Quiet Please! Don't Disturb the Pandas

Pandas, which are found only in the mountainous regions of China, are at risk of disappearing completely. One reason for this is that these creatures stubbornly refuse to mate. For a long time, scientists have been trying to understand why.

A recent test at the San Diego Zoo may have found the answer: pandas may be put off mating by noise. In the test, pandas were taught to move whenever they heard a noise. It was discovered that these bears have excellent ears and are very sensitive to sound.

This discovery is important because pandas use sound to find mates. They bark at each other from far away, and the sound they make contains information about where they are. Pandas continue to communicate like this even when they get close to each other. If noises from human activity disturb them, they may find it difficult to locate a partner. By gaining a better understanding of how noise affects panda behavior, scientists hope to ensure the survival of these lovely bears.

請安靜！別打擾貓熊
只見於中國山區的貓熊正處於完全消失的危險中。造成的原因之一是這些動物頑固地拒絕交配。長久以來，科學家一直努力要了解原因。
最近一項在聖地牙哥動物園的試驗可能已找到了答案︰貓熊可能因噪音而不願交配。在這項試驗中，貓熊被教導每聽到噪音時就移動。科學家發現這些熊有絕佳的聽力且對聲音非常敏感。
這項發現很重要，因為貓熊利用聲音來尋找交配對象。牠們從遠處對著彼此吼叫，而所發出的聲音包含牠們在哪裡的訊息。貓熊甚至連靠近彼此時也持續像這樣溝通。如果人類活動的聲音干擾牠們，牠們可能就難以找到伴侶的位置。藉由更加了解聲音如何影響貓熊的行為，科學家希望確保這些討喜的熊能夠存活。

2016/10/19(三)