Nearly 100,000 messages from WWF activists over the past four years helped convince the U.S. Congress to steadily increase funding for the protection of great apes. Even now, Congress is poised to approve more than $1 million for great ape conservation for the coming year. 过去四年来，超过10万封来自 WWF (World Wildlife Fund, 世界野生动物基金会) 行动人士的信件，已促使美国国会逐年增加保育野生大型灵长类的资金赞助。 明年的预算甚至可望超过100万美金。 However, these funds are woefully insufficient to address the crisis affect- ing one of the most loved great apes -- the gorilla. 然而，对於最受到人们喜爱的大猩猩 (Gorilla gorilla) 来说， 这个金额似乎还是不够的。 Thousands of lowland gorillas are being slaughtered and the trend is alarming: once hunted only by local people to feed their own families, gorillas are now being gunned down with automatic weapons, murdered simply to be served smoked, or as a steak or stew in "gourmet" restaurants as far away as Paris or Brussels. 数以千计的低地大猩猩正在遭到屠杀； 一度仅止於当地人民为了养活家人而进行的猎杀行为， 现在已被配有现代化武器，大规模企业化的猎补行为所取代， 而这些都只为了满足那些远在巴黎或布鲁塞尔的老饕贪得无餍的胃口。 Habitat loss, poaching for a growing commercial bushmeat trade, and most recently an outbreak of Ebola that is affecting human and ape populations alike, threaten to decimate Africa's population of lowland gorillas and other great apes. 栖地的破坏，商业盗猎行为，甚至到最近又爆发的伊波拉病毒， 这所有的不利因子综合起来，加速了这些大型猿类族群的消失。 WWF has launched an emergency response to this crisis. We have created a plan to safeguard gorillas -- stepped up anti-poaching activities, increased support for protected areas, and innovative efforts with multinational logging companies to stem their harmful actions -- WWF 已拟定几个计画以保护他们，包括发起反盗猎活动，增加保护区的援助， 阻止跨国伐木公司的入侵 等等。 and we want you there by our side once again. With a donation to WWF, you can make a difference in our life or death efforts to save wildlife and wild spaces. Your contribution supports programs that protect gorillas and other wildlife rescue projects where the need is most urgent. Right now, the odds may seem stacked against the gorilla's survival, but we haven't given up -- and neither should you. WWF 已发起紧急动员令， 希望能够透过这封信，唤起全世界保育人士的关心； 并且透过捐款，让所有有心帮助保育非洲大猩猩的人们， 都能够尽自己的一分心力。 Sincerely, Kathryn S. Fuller President WWF的网址: http://www.panda.org/ -- Think, talk, feel. And life will be different. --

※ 发信站: 批踢踢实业坊(ptt.cc) ◆ From: 140.112.7.59