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The U.S. government has agreed to a request from environmental groups to study increasingly important habitats for North Pacific right whales.
美国政府已同意环保组织的要求，对北太平洋露脊鲸日益重要的栖息地进行研究。
The animals are among the rarest whales in the world.
这些动物是世界上最稀有的鲸鱼之一。
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries estimates there are about 30 North Pacific right whales left in the world.
美国国家海洋和大气管理局（NOAA）渔业部估计，世界上约有30头北太平洋露脊鲸。
Centuries of hunting, ship strikes, and entrapment in fishing equipment have badly harmed the species.
几个世纪以来的狩猎、船只碰撞事故和捕鱼设备的诱捕对该物种造成了严重伤害。
They have been listed as endangered since 1973.
自1973年以来，它们一直被列为濒危物种。
In 2008, NOAA declared two areas in the northern Pacific Ocean as critical habitats for the whales.
2008年，美国国家海洋和大气管理局宣布北太平洋的两个区域为这类鲸鱼的重要栖息地。
One area is about 3,043 square kilometers in the Gulf of Alaska.
其中一个区域位于阿拉斯加湾，面积约为3043平方公里。
The other is 91,841 square kilometers in the southeast Bering Sea.
另一个区域位于白令海东南部，面积为91841平方公里。
Two groups -- the Center for Biological Diversity and Save the North Pacific Right Whale -- are asking the agency to increase the protected areas by connecting them.
两个组织——生物多样性中心和拯救北太平洋露脊鲸——要求该机构通过联系它们来增加保护区。
NOAA said in a statement that this would increase the Bering Sea boundary west and south.
美国国家海洋和大气管理局在一份声明中表示，这将会增加白令海西部和南部的边界面积。
The proposal would also extend the critical habitat area off Alaska’s Kodiak Island east to the Gulf of Alaska to include new feeding grounds.
该提议还将扩大阿拉斯加科迪亚克岛以东至阿拉斯加湾的重要栖息地，以包括新的捕食区。
The Center for Biological Diversity said these feeding grounds for the whales were confirmed by new research.
生物多样性中心表示，新的研究已经证实了这类鲸鱼的捕食区。
Kristin Carden is a scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity.
克里斯汀·卡登是生物多样性中心的科学家。
She said in a statement, “Safeguarding the North Pacific right whale’s habitat is crucial to protecting these magnificent animals.”
她在一份声明中说：“保护北太平洋露脊鲸的栖息地对于保护这些伟大的动物至关重要。”
Carden added, “The threats to North Pacific right whales grow with each passing day.”
卡登还说：“北太平洋露脊鲸面临的威胁与日俱增。”
NOAA Fisheries said the extended habitat would include productive fishing areas and paths that many ships take.
美国国家海洋和大气管理局渔业部表示，扩大的栖息地将包括多产的捕鱼区和许多船只途径的地方。
But it also would include places where the large whales have been seen and heard.
但它也将包括大型鲸鱼被看到和听到的地方。
The environmental groups said in their request to NOAA that physical and biological features in the proposed critical habitat require special considerations and protections.
环保组织在向美国国家海洋和大气管理局提出的要求中表示，被提议的重要栖息地的物理和生物特征需要特别考虑和保护。
They may include placing speed limits on ships.
它们可能包括对船只设置速度限制。
Keven Campion is with the Save the North Pacific Right Whale group.
凯文·坎皮恩是拯救北太平洋露脊鲸组织的成员。
He said the proposal is, “is a step in the right direction for making sure these animals get to exist on the planet.”
他说，这项提议是“朝着确保这些动物在地球上生存的正确方向迈出的一步。”
NOAA Fisheries is taking comments on the proposal until September.
美国国家海洋和大气管理局渔业部正在征求公众对该提议的意见，截止时间是9月。
The agency must publish its decision within a year.
该机构必须在一年内公布其决定。
I’m Jill Robbins.
吉尔·罗宾斯为您播报。
译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
