一提到大熊貓,你可能會(huì)以為只有黑色和白色。
But meet Qi Zai, an extremely rare brown and white panda whose colourful appearance has left scientists scratching their heads。
但看看七仔,它是一只極其罕見的棕白色相間的大熊貓,它彩色的外表使科學(xué)家也摸不著頭腦。
While every bit as a cute as others of his species, he is a very special bear because there have only been five sightings of brown-white pandas since 1985。
雖然與其他大熊貓相比它的可愛程度不減,但它很特殊,因?yàn)樽詮?985年以來只發(fā)現(xiàn)了5只棕白相間的大熊貓。
Now aged five, he was found as a two-month-old cub, weak and alone, by researchers in a nature reserve in Qinling Mountains in China after his mother had apparently disappeared into the jungle。
現(xiàn)在它5歲了。在中國秦嶺自然保護(hù)區(qū)被研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn)時(shí),它還只是一只兩個(gè)月大的幼崽,很虛弱、很孤單,當(dāng)時(shí)它媽媽似乎已經(jīng)消失在叢林中了。
For his own safety, they took him to the nearby Shaanxi Rare Wildlife Rescue, Breeding and Research Centre where he was given medical treatment and fed on panda milk saved by the centre’s staff from other pandas。
為了它的安全,研究人員把它帶到了附近的陜西省珍稀野生動(dòng)物搶救飼養(yǎng)研究中心,在那兒對它進(jìn)行藥物治療,用中心的員工從其他熊貓那兒留下的熊貓奶喂養(yǎng)它。
He has since grown into the fine, eye-catching specimen he is today。
此后,它便長成了現(xiàn)如今這健康、引人注目的樣子。
These photographs were taken by Katherine Feng, an American vet and member of the International League of Conservation Photographers, who was delivering veterinary supplies to the centre donated by the US charity Pandas International。
這些照片是由凱瑟琳·馮拍攝的,她是一位美國獸醫(yī),同時(shí)也是國際自然保護(hù)攝影師聯(lián)盟的一員,她正為這個(gè)中心運(yùn)送美國大熊貓國際慈善團(tuán)體捐贈(zèng)的獸藥。
She was granted special permission to photograph him during the recent visit。
在她最近一次來訪期間,獲得特許給這只大熊貓拍照。
Qi Zai - who is also known as ‘seventh son’ by staff at the centre - is the same size and weight and has the same habits as other pandas with the usual black and white fur。
七仔(也被這個(gè)中心的員工稱為“第七個(gè)兒子”)和其他常見的黑白相間毛色大熊貓有著相同的大小、體重和習(xí)慣。
Scientists at the centre say further studies are necessary to unravel the mystery of why the brown and white pandas occur。
這個(gè)中心的科學(xué)家說有必要進(jìn)行深入研究,來解開棕白相間大熊貓的產(chǎn)生之謎。
The panda population in the Qinling Mountains is small and isolated with an estimated figure of between 200 and 300。
秦嶺大熊貓數(shù)量較少,估計(jì)在200只至300只之間。
Some experts at the centre have suggested that the brown fur could also have some links with the area’s unique geographical and climatic conditions, saying the soil and water in the area might influence the hair pigments of the pandas。
這個(gè)中心的一些專家表明,棕色皮毛可能也與這個(gè)地區(qū)獨(dú)特的地理和氣候條件有關(guān),比如說這一地區(qū)的土壤和水可能會(huì)影響大熊貓的毛色。