美国阿拉斯加州野生动物学家正在收集驼鹿的遗传物质，以试图获得这种大型动物的正确数量。
The counting is being done in Alaska's largest city, Anchorage. Many moose are found within the limits of the city of 300,000 people. But officials are not sure how many moose pass through the area.
这项统计工作正在阿拉斯加州最大城市安克雷奇市进行。在这座30万人口城市的范围内发现了很多驼鹿，但是有关官员并不确定有多少驼鹿经过该地区。
The counting process is not easy. The animals continually move and the city covers an area of over 5,000 square kilometers.
这一统计过程并不轻松。动物们不断移动，而这座城市的面积超过了5千平方公里。
In the past, officials used low-flying airplanes to watch for moose on the ground to estimate numbers. But rules from the city's airport now bar such flights.
官员们以前利用低空飞行的飞机观察地面上的驼鹿来估算数量，但是该市机场的规定现在禁止这么做。
So Alaska's Department of Fish and Game is experimenting with a new method for counting the city's moose. They are collecting genetic material called DNA from the animals. They say this will permit them to get better estimates and identify each individual moose without having to capture them.
所以阿拉斯加州渔猎局正在试验一种统计该市驼鹿数量的新方法。他们正在收集这些动物的DNA遗传物质。他们表示，这将让他们更好地估算出数量，并在无需捕获的前提下确定每只驼鹿。
Biologists sought help from the public during their three-day project last month. They asked people to call or send text messages to report when they saw a moose. Teams of moose trackers then quickly drove to the areas.
上个月生物学家们在为期三天的项目中寻求了公众的帮助。他们让人们看到驼鹿时给他们打电话或发短信。驼鹿追踪队随后会迅速赶到这些地区。
The teams shot the moose with special darts designed to capture small pieces of skin and hair. The darts are weighted so they fall off the moose and can be collected. Researchers say the darts do not hurt the animals. The skin and fur are then taken to a laboratory to be studied.
这些队伍用特制飞镖射击驼鹿，以获得小块的皮肤或毛发。这些飞镖被加重，所以它们会从驼鹿身上掉落，然后被收集起来。研究人员说这些飞镖不会伤害这些动物。这些皮肤和毛发随后被带回实验室研究。
Biologist Dave Battle helped lead the project. He told the Associated Press that until now, officials had to take an "educated guess" about the number of moose in the city.
生物学家戴夫·巴特尔(Dave Battle)协助领导了这个项目。他对美联社表示，到目前为止，有关官员只能对这座城市的驼鹿数量进行一次“有依据的推测。”
"There's really been no technique up until now. And it's something we've been kind of beating our heads against the wall for the last couple of years about," he said.
他说：“到目前为止都没有什么技术手段，这也是我们过去几年一直碰壁的原因。”
The project is paid for with taxes on firearms, ammunition, and archery equipment, as well as state hunting licenses.
该项目的资金来源于枪支、弹药、射箭设备以及国家狩猎许可证的税收。
Battle says the technology is allowing officials to improve their knowledge and management of the moose population in the Anchorage area. But he added that it will take some time to study the DNA material to come up with specific numbers.
巴特尔表示，这项技术允许有关官员提高他们对安克雷奇地区驼鹿种群的认识和管理。但是他补充说，通过研究DNA材料得出具体数字还需要一些时间。
Safety was a big concern during the project. Moose, which weigh up to 700 kilograms, can be aggressive and dangerous to people.
项目期间的安全是一大担忧。重达7百公斤的驼鹿对人们具有侵略性和危险性。
Moose can cause deadly traffic accidents and also can harm people and other animals by stepping on them.
驼鹿会造成严重交通事故，也可能会通过踩踏伤害到人类和其它动物。
I'm Bryan Lynn.
我是布莱恩·林恩。(51VOA.COM原创翻译，禁止转载，违者必究！)