2 . Wildlife conservation is the practice of protecting plant and animal species and their habitats. As part of the world’s ecosystems, wildlife provides balance and stability to nature’s processes. Wildlife conservation is aimed to ensure the survival of these species and educate people on living sustainably with other species.

The number of people has grown to more than eight billion today, and it continues to rapidly grow. The economic growth endangers the habitats and existence of various types of wildlife around the world, particularly animals and plants that may be displaced for land development, or used for food or other human purposes. This threat is at top of the list and means natural resources are being consumed faster than ever by the billions of people on the planet. The introduction of invasive species from other parts of the world is another threat to wildlife. Other threats include climate change, pollution, fishing and hunting.

International organizations like the World Wildlife Fund, Conservation International, Wildlife Conservation Society and the United Nations work to support global animal and habitat conservation on many different fronts. They work with the government to establish and protect public lands, like national parks and wildlife protection areas. They help write legislation(法规), such as the Endangered Species Act(ESA)of 1973 in the United States, to protect various species. They work with law enforcement to charge those with wildlife crimes. They also promote biodiversity to support the growing human population while preserving existing species and habitats.

National Geographic Explorers, like conservation biologists Camille Coudrat and Titus Adhola, are working to slow the extinction of global species and protect global biodiversity and habitats. Environmental filmmakers and photographers, like Thomas P. Peschak, are essential to conservation efforts as well, documenting and bringing attention to endangered wildlife all over the world.

3 . Tall, long-necked giraffes are famous for their spots which are believed to help the animals hide from their enemies. Just like no two humans have the same fingerprints, each giraffe has its own special pattern of spots. However, a Tennessee zoo made headlines recently after it welcomed one of the world’s most uncommon giraffes.

On July 31, a baby giraffe was born at Brights Zoo with light brown fur which is a reticulated (网状的) giraffe, one of the four different kinds of giraffes. Unlike most giraffes, she was born without spots, a unique feature of the reticulated giraffe. At six feet tall, this baby giraffe is growing well under her mother’s care. She shows typical baby giraffe behavior, such as eating rocks.

Experts said the young giraffe was the only single-colored reticulated giraffe living anywhere on the planet. The last time this happened was 1972 in Japan. A giraffe’s pattern of spots is created when the animal is still growing inside its mother. That means that this giraffe will never have spots.

“The new giraffe might not have survived if she had been born in the wild. Being single-colored, she may not be able to hide quite as well,” said Mr. David Bright, who runs the zoo, “It will easily be a key target for poachers (偷猎者) because she’s so unusual.”

Brights Zoo stressed that reticulated giraffes had already become imperiled. In 2018, they were officially listed as “threatened”. Thirty-five years ago, there were 36,000 reticulated giraffes. Now, the number has been cut by more than 50%. Only about 16,000 reticulated giraffes remain.

This brown giraffe’s birth is not only a rare and fascinating event, but also an opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges faced by giraffes in the wild. By supporting efforts like this, we can contribute to the conservation of these large creatures and ensure their survival for generations to come.

Fayuansi, or Fayuan Temple is     1     key Buddhist temple in the south of Beijing. It dates back more than a thousand years. Its     2     (surround) neighborhood is one of the few old hutong communities in the city,     3     has a rich historical and cultural value.

Many celebrities (名人) once lived or participated in events in this area, adding     4    its rich cultural     5    (significant). Chairman Mao Zedong once led an anti-warlord movement here in 1920 when he was young. The famous Indian poet Tagore and his Chinese friend Xu Zhimo     6    (visit) Fayuan Temple together in 1924.

However, the area’s out-of-date infrastructure (设施) has     7     (gradual) forced this community to make a change. So a new project aiming     8     (look) for solutions to renovating (修复) the Fayuansi area through sustainable development had been widely expected.

Fortunately, a well-rounded plan for the renovation of the Fayuansi area     9     (make) earlier this year. According to the plan, most of the historic architecture will be preserved, but the work will balance the local residents’ need for improved living standards, while attempting to maintain the     10    (origin) architecture.

5 . While vertical (垂直的) farming of plants in limited space has been around for some time, new research looking into the “vertical farming of seafood” is being developed by Broderick House.

As part of his PhD project at the University of Cambridge, Broderick is looking at farming bivalves (双壳贝) within city boundaries. “In terms of sustainable (可持续的) food options, and from a food security standpoint, being able to expand bivalve farming from the coast into cities means you have a safe environment to produce a highly nutritious and micronutrient rich source of food,” says Broderick.

The biggest challenge, of course, is water consumption. The artificial aquaculture (水产业) environment cannot fully compare to farming in the ocean, but by using advanced flowing aquaculture systems, water use can be reduced, as only 10% of the water in the tank must be changed every day. “If you’re comparing it to traditional agricultural livestock — cows, pigs, chickens, which are farmed in fields, it uses much less water, and provides competing levels of protein,” Broderick explains.

