流行病迫使加拿大将大熊猫送回中国

流行病迫使加拿大将大熊猫送回中国

If there's one thing giant pandas can't live without, it's bamboo. These burly bears munch through anywhere from 20 to 40 pounds of it a day, with some scarfing down 80 pounds in that window. And in the wild, giant pandas spend at least half of every day looking for bamboo. In fact, it's so important to pandas, it may even influence the iconic markings on their coat.

如果有一样东西是大熊猫离不开的，那就是竹子。这些强壮的熊猫每天要吃20到40磅，有些会在窗户上吃80磅。在野外，大熊猫每天至少花一半的时间寻找竹子。事实上，这对熊猫来说非常重要，甚至可能会影响到它们皮毛上的标志性标记。

Before coming to the Calgary Zoo, Er Shun (pictured here) and Da Mao were the pandas-in-residence at the Toronto Zoo. (Photo: Reimar/Shutterstock.com)

So what happens when you have two giant pandas and run out of bamboo in the middle of a pandemic?

那么，如果你有两只大熊猫，在大流行期间竹子用完了怎么办?

Unfortunately, for one Canadian zoo, it means a sad return to sender. The Calgary Zoo has announced that the giant pandas in its care — Er Shun and Da Mao — are heading back to China.

不幸的是，对于一个加拿大动物园来说，这意味着对寄件人的悲哀的回报。卡尔加里动物园宣布，它所照顾的大熊猫——二顺和大毛——将返回中国。

The bears had been on loan to Canadian zoos since 2013, as part of a 10-year pact. But with much of the world locked down and flights canceled amid the COVID-19 outbreak, bamboo has become increasingly hard to come by in Canada.

自2013年起，这两只熊就被租借到加拿大动物园，作为为期10年的协议的一部分。但是，由于新冠肺炎疫情爆发，世界大部分地区都被封锁，航班被取消，加拿大的竹子越来越难买到。

Up until now, the zoo has been getting it shipped fresh directly from China, an option that's no longer available during these viral times.

到目前为止，动物园一直从中国直接运送新鲜大熊猫，但在病毒肆虐的时代，这种做法已经行不通了。

How to feed a panda

如何喂熊猫

Strangely enough, bamboo doesn't pack much in the way of nutrients. High in indigestible fiber and low in protein. To complicate things, unlike most herbivores, pandas don't have a long digestive tract to break down plants. Nor do they have the four-chambered stomach of a cow. Instead, pandas are built like meat-eaters — just a simple stomach and a short digestive tract.

奇怪的是，竹子的营养成分含量并不高。纤维不易消化，蛋白质含量低。更复杂的是，与大多数食草动物不同，大熊猫没有长时间的消化道来分解植物。他们也没有牛的四腔胃。相反，熊猫是食肉动物——只有一个简单的胃和一个短的消化道。

So how do they thrive on a strictly bamboo diet?

那么，它们是如何在严格的竹子饮食中茁壮成长的呢?

Giant panda Bei Bei eats bamboo at Smithsonian's National Zoo. (Photo: JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)

Research suggests it's all about the three most basic nutritional building blocks for mammals: nitrogen, phosphorus, and calcium. In China, where giant pandas live — and where they're currently considered a vulnerable species — different kinds of bamboo provide different nutrients. Pandas get their nitrogen and phosphorus by consuming young wood bamboo shoots. When they're low on calcium, they forage for arrow bamboo shoots, which are rich with the essential mineral. This explains why pandas spend so much of their lives seeking out bamboo. It also explains why zoos have a hard time keeping up with their dietary needs.

研究表明，这一切都是关于哺乳动物最基本的三种营养元素:氮、磷和钙。在中国，大熊猫生活的地方——它们目前被认为是脆弱的物种——不同种类的竹子提供不同的营养。熊猫通过吃嫩竹笋来获取氮和磷。当它们的钙含量低时，它们会去寻找富含必需矿物质的箭笋。这就解释了为什么熊猫会花大把的时间寻找竹子。这也解释了为什么动物园很难满足它们的饮食需求。

And that's before you factor in a global pandemic.

这还不包括全球大流行的因素。

"Er Shun and Da Mao will be deeply missed by staff, volunteers, donors and visitors from around the world," the Calgary Zoo noted in the release. "

卡尔加里动物园在新闻稿中写道:“来自世界各地的工作人员、志愿者、捐赠者和游客将深深怀念二顺和大毛。”

The zoo also noted that people won't be able to personally bid the bears a fond farewell. The facilities are temporarily closed. And, of course, pandemic or not, a giant panda naturally requires a little social distancing.

动物园还注意到，人们无法亲自向熊猫道别。这些设施暂时关闭。当然，不管是不是流行病，大熊猫都需要一点社交距离。

You can, however, relive those happier days when Er Shun gave birth to a pair of bouncing baby cubs during her time at the Toronto Zoo.

然而，你可以重温在多伦多动物园时，二顺生下一对活泼的幼崽的快乐时光。