South African’s Robben Island museum will be closed while authorities cull a colony of rabbits that has invaded the site where Nelson Mandela was jailed.

一群兔子已经侵入尼尔森．曼德拉之前被囚禁的地点，在主管单位成功控制数量前，南非罗本岛的纪念馆都将关闭。

cull （对野生动物）选择性屠杀

Authorities said on Tuesday the museum, popular with tourists wanting to see the former president’s cell, would be temporarily closed while the rabbits were killed to protect plant life and historical buildings at the World Heritage site.

主管机关周二说，在扑杀兔子以保护这座世界遗产所在地的植物及历史性建筑时，这间因为观光客都想看前总统牢房而闻名的纪念馆将会暂时关闭。

"The current population is so large that it threatens to permanently damage the island’s sensitive vegetation, and poses a serious threat to other fauna(一个地区或时代的)全部动物 species," Seelan Naidoo, the museum’s acting chief executive said in a statement.

「（兔子）现在的数量实在太大，恐怕会永远损害这座岛上易受干扰的植被，也会严重威胁当地其他动物」，纪念馆的代主管西朗．奈都在声明中说。

He said the exact number of rabbits was unknown.

他说，兔子的确实数量还无法确定。

The culling would be followed by a sterilization（绝育） programme to sustain a small, manageable rabbit population. The island museum, located offshore from Cape Town, will be closed from November 1 to 16.

扑杀后的控制方式可能会以结扎计画维持一群数量少、可管理的兔群。位在开普敦外海的罗本岛纪念馆将在11月1日到16日间关闭。

新闻辞典

colony：殖民地、聚居地，生物学上则指生物的群落。a colony of tigers，一群老虎。

cell：细胞，但也是牢房的计算单位。a prisoner’s cell，1间牢房。

vegetation：植被。例句：Lacking proper vegetation leads to desertification.（缺乏适当植被将导致沙漠化。）