Environmentalists in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro state are concerned about a recent drop in population numbers of the threatened golden lion tamarin.

巴西里约热内卢州的环保人士对最近受到威胁的金狮面狨的数量下降感到担忧。

So, they have built a bridge across a busy roadway to help the monkeys move around a wider forested area.

因此，他们在一条繁忙的道路上修建了一座桥，以帮助这些猴子在更广阔的丛林地带活动。

The Atlantic Forest of Rio de Janeiro state is the only place in the world where the golden lion tamarin still exists in the wild.

里约热内卢州的大西洋森林是世界上唯一一个野生金狮面狨存在的地方。

Conservation efforts have increased their numbers, bringing the animals back from near total loss.

由于当地采取了保护措施，所以它们的数量有所增加，使它们从几乎灭绝的状态中恢复过来。

But an outbreak of yellow fever disease in 2018 killed off 32 percent of the population.

但2018年爆发的黄热病导致32%的金狮面狨死亡。

Today, there are an estimated 2,500 golden lion tamarins in the wild.

如今，据估计，野生金狮面狨的数量为2500只。

The environmentalists were especially fearful for a group of monkeys that had become isolated, or separated, from other tamarins.

环保人士尤其担心一群已经与其他金狮面狨隔离的猴子。

They became separated because of a roadway.

它们被一条路所隔离。

Luis Paulo Marques Ferraz is executive director of the project that works to protect the numbers of golden lion tamarins.

路易斯·保罗·马克斯·费拉兹是该项目的执行董事，该项目致力于增加金狮面狨的数量。

He told Reuters, "Scientists have shown that the population living there would be completely isolated from the other side of the road and that would create a real problem in terms of conservation."

他告诉路透社，“科学家们已经证明，生活在那里的金狮面狨会完全与道路另一边的金狮面狨隔离，这将在保护方面造成真正的问题。”

"Genetically that population would be isolated and that is really bad.

他还说：“从基因上讲，这个群体被隔离真的很糟糕。

We need a large forest protected and connected," he added.

我们需要一片受保护并相连的大森林。”

The bridge was built last year.

这座桥是去年建造的。

It has been planted with trees and other plants in hopes of making a natural pathway that appeals to the tamarins.

这座桥上种植了树木和其他植物，希望能形成一条吸引金狮面狨的自然通道。

The plant-life is still young and will take time to grow to a size usable for the monkeys.

桥上的植物还很幼小，需要时间才能长到猴子可以使用的大小。

Ferraz said that a population of 2,000 golden lion tamarins should have at least 25,000 hectares of forest.

费拉兹说，2000只金狮面狨应该拥有至少2.5万公顷的森林。

But the forest is broken up by open fields, roads and towns.

但是森林被开阔的田野、道路和城镇分割开来。

Conservation groups estimate that the golden lion tamarin has lost about 95 percent of its original environment in Brazil.

保护组织估计，金狮面狨在巴西已经失去了大约95%的原始环境。

"That's why this bridge here was so strategic and important for the conservation program," Ferraz said.

费拉兹说：“这就是这里的这座桥对保护项目具有如此重要的战略意义的原因。”

I'm Jonathan Evans.

乔纳森·埃文斯为您播报。

来源：VOA News