Australia’s popular Kimberley wilderness region has resorted to a long knee-high fence to keep out the poisonous cane toad, which is rapidly overrunning the tourist attraction.
A 2km barrier will be erected at Emma Gorge, made from cloth to allow other animals to move through while keeping out the toads, prolific breeders that secrete a toxin that can kill pets and wildlife.
Stop the Toad Foundation campaign manager Kim Hands said hundreds of thousands of toads had penetrated into the area and were threatening native species.
Photo: AFP/Imperial College London/Dr. Matthew Fischer
照片:法新社/倫敦帝國學院/馬修‧費雪博士
“Experience in the past has been that it has been really efficient,” she said of the fence.
The cane toad has spread widely in tropical Australia since being introduced to kill beetles in the 1930s, devouring insects, bird’s eggs and native species such as the quoll, a cat-like marsupial.
But a recent investigation by the University of Melbourne showed that the toad — up to 25cm long and 2kg in weight — has an Achilles’ heel.
Photo: AFP/Parc National des Pyrenees
照片:法新社/庇里牛斯山國家公園
Unlike indigenous amphibians that have adapted to arid conditions, it desperately needs access to nearby standing water to survive.
Placing small fencing around man-made sources such as irrigation ditches and troughs is enough to cause the toad to die of dehydration and stop its advance, said the study.
(AFP)
澳洲熱門的金柏利野生地區築起一道高度及膝的長圍籬,以防堵有毒的蔗蟾(又名海蟾蜍)入侵。
Photo: AFP/Imperial College London/Dr. Matthew Fischer
照片:法新社/倫敦帝國學院/馬修‧費雪博士
在艾瑪峽谷築起的一道兩公里長的圍籬是用布料做成,如此在可以讓除了蔗蟾以外的動物進出自如。蔗蟾繁殖能力強,其分泌的毒素足以使寵物與野生動物致命。
遏止蟾蜍基金會的活動經理金姆‧漢茲說,數千隻蟾蜍已經侵入這個區域且危及當地的物種。
她說,「過去經驗告訴我們這個方法已是非常有效率的。」
自從蔗蟾在一九三零年代引進澳洲試圖控制甘蔗田的甲蟲後,牠們就廣泛繁衍,吞噬昆蟲、鳥蛋與狀似貓的有袋類動物袋鼬等當地物種。
不過墨爾本大學的一項新的科學研究顯示,蔗蟾─可達二十五公分長與兩公斤重─有個致命傷。
蔗蟾不像土生土長的兩棲動物可以適應乾燥的氣候狀況,牠需要隨時鄰近水源才能存活。
這個研究指出,在灌溉溝渠與飼料槽等人造水源周圍架設小型圍籬,就足以讓蔗蟾因為脫水而死亡並阻擋牠們入侵。
(法新社/翻譯:林亞蒂)
A: Artificial intelligence technology has been causing controversy lately: a student was caught cheating with AI to win the grand prize in an art contest. B: That’s so absurd. Does this mean that AI paints better than humans? A: Maybe. Luckily, the student was later disqualified. B: And more absurdly, it’s becoming more and more popular to use AI technology to “resurrect” people. A: Yeah, some netizens even posted videos featuring the late singer CoCo Lee, who was “resurrected” by them with AI software. A: 人工智慧的爭議不斷,有學生違規使用AI參加美術展,甚至贏得首獎。 B: 真誇張,這是不是代表AI比人類還強大? A: 或許吧,幸好得獎資格被取消。 B: 還有更誇張的︰讓死者重現的「AI復活」技術越來越熱門。 A: 對啊,還有網友製作已故歌后李玟「復活」的影片呢! (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
It’s no secret that Japanese people have a deep affection for noodles. Like in the rest of East Asia, noodles are an important staple food, second only to rice. Japanese people have enjoyed noodles for over 1,000 years. The first noodles came from China and were introduced around 800 CE. As time passed, noodles in Japan not only became widespread but also developed some unique Japanese characteristics. The three most popular types of noodles in Japan are ramen, soba, and udon. Ramen, typically made from wheat flour, is usually thin and firm. The dough is kneaded and left to
Rice is an essential ingredient in Taiwanese cuisine. Many foods are made of rice, adding more variety to our cooking, such as rice cake, or “gui.” Wagui is made by steaming rice flour batter in a bowl. The term “gui” refers to a type of food made from rice, while “wa” refers to a bowl. The pronunciation of “gui” in Taiwanese Hokkien is similar to the word for “nobility” in Chinese, so it is common for people to prepare various types of gui, including wagui, as offerings to the gods or ancestors,. 米是台灣重要的主食,用米製成的食品十分多元,豐富我們的飲食,如米做成的「粿」。粿的意思是米做成的糕點,碗粿是將在來米漿倒入碗中蒸熟,因而得名。粿因為音同「貴」,因此碗粿等粿食常用作供品祭拜神明和祖先。 nobility (n.) 高貴,高尚;貴族 offering (n.) 供品 While Taiwan may not be
Continued from yesterday(延續自昨日) https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang As with many aspects of Japanese culture, there is etiquette to follow when you enjoy noodles. To fully experience noodles like a local on your next visit to Japan, consider these simple guidelines. First, be careful where you put your chopsticks. Don’t leave them sticking up in the broth or set them at the side of the bowl. When you have finished eating or if you’re taking a break, place them on the chopstick rest next to the bowl. Also, it is impolite to wave chopsticks around or bring them above mouth-level. Second, don’t take too