釧路湿原のキタサンショウウオを守る保護区ができる

Welcome to Japanese Daily News. I'm Maya. Today is August sixteenth. In eastern Hokkaido, a tiny salamander is getting some big help from the government. Let's listen.

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

The Ministry of the Environment has decided to create a new protected area to protect a rare animal that lives in Hokkaido — a small salamander.

It means to protect, or to keep something safe.

In Japan, they live only around the Kushiro Wetland in Hokkaido. Their numbers have become very small, so they are now an endangered species.

It means number — how many of something there are.

The Kushiro Wetland is the biggest wetland in Japan. It is a national park, and many rare animals and birds live there.

It means wetland — wet, grassy land with lots of water.

But now, around the wetland, road construction and plans for a large solar power plant are moving forward.

It means construction work.

People are worried that the places where the salamanders live might disappear.

It means worry, or concern.

Inside the protected area, you will need permission from the national government to build houses or roads.

It means permission — in this case, official permission from the government.

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

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

Only around the Kushiro Wetland in Hokkaido.

Roads and a large solar power plant.

It decided to make part of the area around the national park a protected habitat area for the salamanders.

That's all for today. A tiny salamander, Japan's biggest wetland, and a new plan to keep them safe. See you tomorrow!