In South Africa, the African Penguin Nest Project team made up of researchers and wildlife protectors from around the world has designed handmade ceramic (陶瓷的) nest boxes over the last five years to protect endangered penguins from the warming weather caused by climate change.
In the past, the seabirds laid their eggs in holes dug into centuries old layers of their own waste. But in the late 1800s, most of the waste was collected as plant food by traders. Since then, many penguins have nested in the open, exposing them to heatstroke and their eggs to their enemies. “We have put this species at risk of extinction, mainly because of human desires,” said Shaun Welman, a zoologist at Nelson Mandela University. The population of these seabirds in Africa has fallen from 3 million to 48,000 since 1900, according to reports.
But thanks to the team, more than 1,500 ceramic nests have been made and placed across five different penguin colonies (群落) in South Africa. The structures are able to stand up to higher temperatures than traditional holes and outperformed cement (水泥) and fiberglass models, according to a study co-authored by Welman.
The ceramic nests are built by hand. The 72-hour process requires a high level of attention to details to make sure the raw materials are combined successfully. A number of air holes designed to give out heat and keep penguins cool are drilled into the top of the nests, says Kevin Graham, leader of the African Penguin Nest Project.
Having spent three years researching and testing the nests, Graham placed the first 200 structures in two South African penguin colonies in 2018. Within the first month, researchers discovered eggs in 40%of the nests in one colony and 25%of the nests in the other.
“If everything goes well and these nests continue to work, we can keep giving them homes,” said Graham. “Each one we build is eco-friendly.” He added, “We can’t solve the population decline with just the nests, but at least we can give them a place to raise kids.”
8. What led to the fall in penguins’ population at first?
A.Sea pollution. | B.Human activity. |
C.Climate change. | D.Introduced pests. |
9. What advantage do the ceramic nests have over traditional ones?
A.They are easier to build and repair. |
B.They are more environmentally friendly. |
C.They can better protect penguins from the heat. |
D.They can better stop the eggs from being attacked. |
10. What does the data in Paragraph 5 show?
A.The ceramic nests are effective. |
B.The penguins’ eggs are hard to find. |
C.The ceramic nests need improvements. |
D.The two colonies have different living habits. |
11. What’s the author’s main purpose in writing the text?
A.To offer suggestions on wildlife protection. |
B.To find out the threats African penguins face. |
C.To show the achievements of an African project team. |
D.To introduce a handmade nest benefiting penguins. |