The link between fishing cats and mangrove forest conservation | Ashwin Naidu

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: SF Huang

(Imitates fishing cat)

（模仿漁貓）

That's my impersonation of a fishing cat,

剛才我是在模仿漁貓，

which actually sounds more like this.

牠的叫聲其實是這樣。

(Prerecorded fishing cat sounds)

（預錄的漁貓叫聲）

It's a cat that loves water,

這種貓很愛水，

loves to fish,

很愛抓魚，

and lives in some of the most unique and valuable ecosystems on earth:

居住在地球上一些最獨特 且珍貴的生態系統中：

the wetlands and mangrove forests of South and Southeast Asia.

南亞和東南亞的濕地和紅樹林。

Aren't they fishing awesome?

牠們是釣魚高手，對吧？

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Fishing cats are one of about 40 species of wildcats.

野貓的品種大約有四十種， 漁貓是其中之一。

Like tigers and lions, only much smaller.

類似老虎及獅子，只是小很多。

They're probably around twice the size of our average domestic cat.

體型上，漁貓比我們 一般的家貓大兩倍。

In Indonesia,

在印尼，

people call them "kucing bakau,"

牠們被稱為「kucing bakau」，

which literally translates to "the cat of the mangroves."

字面上的意思是「紅樹林之貓」。

But I like to call them the tigers of the mangroves.

但我喜歡稱牠們為紅樹林之虎。

Now, we don't know fishing cats as well as we do tigers,

我們對漁貓的了解沒有比老虎多，

but what we've learned is that these cats can be a flagship species

但我們知道，對全球重要的 生態系統來說，

to a globally important ecosystem,

漁貓可能是旗艦級的物種，

and a visual bait attached to a strong line for conservation.

且是保育這條堅固釣線下的視覺誘餌。

Are you hooked yet?

你們上勾了嗎？

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Like many endangered species,

和許多瀕危物種一樣，

fishing cats are threatened by habitat loss,

漁貓正遭受棲息地減少的威脅，

mainly because of our international demand for farmed fish and shrimp,

主因是國際間對養殖魚蝦的需求，

and the deforestation of nearly half the historic mangrove cover

以及南亞和東南亞有近一半

具歷史性的紅樹林植被都被砍伐掉了。

in South and Southeast Asia.

Mangroves, on the other hand,

另一方面，紅樹林

are much more than just habitat to the fishing cat.

不只是漁貓的棲息地而已。

They are home to a fantastic array of species,

紅樹林是許多美妙物種的家，

like jackals,

比如豺狼、

turtles,

烏龜、

shorebirds

水鳥，

and otters.

和水獺。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Mangroves also prevent soil erosion,

紅樹林能預防土壤侵蝕，

and they can be the first line of defense between storm surges, tsunamis

同時也是抵禦風暴湧浪 和海嘯的第一道防線，

and the millions of people who live next to these forests

保障住在這些森林旁的數百萬居民

for their day-to-day survival.

能安全地過日常生活。

The fact that puts the icing on the cake --

還有一件事能夠錦上添花——

or the earth, I should say --

或應該說，在地球上添花——

is that mangroves can store

那就是紅樹林能儲存的二氧化碳量，

upwards of five to ten times more carbon dioxide

是熱帶森林的五到十倍。

than tropical forests.

So protecting one acre of mangroves

所以，保護一英畝的紅樹林，

may well be like protecting five or more acres of tropical forests.

就等同保護至少五英畝的熱帶森林。

Would you like to eliminate you entire life's carbon footprint?

你想要消除一生所留下的碳足跡嗎？

Well, mangroves can offer you

紅樹林能讓你在保育上

one of the best bangs for your conservation buck.

有最物超所值的效果。

Deforestation, extinction and climate change

森林砍伐、物種滅絕、氣候變遷

are all global problems that we can solve

都是我們能解決的全球性問題，

by giving value to our species and ecosystems

只要我們重視物種和生態系統的保護，

and by working together with the local people

並與住在周圍的當地人合作。

who live next to them.

This is one of three river deltas in coastal South India

這是南印度沿海地區的 三個三角洲之一，

where communities came together

在那裡社區能同心協力

to change the face and potentially, the fate of this planet.

改變地球的面貌， 甚至有可能改變地球的命運。

In less than a decade,

在國際支持之下，不到十年，

with international support,

the state forest departments and the local communities

國家森林部門以及當地社區

worked together to restore

就合作協力將超過兩萬英畝

over 20,000 acres of unproductive fish and shrimp farms

沒有生產力的魚蝦養殖場

back into mangroves.

復育回紅樹林。

About five years ago,

大約五年前，

guess who we discovered in these restored mangroves?

猜猜我們在這些重新復育的 紅樹林中發現了誰？

When we shared images of these fishing cats with local people,

當我們跟當地人分享 這些漁貓的影像時，

we were able to build pride among them

我們讓他們感到驕傲，

about a globally revered endangered species and ecosystem

因為全球知名的瀕危物種和生態系統

in their backyards.

就在他們家後院。

We were also able to build trust with some people

我們也取得了一些人的信任，

to help them lead alternative livelihoods.

協助他們改用另一種方式生活。

Meet Santosh, a 19-year-old boy

這是桑托西，十九歲的男孩，

who not only became a conservation professional

他與我們合作了一年多之後

after working with us for just over a year

不僅變成了保育專業人士，

but also went on to involve many local fishermen

還繼續接觸許多當地的漁民，

in helping study and protect fishing cats.

協助研究和保護漁貓。

Meet Moshi, a tribal poacher,

這是摩須，部落的盜獵者，

who not only stopped hunting

他不僅停止打獵，

and became our most prized conservationist,

也變成我們最重要的保育人士，

but also used his traditional knowledge

還使用他的傳統知識

to educate his entire community to stop hunting fishing cats, otters

來教育他的整個社區 停止獵殺漁貓、水獺，

and the many other threatened species

及住在他家後院紅樹林裡的

that live in the mangroves in his backyard.

許多其他被威脅的物種。

Fish and shrimp farmers, like Venkat,

魚蝦養殖業者，像芬凱，

are now willing to work with us conservationists

現在願意和我們這些保育人士合作，

to test the sustainable harvest of ecosystem services like crabs,

測試從紅樹林生態系統服務中 獲得的永續收成，

and possibly even honey, from mangroves.

如螃蟹、甚至蜂蜜。

Incentives that could get them to protect and plant mangroves

也有獎勵措施， 可鼓勵他們去保護或復育

where they have been lost.

之前受破壞或消失的紅樹林。

A win-win-win

這是三贏局面，

for fishing cats, local people and the global community.

漁貓、當地人、全世界都受惠。

These stories show us that we can all be part of a future

這些故事證明了 我們都可以為未來盡一份心力，

where fishing cats and the lost mangrove forests

讓漁民自己去保護和復育

are protected and restored by fishermen themselves,

漁貓與消失的紅樹林。

creating carbon sinks

創造出碳匯，

that can help offset our ecological footprints.

來消除我們的生態足跡。

So while the fishing cat may be small,

雖然漁貓很小，

I hope that we've been able to help make it a big deal.

我希望我們能喚起大家對它的重視。

One that we can all invest in

我們所有人都能貢獻心力，

to help sustain our lives on earth a little longer.

幫助地球上的物種都能活得更長久。

Or as our friend here would say ...

或者，就像我們的朋友所說的……

(Prerecorded fishing cat sounds)

（預錄的漁貓叫聲）

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）