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There is new hope for the future of a population of endangered butterflies in the American state of California.
美国加利福尼亚州一个濒危蝴蝶种群的未来有了新的希望。
Last year, a count of the orange-and-black Western monarchs reached a record low of about 1,900.
去年，橙黑相间的西部帝王蝶的数量约为1900只，达到了历史新低。
But this year, butterfly counters are reporting tens of thousands more Western monarchs.
但今年，蝴蝶计数者报告的西部帝王蝶的数量有数万只。
The insects live along California's central coast in winter.
这种昆虫冬天生活在加利福尼亚州的中央海岸。
The non-profit science group Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation carries out the official study every year.
非营利科学组织无脊椎动物保护协会Xerces每年都会进行官方研究。
It just opened the first period of this year's count on November 13.
该组织刚刚在11月13日开启了今年第一期的统计。
But it says early reports are positive.
但该组织表示，早期的报告是积极的。
Sarina Jepsen is director of Endangered Species at Xerces Society.
萨琳娜·杰普森是Xerces协会濒危物种项目的主任。
She says volunteer counters have reported the presence of as many as 50,000 monarchs in the last few weeks.
她说，志愿计数者曾报告称，在过去的几周里，有多达5万只帝王蝶出现。
Jepsen says the finding is "…not a recovery, but we're really optimistic and just really glad that there are monarchs here and that gives us a bit of time to work toward recovery of the Western monarch migration."
杰普森表示，该调查结果“……不代表帝王蝶恢复迁徙，但我们真的很乐观，真的很高兴这里有帝王蝶，这给了我们一点时间来恢复西部帝王蝶的迁徙。”
In the 1980s, millions of Western monarchs gathered in trees from northern California down to western Mexico.
在20世纪80年代，数以百万计的西部帝王蝶聚集在从加利福尼亚北部到墨西哥西部的树上。
Now, their wintering sites are mostly on California's central coast.
现在，它们的过冬地点大多在加利福尼亚州的中央海岸。
Western monarch butterflies travel south from the Pacific Northwest to California each winter.
每年冬天，西部帝王蝶都会从太平洋西北部向南迁徙到加利福尼亚州。
They return to the same places and even the same trees, where they gather.
它们会回到同样的地方，甚至是聚集在同样的树上。
The monarchs usually arrive in California at the beginning of November.
帝王蝶通常在11月初抵达加利福尼亚州。
They spread across the country once warmer weather arrives in March.
三月天气一转暖，它们就会遍布全国。
The Western monarch butterfly population has decreased by more than 99 percent since the 1980s.
自20世纪80年代以来，西部帝王蝶的数量已经减少了99%以上。
Another monarch population on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains travels from southern Canada and the northeastern United States to spend the winter in western Mexico.
落基山脉东侧的另一群帝王蝶从加拿大南部和美国东北部迁徙到墨西哥西部过冬。
Scientists estimate the monarch population in the eastern U.S. has fallen about 80 percent since the mid-1990s.
科学家估计，自20世纪90年代中期以来，美国东部帝王蝶的数量已经下降了约80%。
Monarchs from across the West migrate yearly to about 100 wintering sites along central California's Pacific coast.
帝王蝶每年从西部迁徙到加利福尼亚中部的太平洋海岸的大约100处过冬地点。
One of the best-known wintering places is the Monarch Grove Sanctuary in the city of Pacific Grove.
最著名的过冬地点之一是太平洋格罗夫君主树林保护区。
Pacific Grove, California, known as "Butterfly Town, USA," has worked for years to help the decreasing monarch population.
加利福尼亚州的太平洋格罗夫被称为“美国蝴蝶镇”。该地多年来一直致力于帮助数量不断减少的帝王蝶种群。
The city holds a parade to celebrate the butterflies every October.
每年10月，该市都会举行游行来为蝴蝶庆祝。
It also bans human interference with the monarchs.
它还禁止人类干预帝王蝶。
The crime carries a $1,000 fine.
这项罪行将被罚款1000美元。
Last year, no monarchs appeared in Pacific Grove.
去年，帝王蝶没有出现在太平洋格罗夫。
But this year, an early count found that more than 13,000 of the insects had moved in.
但今年，一项早期的统计发现，超过1.3万只帝王蝶已经迁徙至此地。
Scientists do not know why the population increased this year.
科学家们不知道今年帝王蝶数量增加的原因。
But Jepsen said it is likely a combination of reasons, including better conditions on their breeding grounds.
但杰普森说，这可能是多种原因的结合，包括它们的繁殖地更好的条件。
Monarch butterflies lack state and federal legal protection that could keep their territory from being destroyed.
帝王蝶缺乏州和联邦的法律保护，因此无法保证它们的栖息地不被破坏。
Last year, the butterflies were denied federal protection.
去年，联邦政府拒绝保护帝王蝶。
But the insects are now among the candidates for listing under the federal Endangered Species Act.
根据《濒危物种法案》，这种昆虫现在已被列入濒危物种名单。
I'm Jonathan Evans.
乔纳森·埃文斯为您播报。
译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
