Chimpanzees1 are our closest living relatives. I have been lucky enough to spend most of my life studying these fascinating creatures. Now I travel the world teaching about wildlife conservation. Along the way, I've met thousands of caring young people who are enthusiastic2 about helping protect animals and who want to know what they can do to help. Here are ten suggestions:
RESPECT ALL LIFE． It's true that bees sting and sharks bite, so it's smart to be cautious. And tapeworm3 are simply too revolting4 to love. But we don't need to love a creature to respect it for the amazing way it has evolved. And you can control your fear by learning about an animal's habits and staying out of its way. In all my years in the forest, not once did any leopard5, buffalo6, snake, or scorpion7 hurt me.
THINK OF ANIMALS AS INDIVIDUALS． When I first began writing reports about my “study subjects8” and referred to them by name, scientists were shocked! They thought I should give chimpanzees like Flo and David Greybeard identifying9 numbers instead of names. But names are important; they make animals special. Once I was giving a speech and a fly flew into the room. I had just been talking about the need to respect all life. Oh, no. I thought. Somebody is going to swat10 that fly. So I said, “Do you see that fly who has come in through the window? I think her name is Elizabeth.” And nobody swatted that fly! By naming the fly Elizabeth, I helped people see her as more than just another insect. Elizabeth had become an individual.
DARE TO ADMIT THAT HUMANS AREN＇T THE ONLY THINKING, FEELING BEINGS ON THE PLANET. How do I know? When I was 12 years old, I had a marvelous teacher—a small black dog named Rusty. Rusty was so intelligent that if I caught him stealing food off the table, he'd roll over on his back and act guilty. But if I scolded11 him for doing something he didn't realize was bad, he sulked12! Rusty would go over to the wall and sit with his nose almost touching it. Even if I offered him walks or nibbles13, he wouldn't budge14. Only when I went down on my knees and apologized to him would Rusty stop sulking.
GET TO KNOW ANIMALS． Avoid taming15 any creature (such as a deer) that might later be captured or shot because you've made it trust people. But if it (and you!) will be safe, try setting out food for the animal to eat. Then sit quietly a little distance away and observe. Take notes and try to imagine what the animal's life is like. You can do the same with a pet—yours or someone else's.
BE WILLING TO LEARN FROM ANIMALS． Many possess mysterious powers that humans lack. I am in awe of migrating16 birds, butterflies, and salmon17, which all manage to navigate18 across thousands of miles of unfamiliar territory19. And I am amazed when I hear about pets like Ninja, a tomcat20 who traveled 850 miles to get to his old home. Soon after moving with his owners from Utah to Washington State, Ninja disappeared. He showed up again a year later—back at their old house in Utah! How did he find it?
SPEAK UP FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE． Caitlin Alegre, 13, of Oakland, California, hated how some cosmetic companies put guinea pigs21, rabbits, and mice through misery in order to test the safety of their products. So she pinned posters to trees and handed out informational leaflets. Now 16, she writes inspirational songs for her band, the Envirochicks. Once people know which companies are humane22 and which are not, Caitlin feels sure that most will buy only from humane companies. Then the other companies will change their ways.
USE LESS PAPER, GASOLINE, AND RED MEAT． These are three products that contribute to reasons the rain forest homes of many animals are being destroyed. And it's easy to conserve. Simply reusing, recycling, and using less paper means loggers will cut down fewer trees. You can even help preserve rain forest by riding bikes, walking, and eating more veggie burritos23 than hamburgers. Saving gas and eating less beef can help reduce the need to clear rain forest land for oil production and grazing cattle.
BE INSPIRED BY THE WORK OF OTHERS． Not many of us could bear to do what 16-year-old Lisa Thomas does. There are so many stray dogs in her hometown of Johannesburg, South Africa, that the local animal shelter regularly puts some to sleep. On those difficult days, Lisa visits the shelter and spends ten minutes petting24 and talking to each doomed25 animal. That way every dog experiences at least some love in its life and dies knowing human caring.
JOIN ROOTS ＆ SHOOTS． This is a program I started to help young people learn about animals and nature. As of today, groups have sprung up in more than 70 countries, and they're accomplishing wonderful things. One group, in Chicago, launched an investigation when a water bottling company suggested building a new plant at the head of a stream. The group's research showed that the factory would cause serious environmental harm, so the entire project was put on hold!
HAVE HOPE． Believe that what you do matters. Yes, you're only one person out of more than six billion people living on this planet. And yes, a lot of damage has been done. But just think. If you and I and everyone else who reads this takes care not to harm the environment, animals, or each other—what a difference it will make! Together we can change the world.
