杜絕野味從小抓起
To stamp out bush meat, teach kids first
杜絕野味從小抓起
"The meat of masked civets can be eaten and has long been considered a rare' precious meat from the mountain'," says the Animal Encyclopedia for Children, a science book published by Wuhan University Press.
武漢大學出版社出版的科學書籍《兒童動物百科全書》上寫道：“果子狸長期以來都被視作一種稀有的山珍，其肉可食用。”
But following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, which has been linked to the consumption of bush meat, a reader complained online that the description was improper; the press responded by withdrawing the book from all shops.
但隨着新型冠狀病毒的爆發，有人認爲與食用野味相關，一位讀者在網上抱怨該書描述並不恰當；武漢大學出版社作出迴應，已在各大書店下架該書。
The action is welcomed, as some research shows the virus came from dead bats, while others suspect it might have been transmitted from bats to pangolins and from them to humans. Whichever animal was the host, researchers are in agreement that bush meat is not safe for consumption, and that masked palm civets, which caused the severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic in 2002-03, should definitely be taken off menus.
此舉受到大家的歡迎，因爲一些研究表明該病毒可能來自死蝙蝠，而其它研究懷疑該病毒是從蝙蝠傳染到穿山甲，再傳至人類的。無論該病毒的宿主是哪一種動物，研究員都一致認爲，食用野味並不安全，而引發2003年非典病毒的果子狸，也不應食用。
However, a public outcry alone cannot help. The law prohibits consumption of protected species, but those not on the protected list, like masked palm civets, become sitting ducks for those who love eating wild animals. Without a law in place, one cannot stop restaurants from serving wild animal meat, even though researchers know the dangers they pose.
但是，僅靠公衆的抗議是無濟於事的。法律禁止食用受保護的動物，但果子狸等動物並不在法律保護的名單之列，容易成爲野味愛好者的目標。沒有相關法律，我們就無法阻止餐館供應野味，即便研究員知道這樣做的潛在危害。
The first step toward legislation prohibiting bush meat is to build consensus. Education is essential－only when everyone realizes the dangers of eating bush meat will they give up the habit and push for legislation.
立法禁止野味的第一步應是建立共識。教育必不可少——只有當人人都意識到食用野味的危害後，他們纔會放棄這一習慣，推動法律的建立。
And such awareness should begin early. Teaching children from a young age not to consume wild animals will make it easier to ensure they refrain from doing so when they grow up.
這種意識應儘早開始。拒絕野味從小孩子抓起，降低他們長大後食用野味的可能性。
The Wuhan University Press encyclopedia has been withdrawn from shops, but that is because the press is located in Wuhan. It is hoped that other press houses across the country browse through their published books and make similar corrections. Striking out consumption of bush meat in children's reading material is a good way to begin.
武漢大學出版社出版的百科全書已從各大書店下架，但這是因爲該出版社位於武漢。希望全國其他出版社也能過一遍其出版的書籍並做出相應更正。杜絕兒童閱讀書籍中出現“野味可食用”字眼是一個很好的開始。
