Scientists Hope to Protect Seals by Understanding Their Sound (2)

Scientists Hope to Protect Seals by Understanding Their Sound

Once hunted to near-extinction, the northern elephant seals have rebounded. Now, scientists are concerned about the potential human impact on the growing population, and they hope that understanding the seals' communication and organization will help protect the bulbous-nosed cutie-pies.

"The more we can learn, the more we can predict how they'll respond to these types of encroachments and better protect them," said Caroline Casey, the project's field research coordinator.

And as winter ends it might seem quiet during a visit to Año Nuevo because most of the seals have left this favored breeding ground. Make no mistake, though, they are among the loudest animals on land. Their calls can [be] as loud as a jackhammer, with frequencies low enough to vibrate the sand around them. To understand what all the fuss is about, Southall has been recording their rumblings from 3 feet away.

"It's kind of crazy to think you're so close to 4,000-pound males while they're trying to fight," he said. "You can feel it resonating in your chest and sinus cavities." The team found that each male has a unique call.

Info Could

cutie-pies
在英文我們對不同的人會用到不同的稱呼,
對於不認識的人可以用 mister 先生/ ma'am= madam 女士,
對於比較熟的朋友我們通常會用小名 nickname,
例如: Robert, 朋友可能會叫他 Rob 或 Bobby,
比較親密的像夫妻暱稱我們稱為 pet name,
像 darling, sweetheart, honey, sugar
本文作者用 cutie-pie 來形容北方象鼻海豹


Language Lab

rebound v. 回升, 重新振作
re 再一次
* The stock market rebounded yesterday after a week's poor performance.
經過一週表現普通之後, 股巿在昨天反彈
rebound n. 反彈, 籃板球 (重音放在第一個音節)

encroachment n. 侵入,侵占
* The range of rainforests is gradually shrinking because of the encroachment of land development.
由於土地發展的入侵, 雨林的範圍漸漸的縮小
encroach v.
* Our neighbor's shed encroached on our land.
我們鄰居的小木屋侵占到我們的土地

rumbling n. 轟隆聲、轆轆聲
rumble v.隆隆作響
* After living here for a while, I got used to the rumblings of the trains passing by.
我在這裡住一陣子之後, 習慣了經過的火車發出的隆隆聲
* The rumbling of the thunder frightened the baby.
小寶寶裡打雷的隆隆聲給嚇到了

cavity n. (身體的)腔；蛀牙
sinus cavity鼻腔
* The doctor looked at the patient's X-ray to make sure his chest cavity was clear.
醫生檢示病人的X光片, 確認他的胸腔是通暢的
* The cavity needs to be filled.
這個蛀牙要補

What's all the fuss about?



Link:
mms://webvod.goodtv.tv/SC/20130219_e1b46.wmv