文章大意:这是一篇说明文。文章介绍了一款新的软件,这款名为FIT 的软件可以用来监控野生动物的活动,同时帮助保护主义者来监视濒危物种,并保护这些濒危物种免受偷猎者的伤害。
Interactive software that “reads” and analyses footprints left by black rhinos (犀牛) can be used to monitor the movements of the animals in the wild, giving conservationists a new way to keep watch on the endangered species and help keep it safe from poachers (偷猎者), according to a Duke University-led study.
The software, called the Footprint Identification Technique (FIT), uses advanced technology to analyze more than 100 measurements of a rhino's footprint. Because each rhino's footprint is as special as a human fingerprint, the analyzed images can be collected electronically in a global database of previously collected footprint images for matching.
“If you find a match, you can identify the individual animal who left the mark and, by plotting the locations of all the other places where marks have been seen, track its movements without disturbing it or coming into close enough contact with it,” said Zoe Jewell, a professor at Duke University's Nicholas School of the Environment, who co-led the study and is co-creator of FIT.
“It's a cost-effective approach that not only protects the health of the rhino and the human, but also brings a centuries-old tracking skill into the 21st Century,” she said. Jewell and her colleagues are now working with Namibia's Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism to train wildlife conservationists, land managers and local guides how to use FIT.
Namibia is home to an estimated 2,000 black rhinos, or about 90% of the species' total population worldwide. Though legally owned by the government, the animals are distributed geographically on private lands across the country.
The FIT software can also do a survey of footprints throughout the protected area and take measurements from each footprint to estimate the number of rhinos in that area. This can be useful information for calculation resource needs to monitor the animals effectively. This creates an interactive library that anti-poaching patrols(反偷猎巡逻)can use to search for animals at the highest risk, including those whose footprints haven’t been showing up in recent years.
8. What is the purpose of the software?
A.To promote the development of technology. |
B.To protect black rhinos from being hunted. |
C.To analyze the footprints of illegal poachers. |
D.To save endangered species across the world. |
9. What’s the advantage of the software?
A.It owns various functions. | B.It goes to the market. |
C.It is perfectly practical. | D.It is more than popular. |
10. What does Zoe Jewell say about the approach?
A.It brings the best advantage for the lowest cost. |
B.It helps increase the population of black rhinos. |
C.It raises people's awareness of the environment. |
D.It strengthens the tie between humans and nature. |
11. Which of the following best describes the future of rhinos?
A.Optimistic. | B.Hopeless. | C.Worrying. | D.Uncertain. |