Australia plagued by feral pigs 澳洲野豬為患

自由時報20071022◎俞智敏

Scientists in Australia have warned that rising numbers of disease-ravaged feral pigs pose a threat to farmers and the environment.

澳洲科學家警告說，疾病纏身的野豬數量不斷增加，將對農夫與環境構成威脅。

Experts in the northern state of Queensland say that the pig population is out of control. The pigs are causing untold damage to crops as well as threatening native wildlife. It is estimated there are 23m wild pigs in Australia. That means there are now more pigs than people.

澳洲北部昆士蘭州的專家指出，豬隻數量已經失控。這些豬已對作物帶來嚴重損害，同時還危害到本土的野生物種。據估計，澳洲目前的野豬數量高達2千3百萬隻，這表示澳洲的豬已經比人還要多。

In Queensland's rain forests, professional hunters are trapping large numbers of these feral scavengers. The pigs will be shot and buried. They are riddled with disease and cannot be eaten.

在昆士蘭的雨林中，專業獵人正在大量獵捕這些野生的食腐動物。豬隻被捕後會遭撲殺並掩埋，因為這些豬隻帶有許多疾病，無法被食用。

The pigs have caused widespread damage to sugar cane and banana crops. Government scientists have warned that they are contaminating streams and rivers that run into the Great Barrier Reef.

這些野豬已嚴重破壞了甘蔗及香蕉的收成。政府科學家也警告說，豬隻正在污染流入大堡礁的溪流與河川。

Doctor James Butler says that the pigs could also spread disease： "If foot and mouth disease was ever to hit Australia, pigs would be one of the major vectors."

科學家巴特勒博士還說，豬隻可能散播疾病。「假如澳洲真的爆發口蹄疫情，豬很可能就是主要的傳染媒介之一。」

新聞辭典

ravage：指使荒蕪、毀壞、蹂躪，如A tornado ravaged the town.（小鎮遭到龍捲風肆虐。）名詞則指造成嚴重破壞、災難，如the ravages of disease/time/war（疾病╱時間╱戰爭所帶來的傷害）。

riddle：原指使佈滿窟窿，如The anti-aircraft guns riddled the plane's wings with bullets.（防空砲把機翼打得彈痕累累。）文中引申指充斥、佈滿，如He wore an old jacket riddled with holes.（他穿著一件滿是破洞的舊外套。）

vector：指傳染媒介、帶菌者，如Mosquitoes are the vectors of malaria.（蚊子是瘧疾的帶原者。）