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There are currently over 14,000 animals on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Redlist of species that are facing extinction.
目前，列入国际自然保护联盟濒危物种红皮书的动物物种已经超过了1万4千种。
So should we let nature take its course or step in to save them?
那么问题来了，我们是应该顺从大自然的规律呢？还是应该人为地介入解救它们于危难呢？
I mean, species come and go over time.
毕竟，一直以来都有物种灭绝和诞生的对吧。
Look at the dinosaurs! Actually, you can’t, because they went extinct…
看看恐龙！其实，你们也看不到了，因为它们已经灭绝了...
Studies suggest that species are going extinct faster now than before, and we’re to blame.
研究表明，很多物种都加快了灭绝的速度，而这一切……都是我们造成的。
We keep cutting down their forests, paving over their land so they have nowhere to go, not to mention introducing new predators and diseases.
我们不仅不断砍倒了他们的森林，还推平了他们的土地，让他们无处藏身，更不用还带来了新的捕食者和疾病了。
So maybe we should preserve them … out of guilt?
所以，我们应该，出于内疚，保护他们吗？
Or maybe we should keep the incredible variety of nature around!?
还是应该维护大自然的物种多样性呢？
It’s a puzzle.
伤脑筋啊。
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 states that threatened species are of “aesthetic, ecological, educational, historical, recreational, and scientific value to the Nation and its people.”
1973年的《濒危物种法案》规定，濒危物种即对国家及人民有“美学、生态、教育、历史、娱乐和科学价值的物种”。
But take away all the things we’re doing to kill-off species, and all the things nature is doing to weed them out,
然而，且不说我们人类消灭动物的那些所作所为，也不说大自然清除这些动物的所作所为，
and it’s still really hard to preserve some species.
要想留住一些物种真的是无比艰难的。
Because animals need to mate to make more animals, and helping them accomplish that is harder than you’d think…
因为动物需要交配才能繁殖出更多的动物，而帮助它们完成交配并没有你们想象的那么简单......
For one thing, we’ve got to get the animals in the mood.
首先，我们得让它们有个好的心情。
And that’s not always easy.
有时做到这一点都不容易。
We don’t always know the social factors they need to become aroused!
因为我们并不总是很了解调动它们性趣的社会因素！
For example, in a managed space (like a zoo) the zookeepers might clean up their enclosure,
举个栗子，在一个人为管理的空间（比如动物园）里，动物园管理员可能会清理它们的窝，
inadvertently removing something that’s a super turn-on -- like a pheromone signal.
却无意中把一些能够瞬间点燃它们性趣的东西——就像费洛蒙信号那种东西——给清理走了。
We can look for physiological issues too, like if they’re not mating because they’re sick!
我们也可以从生理方面找原因，比如它们不交配是因为它们生病了！
But, even if they’re healthy, and we’re not messing with their environment, maybe they still don’t mate!
然而，即使他们没病，我们也没有弄乱他们的窝，它们可能还是不会一起玩耍！
And often we have no idea why.
这种时候我们通常都是不知道他们为什么就是不配合的。
So is it worth the effort?
所以，我们费那么大劲，真的值当吗？
That’s not for me to say — I’m an animal lover so yes, save all the animals!
这并不是我想问的 - 我可是很喜欢小动物的，我的答案当然是肯定的了，干脆所有的动物都救了得了！
But there is another thing to consider… money.
但我们还得考虑......钱。
Captive breeding programs have been in existence for about half a century. And some have been really successful!
圈养繁殖计划已经存在将近半个世纪了。而且有的的确很成功！
But regardless of outcome, the one sure result of a breeding program is a lot of time and energy is spent trying to keep species off the endangered list.
但无论结果如何，繁殖计划必然的一个结果就是为了挽救某些濒危物种，我们花费了大量时间和精力。
The California condor reintroduction program was one of the most expensive efforts ever, costing a total of more than 35 million dollars since 1987.
自1987年以来总耗资超过3500万美元的加州秃鹰重新引入计划是有史以来投入最大的项目之一。
And giant pandas can cost upwards of 2 million dollars a year for a zoo to host.
一个动物园要养大熊猫，每年的花费多达200多万美元。
But there’s an upshot.
但圈养繁殖有一个好处。
Having a rare species like pandas in a zoo for breeding will attract visitors, particularly if and when there’s a BABY to come see.
在动物园饲养大熊猫这样的珍稀物种能够吸引游客，特别是有宝宝可看的时候。
That’s revenue that can go a long way to fixing their habitat and figuring out how to get those pandas to mate.
这个收入足够他们修复这些动物的栖息地以及弄清楚如何让这些大熊猫交配了。
On the other hand, some would argue that the money spent on zoo enclosures and breeding programs would be better spent preserving natural habitats
也有人辩解道，把修动物园以及繁殖的钱拿去保护他们的自然生境岂不更好
so the animals aren’t displaced in the first place.
这样一来它们一开始就不用流离失所了。
There might be a loss of revenue from visitors,
来自游客的收入可能会缩水，
but nature preserves are still really fun to visit even if you aren’t as likely to see an exotic and interesting furry friend.
但即便那个时候我们已经不太可能看到那些毛茸茸的外国动物了，参观自然保护区也还是挺好玩的呀。
So there’s a lot to consider when we talk about conserving species…
所以，提到保护物种，我们还是需要考虑很多因素的……
but I still vote for saving sweet little (and big) animals.
但我还是支持拯救可爱的小动物（和大动物）的。
If you love science be sure to subscribe for more Seeker.
如果你热爱科学，一定要订阅我们的频道获取更多信息。
Zookeepers sometimes have to go to extreme lengths to get animals to mate in captivity.
有时，动物园的管理员们为了让那些动物交配可以说是无所不用其极啊。
These pandas are watching porn.
大熊猫都在看小黄片了。
Yep. That's real science! Watch it on Wild Sex -- here.
没错，这才是真正的科学！大家快去Wild Sex上围观吧 - 链接在这里。
And it gets crazier. Scientists have actually done in vitro fertilization to pandas! Thanks for watching.
现在他们更厉害了。科学家们还对大熊猫进行了体外受精！感谢大家的观看。