While sustainability can, upon first look, be accomplished by building facilities to farm bivalves inland, there is also a possibility to repurpose existing buildings which would help to decrease carbon emissions from transportation as well. Broderick points out the biggest carbon footprint in aquaculture is the feed for the livestock, and he is working together with the Algal Innovation Centre at University of Cambridge, to develop more sustainable feed options.

To help translate his research into the business world, Broderick has been supported by the EnterpriseTECH and EnterpriseTECH STAR programmes at the CJBS Entrepreneurship Centre. “CJBS has been a fantastic resource and community. The business ecosystem here has provided important tools in a constructive and informed way to help ensure my PhD research has a positive role in shaping the future of global food security,” Broderick says.

6 . Music festivals are highly popular events during the summer months, attracting thousands of festival-goers who camp on-site. However, the question arises as to whether the tents left behind can be recycled.

While some festival organizers claim that they recycle the tents, the answer is not so straightforward. Every year, thousands of tents are abandoned (拋弃) at festivals, and it’s not just post-festival laziness or poor weather that is to blame. According to a recent survey, many festival-goers leave their tents behind because they believe they will be donated to charities. But unfortunately, this is only wishful thinking.

Matt Wedge, the director of Festival Waste Reclamation & Distribution, says that the number of tents left behind is increasing, estimating that around 20% of the tents at this year’s Leeds Festival were abandoned, which amounted to about 7,000 tents. He adds that Reading and Leicester festivals are usually just as bad but twice as big, meaning that 14,000 tents could have been abandoned there.

In terms of addressing this problem, one popular idea is to employ a tent deposit scheme (保证金计划). Under this scheme, festival-goers would pay a deposit to bring their tent to the festival, which would be returned to them if they take their tent home. “A similar thing happens with litter. Some festivals make attendees pay a £10 ‘eco bond’, which will be returned to them if they fill up a bag of rubbish and hand it in at the end of the festival,” he adds.

The shocking images of abandoned tents are more than just a comment on the environmental impacts of the festival itself. They are in fact a dramatic symbol of our throwaway culture. Just as images of clean fields at Glastonbury represent a refreshing sign of hope for what could be, the ultimate (最后的) message is to make it a habit to take your tent home at least. It’s the best thing people can do.

7 . It has been nearly 11 days since the earthquake and its aftershocks struck the Turkey-Syria border, and rescues are still underway. As teams of doctors, firefighters, police officers, construction workers tried to search through the rubble (瓦砾) of fallen buildings, they were uncovering surviving people as well as animals. Ali Cakas saved a scared cat from the rubble, and the kitty has been glued to his side ever since.

A video shows the man, still in uniform and protective equipment, taking a picture with the cat on his shoulder. The black-spotted cat clearly has an appreciation for his hero, as he does not move from the firefighter’s side even for a moment. “We named it Enkaz which means rubble in Turkish, because we brought it out of the ruins,” the firefighter says. “It might sound a little off-putting, but we wanted it to be a memory this way.”

As heart-warming as this rescue has been, people online have also found a way to sympathize (同情) with the cat while showing respect for Cakas. “Uh...not for nothing but I would also not leave this guys side,” said Twitter user Paula Matiz. Another person admitted, “I don’t know who is cuter...the man or the kitty.” They all agree that Cakas has done something truly wonderful, saving the life of a sweet cat.

So far, no one has come forward to claim Enkaz, but the firefighter is keeping him safe, in the meantime, providing food and shelter. “I see sadness in this cat,” the firefighter said after rescuing him. “I keep it by my side in case the owner comes, but if the owner doesn’t come out, I’m thinking of taking him with me. It will be a memory.” Fortunately, Enkaz has found a safe shelter after everything he has been through, so we hope this is the start of a beautiful relationship between the cat and his rescuer.

8 . Though fireworks (烟花) on bonfire night bring joy to many people, it is likely to be a night of fright and pain for the UK’s geese (鹅).

Research by Anglia Ruskin University has found that fireworks displays (表演) cause wild birds to suffer significant pain, and researchers have recommended that displays should not take place in areas with large wildlife populations. A study, published in the journal Conservation Physiology, is one of the first carried out into the effects of fireworks on wildlife. It found that the heart rate (率) of geese increases by 96% when they are influenced by fireworks displays.

The study involved 20 wild grey lag geese fitted with recorders to record their heart rate and body temperature, which are measures of physiological stress. Claudia Wascher, who led the research, found that the average heart rate increased from 63 to 124 beats per minute, and their average body temperature increased from 38℃ to 39℃, in the first hour of fireworks displays. It took the geese about five hours before the birds displayed normal body temperatures, with average readings returning by 5 am.

“Ours is one of the first scientific studies to examine whether fireworks disturb wildlife. There have been previous studies showing that fireworks can cause anxiety in pets, for example in dogs, but little research has been done into how animals in the wild react. We need to carry out further research to conclusively tell whether the geese are reacting to the noise or the light pollution from the fireworks, or a combination of both. Many people get a lot of enjoyment from fireworks but it’s important that we consider animals both pets and wildlife — whenever planning a display,” Wascher said.