美国文化：白头海雕正式被定为美国国鸟
📖 逐句对照翻译
The bald eagle is a symbol of the United States.
白头海雕是美国的象征。
An image of the bird is on the flag and seal of the U.S. president, the seal of the U.S. Supreme Court, military insignia, as well as the dollar bill.
这种鸟的形象出现在美国总统旗帜和徽章、美国最高法院印章、军事徽章以及美元纸币上。
Even so, the bird has had its ups and downs.
即便如此，这只鸟也经历了起起落落。
At one time, the bald eagle was at risk of permanent disappearance, or extinction.
曾有一段时间，白头海雕面临着永久消失或灭绝的风险。
Later, however, its numbers recovered.
然而，后来其数量有所恢复。
In the early 2000s, the federal government removed the bird from its endangered species list.
21世纪初，联邦政府将该鸟类从其濒危物种名单中移除。
Culturally, too, the raptors are doing well again.
在文化方面，猛龙队也再次表现出色。
In December 2024 before leaving office, Joe Biden signed legislation officially making the bald eagle the national bird of the United States.
2024年12月，乔·拜登在离任前签署法案，正式将白头海雕定为美国的国鸟。
Their well-being was connected a bug poison
他们的健康与一种虫子毒药有关。
The bald eagle has a long complex story of species weakness and recovery.
白头海雕经历了物种濒危与恢复的漫长而复杂的过程。
An insect-killing chemical called DDT played a major part in that story.
一种名为DDT的杀虫化学物质在那个故事中发挥了重要作用。
DDT is a chemical used to kill insects.
DDT是一种用于杀虫的化学物质。
The substance also proved harmful to eagle eggs.
这种物质对鹰蛋也有害。
American officials banned DDT in 1972.
美国官员于1972年禁止了DDT。
But the use of the chemical had already caused severe damage to eagle populations.
但这种化学物质的使用已经对鹰类种群造成了严重损害。
For example, in the 1980s there was only one nesting pair of eagles in the state of New Jersey.
例如，20世纪80年代，新泽西州仅有一对筑巢的鹰。
Now, there are about 300 pairs.
现在大约有300对。
Efforts to save bald eagles
拯救白头海雕的努力
To rebuild the number of eagles across the U.S., researchers wanting to save them imported the birds from places where their population numbers were secure, including Canada.
为了重建美国各地的鹰群数量，想要拯救它们的研究人员从鹰群数量稳定的地方进口了这些鸟，包括加拿大。
Early on, they also removed eggs from their nests so they could safely hatch with scientists before being returned to their parents to raise, explained Kathy Clark.
凯西·克拉克解释说，早期他们还会从巢穴中取出蛋，以便在科学家的帮助下安全孵化，然后再送回给它们的父母抚养。
She is the head of New Jersey’s Endangered and Nongame Species Program.
她是新泽西州濒危和非狩猎物种项目的负责人。
Clark has worked with the birds for many years.
克拉克已经与这些鸟一起工作了很多年。
This includes the time when New Jersey had very few bald eagles, and they only lived in areas far from people.
这包括新泽西州白头海雕数量极少的时期，那时它们只生活在远离人群的地区。
Clark said that she will always remember that feeling of not knowing if the species will survive.
克拉克说，她会永远记得那种不知道这个物种能否存活下来的感觉。
Maia Edwards is the science director at the American Bald Eagle Foundation in Alaska.
Maia Edwards是阿拉斯加美国白头海雕基金会的科学主任。
She says the species represents “one of the few conservation success stories of animals” that came close to disappearing permanently from America.
她说，这个物种是“少数几个动物保护成功案例之一”，它们曾一度濒临从美国永久消失。
“…I think now it’s really important to make sure people know that story and learn from it,” she said.
……她说：“我认为现在真正重要的是确保人们了解那个故事并从中吸取教训。”
Clark said the eagles have taught officials some lessons.
克拉克说，鹰给官员们上了一课。
One is that the raptors are good at changing to fit their environment.
一是猛禽善于改变以适应环境。
The birds now live in parts of New Jersey that are dense with people.
这些鸟现在生活在新泽西州人口密集的地区。
But, the birds still face dangers in such areas.
但是，鸟类在这类地区仍面临危险。
Jilian Fazio is director of the Essex County Turtle Back Zoo in northern New Jersey.
吉莉安·法齐奥是新泽西州北部埃塞克斯县龟背动物园的园长。
She said the zoo rescues a number of birds hit by cars.
她说，动物园救助了许多被汽车撞到的鸟。
The zoo also is home to Freedom, a bald eagle named by the caretakers.
动物园也是“自由”的家，这是一只由饲养员命名的白头海雕。
Freedom was rescued hanging from a tree in Minnesota after he got caught in some rope.
自由在明尼苏达州被绳子缠住后，获救时正悬挂在树上。
He was injured so badly that he cannot be returned to the wild, Fazio said.
法齐奥说，他伤势严重，无法放归野外。
A lack of eagle habitat and prey also threatens the species.
鹰的栖息地和猎物的缺乏也威胁着这一物种。
Bald eagles feed heavily on fish, so they require clean, open water in which to hunt.
白头海雕大量以鱼类为食，因此它们需要干净、开阔的水域来捕猎。
Disease outbreaks, such as avian influenza or bird flu, are another serious threat to the birds.
疾病爆发，如禽流感，是对鸟类的另一严重威胁。
Native American symbolism
美洲原住民象征主义
The birds are highly respected by several Native American cultures as symbols of strength, especially in the Pacific Northwest, says Paul Apodaca.
保罗·阿波达卡说，鸟类被几种美洲原住民文化高度尊崇为力量的象征，尤其是在太平洋西北地区。
He is a retired university professor who specializes in stories and storytelling from different cultures.
他是一位退休的大学教授，专攻不同文化中的故事和叙事。
The position of eagles as symbols of the U.S. adds to their protection.
鹰作为美国象征的地位也加强了对它们的保护。
“Americans are always going to have that sort of personal relationship with bald eagles," said Clark, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection official.
新泽西州环境保护部门的官员克拉克说：“美国人总是会对白头海雕怀有那种私人情感。”
Dan Day is a birder.
丹·戴是一名观鸟爱好者。
He has seen bald eagles about 50 times in recent years both on nature walks and while driving around.
近年来，他在自然漫步和驾车出行时，大约见过白头海雕50次。
He said, “It really elevates your day to see a bald eagle.
他说：“看到白头海雕真的会让你这一天变得格外美好。”
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I’m Anna Matteo.
我是安娜·马特奥。
Mike Catalini reported this story for the Associated Press.
迈克·卡塔利尼为美联社报道了这则新闻。
Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English.
安娜·马特奥为VOA英语学习频道改编了此内容。
