【四级】华富里的人们不用和猴子打架了

People will no longer have to fight with monkeys in the historic Thai city of Lopburi.

在泰国历史名城华富里，人们再也不用和猴子打架了。

That is because of new efforts to keep the animals from reproducing and to limit their movements.

因为政府采取了新的措施来阻止这些动物繁殖，并限制它们的活动。

Before public health measures to control COVID-19 closed businesses in Lopburi, about 3,000 long-tailed macaques lived there.

在控制新冠肺炎的公共卫生措施关闭华富里的企业之前，大约有3000只长尾猕猴生活在那里。

The people of the city fed them and even had a yearly party for them.

城里的人给它们吃的，甚至每年都为它们举办聚会。

Tourists came to the city north of Bangkok to see the macaques in what was known as "Monkey City."

游客们来到曼谷以北的这座城市，在被称为“猴子城”的地方观看猕猴。

The macaques are believed to bring good luck.

人们认为猕猴会带来好运。

They live in the nearby forests and have long been a part of the city's history.

它们生活在附近的森林中，长期以来一直是这座城市历史的一部分。

But after Lopburi came out of the pandemic lockdown in the middle of 2022, people found that the monkeys had become unruly without people feeding them.

但在华富里于2022年年中从大流行封锁中走出来后，人们发现这些猴子在没有人喂养的情况下变得不守规矩。

Groups of macaques had taken over buildings.

成群的猕猴占领了建筑物。

They stole food and caused accidents by walking in the streets.

它们偷窃食物，走在街上引发事故。

Groups of the monkeys also fought each other, shocking local people.

成群结队的猴子还会相互打斗，震惊了当地人。

Some of the townspeople put up cages around their homes to keep the monkeys out.

一些镇上的居民在他们的房子周围挂上笼子，把猴子挡在门外。

Wisarut Somngam is a local researcher with the non-governmental organization, Ecoexist Society.

Wisarut Somngam是非政府组织生态共存协会的当地研究员。

He said the monkeys would steal from people by taking any container they thought might contain food.

他说，猴子会偷走它们认为可能装有食物的任何容器，偷走人们的东西。

People began to carry slingshots, a small weapon that shoots stones, to protect against the monkeys.

人们开始携带弹弓，这是一种发射石头的小武器，来防止猴子。

Earlier this year, officials began their efforts to catch the macaques.

今年早些时候，官员们开始努力捕捉猕猴。

By May, they were increasing the effort to prevent the monkeys from reproducing that began during the pandemic.

到了5月份，他们开始加大力度阻止猴子繁殖，这一努力始于大流行期间。

"Our goal is to neuter all the monkeys, 100 percent of them," said local veterinarian Patarapol Maneeorn from the government wildlife department in September.

9月份，来自政府野生动物部门的当地兽医帕塔拉波尔·马尼奥恩表示：“我们的目标是为所有猴子进行100%的绝育。”

The monkeys would then be put into an area where they will be looked after, he said.

他说，然后这些猴子将被放到一个区域，在那里它们将得到照顾。

Now, the situation in the city seems to be under control, as the officials have captured 1,600 of the monkeys.

现在，该市的局势似乎得到了控制，官员们已经捕获了1600只猴子。

Some animal rights groups agree the monkeys should be neutered, but they do not want them to be kept in captivity.

一些动物权利组织同意这些猴子应该被绝育，但他们不希望猴子被圈养起来。

Edwin Wiek is founder of Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand.

埃德温·维克是泰国野生动物之友基金会的创始人。

He said, "The monkeys are suffering because currently they're in a cage that is not designed for them."

他说：“猴子们正在受苦，因为它们目前被关在一个不是为它们设计的笼子里。”

Wiek pressed the government to increase funding for the government wildlife department to train people in animal care and treatment.

维克敦促政府增加对政府野生动物部门的资金，以培训人们在动物护理和治疗方面的知识。

The people of Lopburi are happy that the streets are safe again.

华富里的人们很高兴街道又恢复了安全。

Clock maker Chalit Nithiwkram said, "Things have become a little easier because most of the monkeys were captured. Life is easier."

钟表制造商Chalit Nithiwkram说：“因为大多数猴子都被捕获了，所以事情变得简单了一点。生活也容易了一些。”

He said his business is improving because people are no longer afraid to park near his shop.

他说，他的生意正在改善，因为人们不再害怕把车停在他的店附近。

For others, the monkeys are important to Lopburi.

对其他人来说，猴子对华富里很重要。

Supaporn Reanprayoorn operates a store near a temple where monkeys often gathered.

Supaporn ReanPrayoorn在一座寺庙附近经营着一家商店，那里经常有猴子聚集。

"Monkeys are part of Lopburi's identity," she said. She sometimes gave them a little food.

“猴子是华富里身份的一部分，”她说。她有时会给它们一点食物。

"Let tourists take pictures with them - just a hundred or two," she joked.

她开玩笑说：“游客可以和它们合影--就一两百只。”

I'm Andrew Smith.

我是安德鲁·史密斯。

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