调查显示英国人掀起饲养另类宠物热英语美文

调查显示英国人掀起饲养另类宠物热英语美文

　　调查显示英国人掀起饲养另类宠物热

　　Animal loving Britons opt for strange pets

　　英国公布的一份调查结果显示，英国人如今对宠物的着迷已从普通的带毛动物扩大到更广的范围，这包括许多不常被饲养的猫科动物。

　　Animal loving Britons have taken their obsession with furry pets to new lengths -- including many members of the cat family not usually associated with domesticity, according to a survey published Wednesday.

　　英国“大型猫科动物”(BCIB)组织对英国人合法饲养的奇异猫科动物进行了调查。调查发现，私人饲养的猫科动物共有154种，其中包括12头狮子、14只老虎、50只美洲豹和16只野猫。调查同时发现，英国人饲养的另类宠物中还包括2000只鸵鸟、近500只猴子、300只美洲野牛和6000头野猪。此外，BCIB在调查中还发现了250多条毒蛇和50多只鳄鱼。

　　The Big Cats in Britain (BCIB) group used the Freedom of Information Act to survey local councils on the weird and woolly creatures legally kept in private hands. It found a total of 154 assorted cats -- including 12 lions, 14 tigers, 50 leopards and 16 wild cats -- plus 2,000 ostriches and nearly 500 monkeys. At the same time 300 American bison and 6,000 wild boars are also kept privately. At the less cuddly end of the spectrum BCIB found more than 250 poisonous snakes and 50 members of the crocodile family.

　　上述数据不包括英国动物园喂养的动物。

　　The figures exclude zoo animals.

　　英国研究人员史蒂文斯表示：“尽管这些另类宠物在法律上被认为是危险动物，但公众应该放心的是，它们都很少会逃离主人的家。”

　　"Although these animals are regarded by law as dangerous, the public should rest assured, that these animals very rarely escape," said researcher Shaun Stevens.

　　史蒂文斯还补充说：“一旦有地方发现有上述动物逃走，它们也将会很快被抓获，所以对公众不会造成危害。”

　　"Where escapes are reported the animals tend to be recaptured quickly and without any harm to the public," he added.