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It's official: Africa has seen the last of the western black rhino. |
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According to the latest review of animals and plants by the world's largest conservation network, the subspecies of the black rhino is now extinct. |
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這點獲得了官方證實：非洲已經見不到西部黑犀了。世界最大的保育網絡在最近一次發表的動植物檢視結果指出，這種黑犀牛的亞種目前已經絕種。 |
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Previously classified as "critically endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, the western black rhino was last seen in western Africa in 2006. |
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西部黑犀原本在國際自然保育聯盟的瀕危物種紅色名錄中被歸類為「嚴重瀕絕」，最近一次的目擊記錄是二００六年在非洲西部。 |
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The network warns that other rhinos could follow, saying Africa's northern white rhino is "teetering on the brink of extinction," while Asia's Javan rhino is "making its last stand" due to continued poaching, loss of habitat and lack of adequate conservation. |
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該網絡警告指出，其他犀牛也可能步上後塵，並且聲稱非洲的北方白犀牛已「危立於絕種邊緣」，而亞洲的爪哇犀牛則是「陷入最後的奮戰」，原因包括持續不斷的盜獵、棲地流失以及缺乏充分的保育措施。 |
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"In the case of the western black rhino and the northern white rhino, the situation could have had very different results if the suggested conservation measures had been implemented," said Simon Stuart, chair of the IUCN species survival commission in a statement released by the organization. |
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「就西部黑犀與北方白犀牛而言，當初提議的保育措施若是能夠得到落實，就有可能出現非常不一樣的結果，」國際自然保育聯盟物種存活委員會主席賽門．史都華在該組織發布的一份聲明中指出。 |
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"These measures must be strengthened now, specifically managing habitats in order to improve performance, preventing other rhinos from fading into extinction," he said. |
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「現在，這些措施必須加以補強，特別投注心力管理棲地以提升成效，避免其他種類的犀牛逐漸落入絕種的下場，」他說。 |
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As an example of conservation efforts which have paid off, the IUCN points to the case of the southern white rhino subspecies, which has seen populations rise from less than 100 at the end of the 19th century to an estimated wild population of 20,000 today. |
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為了舉例證明保育工作有其效果，國際自然保育聯盟指出了南方白犀牛這個亞種的案例，此亞種在十九世紀末原本只剩下不到一百頭，如今的野生群體數量據估已上升達兩萬頭。 |
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The latest update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species assesses more than 60,000 species, concluding that 25% of mammals on the list are at risk of extinction. |
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國際自然保育聯盟的瀕危物種紅色名錄在最近一次的更新當中評估了超過六萬個物種，結論指出名錄中百分之二十五的哺乳類動物都有絕種的風險。 |
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Many plants are also under threat, says the organization, including the Chinese fir, a conifer which was once widespread throughout China and Vietnam but is now being threatened by the growth of large-scale farming. |
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該組織指出，許多植物也備受威脅，包括杉木，這種針葉樹一度在中國與越南境內分布極廣，現在卻遭到大規模農業成長的威脅。 |
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The loss of some plant species could have a direct negative effect for humans. |
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For example, a type of yew tree found in Asia and used to make the chemotherapy drug Taxol has been reclassified from "vulnerable" to "endangered" on the IUCN Red List. |
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有些植物物種的消失可能對人類造成直接的負面影響。舉例而言，亞洲可見的一種紫杉可以用來製作化療藥物「汰癌勝」，但這種樹木在國際自然保育聯盟紅色名錄上的分類也已從「易危」改為「瀕絕」。 |
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