富山市ファミリーパークで、国の特別天然記念物ニホンライチョウのひな7羽がふ化

Welcome to Japanese Daily News. I'm Maya. Today is July eleventh. Here's a heartwarming animal story from central Japan. At a park in Toyama, seven chicks of a very rare mountain bird have just hatched. Let's listen.

Now let's break it down, sentence by sentence.

At Toyama City Family Park, seven baby rock ptarmigans were born.

It means to be born.

The rock ptarmigan is a national special natural monument.

It means a special natural monument, a plant or animal specially protected by the country.

It is a rare bird that lives in high mountains.

It means rare or unusual.

Right now its numbers are getting smaller, and people worry it may go extinct.

It means extinction, when a kind of living thing disappears completely.

One chick was born from an egg made by artificial insemination.

It means artificial insemination, a technique that helps animals have babies.

It is the first time in two years that babies have been born at this park.

It means for the first time in two years, after a gap of two years.

For two weeks after they are born, their bodies are very weak.

It means weak.

The park staff are raising the babies with great care.

It means to raise or bring up.

Let's listen to the whole story one more time.

Time for a short quiz. Listen and try to answer.

Seven chicks were born.

It is a rare bird that lives in high mountains, and a national special natural monument.

Its numbers are getting smaller, and people worry it may go extinct.

That's all for today. Seven tiny chicks of a rare, protected mountain bird have hatched, and the whole park is cheering them on. Let's hope they all grow up strong and healthy. Thanks for listening, and see you tomorrow.