How community-led conservation can save wildlife | Moreangels Mbizah

譯者: Zeddi Lee 審譯者: Amanda Chu

I'm a lion conservationist.

我是個獅子保育人士。

Sounds cool, doesn't it?

聽起來很酷吧！

Some people may have no idea what that means.

有些人可能不了解那是什麼，

But I'm sure you've all heard about Cecil the lion.

但我相信你們都聽過塞西爾獅子。

[Cecil the Lion (2002-2015)]

[ 塞西爾獅子（2002-2015）]

(Lion roaring)

（獅吼聲）

He roars no more.

牠的獅吼已成絕響，

2015 年 7 月 2 日，

On the second of July, 2015,

his life was cut short when he was killed by a trophy hunter.

牠被一名戰利品獵人射殺而死。

They say that you can become attached to the animals you study.

有人說你會對研究的動物產生感情，

That was the case for me with Cecil the lion,

我對塞西爾獅子就有這樣的感情。

having known him and studied him for three years

我在辛巴威的萬基國家公園 認識並研究牠三年的時間，

in Hwange National Park.

I was heartbroken at his death.

牠的死讓我心痛萬分，

But the good thing to come out of this tragedy

但在這場悲劇當中令人欣慰的是，

is the attention that the story brought

有關的報導讓更多人關注 受到威脅的野生動物所處的困境。

towards the plight of threatened wild animals.

After Cecil's death,

塞西爾死後，

I began to ask myself these questions:

我自問：

What if the community that lived next to Cecil the lion

如果塞西爾獅子鄰近的居民 參與保護牠的工作，

was involved in protecting him?

事情會如何演變？

What if I had met Cecil when I was 10 years old, instead of 29?

如果我在 10 歲而不是 29 歲時認識塞西爾，

Could I or my classmates have changed his fate?

我或是班上同學 會不會改變牠的命運？

Many people are working to stop lions from disappearing,

許多人都致力於不讓獅子消失，

but very few of these people are native to these countries

但其中多數人都並不是 那些國家的人或鄰近的居民，

or from the communities most affected.

But the communities that live with the lions

生活在獅子附近的居民 最適合就近來幫助這些獅子。

are the ones best positioned to help lions the most.

Local people should be at the forefront

當地的人們應當站在前線， 為野生動物所面臨的挑戰解決問題。

of the solutions to the challenges facing their wildlife.

Sometimes, change can only come

有時候，變革只有在受到衝擊的人 站出來領導時才會發生。

when the people most affected and impacted take charge.

Local communities play an important role

當地居民在對抗盜獵及野生動物 非法交易方面扮演很重要的角色，

in fighting poaching and illegal wildlife trade,

which are major threats affecting lions and other wildlife.

這些非法行為是獅子 和其他野生動物面臨的主要威脅。

Being a black African woman in the sciences,

身為非洲黑人女性科學家，

the people I meet are always curious to know

我認識的人總是很好奇地想知道，

if I've always wanted to be a conservationist,

我是不是原本就想從事保育工作，

because they don't meet a lot of conservationists

因為他們很少認識 長得像我一樣的保育人士。

who look like me.

When I was growing up,

成長過程中，我不知道 野生動物保育也是一種職業。

I didn't even know that wildlife conservation was a career.

The first time I saw a wild animal in my home country

第一次在自己的國家 看到野生動物時，

was when I was 25 years old,

我已經 25 歲了，

even though lions and African wild dogs

而獅子和非洲野生犬類卻居住在 離我家只有幾英里的地方，

lived just a few miles away from my home.

This is quite common in Zimbabwe,

這在辛巴威很常見，

as many people are not exposed to wildlife,

因為即使野生動物 是我們的文化遺產，

even though it's part of our heritage.

很多人並不會直接接觸到牠們；

When I was growing up,

我小時候根本不知道 獅子就住在我家後院。

I didn't even know that lions lived in my backyard.

When I stepped into Savé Valley Conservancy

當我踏進薩非谷保育區時，

on a cold winter morning 10 years ago

那是 10 年前一個寒冷的冬晨，

to study African wild dogs for my master's research project,

我到那裡研究非洲野生犬類， 那是我碩士研究計畫的一部分，

I was mesmerized by the beauty and the tranquility that surrounded me.

我對於周遭的美和寧靜 感到目眩神迷，

I felt like I had found my passion and my purpose in life.

我覺得自己找到熱情和此生的目的。

I made a commitment that day

那天我做了一個承諾：

that I was going to dedicate my life to protecting animals.

我要為保護動物奉獻一生。

I think of my childhood school days in Zimbabwe

我想起小時候在辛巴威上學的日子，

and the other kids I was in school with.

以及我同校的其他小孩，

Perhaps if we had a chance to interact with wildlife,

如果我們當時有機會 與野生動物互動，

more of my classmates would be working alongside me now.

也許有很多同學 現在會與我並肩工作。

Unless the local communities want to protect and coexist with wildlife,

除非當地居民想保護野生動物， 並與牠們共存，

all conservation efforts might be in vain.

所有在保育方面的努力 可能都會徒勞無功。

These are the communities that live with the wild animals

這些居民和野生動物 生活在同一個生態系中，

in the same ecosystem

and bear the cost of doing so.

必須付出必要的代價。

If they don't have a direct connection

如果他們與野生動物 沒有直接的關聯，也沒有因此受益，

or benefit from the animals,

they have no reason to want to protect them.

就沒有理由要保護牠們。

And if local communities don't protect their wildlife,

如果當地社會不保護 他們的野生動物，

no amount of outside intervention will work.

再多外來的干預 或援助都不會有效果。

So what needs to be done?

所以現在需要做什麼？

Conservationists must prioritize environmental education

保育人士必須優先推行環境教育，

and help expand the community's skills to conserve their wildlife.

並幫助民眾發展更多技能 來保育野生動物。

Schoolchildren and communities must be taken to national parks,

我們必須將學童 和民眾帶到國家公園，

so they get a chance to connect with the wildlife.

讓他們有機會與野生動物建立關係，

At every effort and every level,

在各個階層的各項努力當中，

conservation must include the economies of the people

保育計畫必須考量到

與野生動物共享家園人們的經濟。

who share the land with the wild animals.

It is also critical that local conservationists

另一個關鍵是，

當地的保育人士 必須參與每一項保育工作。

be part of every conservation effort,

if we are to build trust and really embed conservation into communities.

如果我們要建立彼此的信任 並將保育的觀念深植於民眾心裡，

As local conservationists, we face many hurdles,

身為地方保育人士， 我們面臨很多阻礙，

from outright discrimination to barriers because of cultural norms.

像是當面的歧視 一直到固有文化的隔閡。

But I will not give up my efforts

但我不會放棄我的努力，

to bring indigenous communities to this fight

我會繼續引導當地住民社會 共同來為地球的生存而奮鬥。

for the survival of our planet.

I'm asking you to come and stand together with me.

我請求大家來與我站在同一陣線，

We must actively dismantle the hurdles we have created,

我們必須主動去除 這些我們自己造成的阻礙，

which are leaving indigenous populations out of conservation efforts.

也就是不要再將當地住民 排除在保育行列之外。

I've dedicated my life to protecting lions.

我奉獻我的一生來保護獅子，

And I know my neighbor would, too,

一旦我的鄰居認識了 住在隔壁的野生動物，

if only they knew the animals that lived next door to them.

我知道他們也會願意 和我一樣這麼做。

Thank you.

謝謝大家。

(Applause)

（掌聲）（歡呼聲）