黑猩猩是与我们最近的亲戚。我十分幸运，一生大部分时间在研究这种令人着迷的动物。现在我周游世界，作保护野生动物方面的巡回演讲。沿途我遇到成千上万的年轻人，他们有爱心，热心保护动物，想知道怎样才能助一臂之力。以下是我的十条建议。
1. 尊重一切生命。当然，蜂会螫人，鲨鱼会咬人，所以小心没错。绦虫太恶心，没法让人喜欢。但我们不必非爱上一个动物，才能尊重它不可思议的进化方式。而且只有了解动物的习性，不去妨碍它，我们才能减少恐惧。我多年在丛林里，一次也没受到猎豹、野牛、蛇或蝎子的伤害。
2. 把每个动物当作独特个体。我最初写我那些“研究对象”的报告，按名字称呼它们时，科学家们都惊呆了！他们认为我应该给弗洛、灰胡子大卫这样的黑猩猩一些识别号码，而不是人名。但是名字很重要，它们让动物们显得特别。一次我正在讲演，一只苍蝇飞了进来，我当时正在讲尊重一切生命的必要性。噢，糟糕，我当时想，有人会拍死那只苍蝇的。我就说：“你们看到那只从窗户里进来的苍蝇了吗？我想她叫伊莉莎白。”果然没人拍那只苍蝇！叫它伊莉莎白，我就让人们看到，它不仅仅是另一只昆虫。伊莉莎白成了独特的生命个体。
3. 勇于承认，地球上能思考、有感情的不只是人。我怎么知道？12岁时，我有个了不起的老师，一只名叫拉斯蒂的小黑狗。它非常聪明，要是它从桌上偷东西吃被我逮住了，它就仰在地上打滚，表示内疚。要是它做了什么事，自己没意识到不对，而我训了它，它就绷着个脸！它走到墙边，鼻子几乎贴墙，就那样坐在那儿。就算我表示主动，要带它遛遛，或喂它狗食，它都一动不动。非得我跪在地上，跟它道歉，它才不再蹩气！
4. 试着了解动物。如果驯养会使动物（如鹿）对人过分信赖，以至后来可能被人捕捉或射杀，那就不要去驯养动物。但是如果对它（对你也一样！）并无危险，就可以尝试着放些食物给动物吃，你则静静地坐在一定距离之外观察，记些笔记，试着想像动物是如何生活的。这种方法也适于宠物，不管是你的还是别人的。
5. 虚心向动物学习。许多动物身上拥有人类缺乏的神秘力量。我对候鸟、蝴蝶和鲑鱼充满敬畏。它们能跨越数千英里的陌生地域而不迷路。我听说过一只叫宁佳的宠物猫的故事，惊奇不已。宁佳居然可以徒步850英里回到原来的老屋。跟着主人从犹他州搬家到华盛顿州不久，宁佳就失踪了。它再次出现是一年以后，在他们犹他州的老房里！它是怎样找到回去的路的？
6. 大胆讲出自己的信念。加尼弗利亚州奥克兰市13岁的凯特玲·阿里格十分痛恨一些化妆品公司的行径，他们为了试验自己公司产品的安全性，没少让豚鼠、兔和老鼠遭罪。于是她就在树上贴招贴画，散发保护动物的知识性传单。现年16岁的她，在为自己的乐队“环保小妞”写一些励志歌词。她相信，一旦人们知道哪些公司人道哪些公司残忍，大多数人就会只买人道的公司的产品，其他公司也就不得不改变作法了。
7. 少消费些纸张、汽油和牛羊肉。这三类产品导致许多动物的热带雨林栖息地被毁。要保护这些地方也不难。对纸张重复使用、回收利用和节省利用，就意味着伐木工人少砍不少树。甚至通过骑自行车，步行，吃蔬菜饼而不是汉堡包，你就为保护热带雨林出了力。节约汽油和少吃牛肉也有助于减少开采石油和放牧对热带雨林土地的开垦。
8. 从别人的事迹中获得启示。16岁的丽莎·托马斯能做的事，我们没有多少人做得到。在她家乡，南非的约翰内斯堡，无家可归的狗太多，当地的动物保护中心定期让一些狗睡过去，人道地处置掉。那几天对狗来说可是艰难的日子，丽莎每天都去动物保护中心和它们呆上十分钟，爱抚每条面临末日的狗，和它们说说话。这样每条狗一生中至少经历了一点儿爱，死时体会到人类的关怀。
9. 参与到“根与笋”项目中来。这是我发起的一个活动项目，旨在帮助年轻人了解动物和大自然。到目前为止，在七十多个国家里涌现出众多活动小组，他们干成了一些了不起的事情。当一家瓶装水公司计划在一条溪流的源头新建一座工厂时，芝加哥的一个小组进行了调查，结果显示造厂会严重损害环境，所以整个建厂项目被迫中止！
10. 永不言弃。坚信你的努力不会白费。不错，你不过是生活在地球上的六十多亿人中的一个。不错，破坏已然太多。但想想吧：要是你，我，其他所有读到这10条建议的人，都小心不去伤害环境和动物，也不彼此伤害——这将产生多大的影响！携起手来，我们就能改变世界。
1. chimpanzee n． 黑猩猩
2． enthusiastic 热心的，热情的
3． tapeworm n． 绦虫
4． revolting adj． 使人厌恶的
5． leopard n 豹
6． buffalo n． 野牛
7． scorpion n． 蝎子
8． subject n． 实验对象
9． identify v． 识别
10． swat v． 重拍，猛击
11． scold v． 责骂
12． sulk v． 生气，愠怒
13． nibble n． 少量食物
14． budge v． （用于否定句）微微地动
15． tame [teim] v． 驯养
16． migrate v． 迁徒；移民
17． salmon n． 鲑鱼
18． navigate v． 航行；导航
19． territory n． 领土
20． tomcat n． 公猫
21． guinea pig n 豚鼠
22． humane ． 慈善的，人道的
23． veggie (＝vegetable ) burrito 蔬菜饼
24． pet [pet] v． 爱抚
25． doomed adj． 注定要死的