《中英对照读新闻》Clever Whale Uses Fish to Catch Seagulls聪明的鲸鱼利用鱼来抓海鸥
◎ 魏国金
An enterprising young killer whale at Marineland has figured out how to use fish as bait to catch seagulls - and shared his strategy with his fellow whales.
「海洋世界」里一只富有冒险精神的年轻杀人鲸,已经了解到如何以鱼为饵诱捕海鸥,并且将其策略与同侪分享。
Michael Noonan, a professor of animal behavior at Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y., made the discovery by accident while studying orca acoustics. “One day I noticed one of the young whales appeared to have come up with a procedure for luring gulls down to the pool,” the professor said. “I found it interesting so I noted it in my log.”
纽约大学水牛城分校肯尼休斯学院的动物行为教授麦克.诺南在研究杀人鲸的声音时,无意中有此发现。「有一天我注意到一头年轻的杀人鲸似乎有一套诱使海鸥飞到水池来的做法,」教授说。「我觉得这很有趣,所以将它记在我的工作日志。」
First, the young whale spit regurgitated fish onto the surface of the water, then sank below the water and waited. If a hungry gull landed on the water, the whale would surge up to the surface, sometimes catching a free meal of his own. Noonan watched as the same whale set the same trap again and again. Within a few months, the whale's younger half brother adopted the practice. Eventually the behavior spread and now five Marineland whales supplement their diet with fresh fowl, the scientist said.
首先,这头年轻的鲸将胃内的鱼吐至水面,然後沉入水中等待。若有一只饥肠辘辘的鸥鸟飞临水面,鲸鱼就会浮出水面,有时便捞到免费的一餐。诺南注意到同一头鲸一再设相同的圈套。几个月内,这头鲸的同母异父弟弟也采行此法。最後这项技巧广传开来,现在「海洋世界」的五头鲸都会以新鲜的禽肉来补充它们的饮食,这位科学家说。
新闻辞典
by accident:偶然、意外地,与on purpose的意思相反。例句:We met one another by accident.(我们偶遇。)
orca:虎鲸的学名,俗称杀人鲸。
regurgitate:主要指将胃内的东西吐出,如反刍、反胃。The baby regurgitated milk from his stomach. (小宝宝吐奶。)
half brother:指同父异母或同母异父的兄弟。
◎ 魏国金
An enterprising young killer whale at Marineland has figured out how to use fish as bait to catch seagulls - and shared his strategy with his fellow whales.
「海洋世界」里一只富有冒险精神的年轻杀人鲸,已经了解到如何以鱼为饵诱捕海鸥,并且将其策略与同侪分享。
Michael Noonan, a professor of animal behavior at Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y., made the discovery by accident while studying orca acoustics. “One day I noticed one of the young whales appeared to have come up with a procedure for luring gulls down to the pool,” the professor said. “I found it interesting so I noted it in my log.”
纽约大学水牛城分校肯尼休斯学院的动物行为教授麦克.诺南在研究杀人鲸的声音时,无意中有此发现。「有一天我注意到一头年轻的杀人鲸似乎有一套诱使海鸥飞到水池来的做法,」教授说。「我觉得这很有趣,所以将它记在我的工作日志。」
First, the young whale spit regurgitated fish onto the surface of the water, then sank below the water and waited. If a hungry gull landed on the water, the whale would surge up to the surface, sometimes catching a free meal of his own. Noonan watched as the same whale set the same trap again and again. Within a few months, the whale's younger half brother adopted the practice. Eventually the behavior spread and now five Marineland whales supplement their diet with fresh fowl, the scientist said.
首先,这头年轻的鲸将胃内的鱼吐至水面,然後沉入水中等待。若有一只饥肠辘辘的鸥鸟飞临水面,鲸鱼就会浮出水面,有时便捞到免费的一餐。诺南注意到同一头鲸一再设相同的圈套。几个月内,这头鲸的同母异父弟弟也采行此法。最後这项技巧广传开来,现在「海洋世界」的五头鲸都会以新鲜的禽肉来补充它们的饮食,这位科学家说。
新闻辞典
by accident:偶然、意外地,与on purpose的意思相反。例句:We met one another by accident.(我们偶遇。)
orca:虎鲸的学名,俗称杀人鲸。
regurgitate:主要指将胃内的东西吐出,如反刍、反胃。The baby regurgitated milk from his stomach. (小宝宝吐奶。)
half brother:指同父异母或同母异父的兄弟。