suggests that collisions with shipping traffic could be a major reason for the decrease.
一項新的國際研究表明，與船舶的碰撞可能是鯨鯊數(shù)量下降的主要原因。
 
The study was led by the Marine Biological Association of the U.K. and the University of Southampton, along with experts in Australia and New Zealand.
這項研究是由英國海洋生物協(xié)會和南安普頓大學以及澳大利亞和新西蘭的專家共同領(lǐng)導的。
 
The study appeared in the publication Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
研究發(fā)表在《美國國家科學院院刊》上。
 
Researchers examined satellite data to observe about 350 whale sharks.
研究人員通過衛(wèi)星數(shù)據(jù)，觀察了大約350頭鯨鯊。
 
They found that the world's largest fish spend most of their time in waters used by large shipping boats.
他們發(fā)現(xiàn)，這種世界上最大的魚,大部分時間都在大型運輸船經(jīng)過的水域中活動。
 
The study showed that information from the devices used to observe their movements often ended in busy shipping paths.
這項研究表明，用于觀察它們活動的設(shè)備所提供的信息通常會在繁忙的航道上終止。
 
The researchers believe many sharks are probably being hit and killed by boats before sinking to the ocean floor.
研究人員認為，許多鯊魚可能被船碰撞后死亡，之后沉入海底。
 
Mark Erdmann is with the University of Auckland in New Zealand and a scientist at the non-profit environmental organization Conservation International.
馬克·厄德曼就職于新西蘭奧克蘭大學，也是非營利環(huán)境組織保護國際的科學家。
 
He was one of the writers of the new study.
他是這項新研究的作者之一。
 
Erdmann believes shipping is a major threat to whale shark populations.
厄德曼認為，船舶是鯨鯊數(shù)量的主要威脅。
 
"…What the study found is that, indeed, there is a tremendous amount of overlap between where whale sharks are moving and global shipping traffic. So, those are real collision-risk areas," he said.
他說：“……該研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，事實上，鯨鯊的活動范圍和全球船舶的航行區(qū)域有大量重疊。因此，這些都是真正產(chǎn)生碰撞危險的區(qū)域”。
 
Whale sharks can grow up to 20 meters long.
鯨鯊可長達20米。
 
They play an important part in providing healthy ocean environments.
它們在提供健康的海洋環(huán)境方面發(fā)揮著重要作用。
 
Most deadly strikes between whale sharks and boats are likely to go unobserved or unreported.
鯨鯊和船只之間的大多數(shù)致命襲擊可能不會被人們發(fā)現(xiàn)或報道。
 
There are currently no laws to protect whale sharks against these kinds of collisions.
目前還沒有法律來保護鯨鯊免受此類碰撞。
 
I'm Jonathan Evans.
喬納森·埃文斯報道。