The Trouble with Exotic Pets

The Trouble with Exotic Pets. Written by Emily Schlesinger. Focus question. What are some people's reasons for owning exotic pets? Why are some people against it?

养奇异宠物的困扰 作者：艾米莉·施莱辛格 思考问题 人们养奇异宠物的原因是什么？ 为什么有些人反对养奇异宠物？

What is an exotic pet? Think about the wildest, most amazing animals on Earth. What comes to mind? An African lion? A white tiger? An elephant or a big black bear? You may picture these animals running across a savanna or resting on high branches in a jungle. Perhaps you have seen them up close in zoos. Some people, however, keep wild animals such as tigers, parrots, or pythons as pets in their homes. These types of pets are called exotic pets. The American Veterinary Medical Association estimates that one in ten U .S. homes has an exotic pet.

什么是奇异宠物？ 想想地球上最野性、最神奇的动物吧 你第一反应想到了什么？ 一头非洲狮？ 一只白虎？ 一头大象，或是一只大黑熊？ 你可能会想象它们奔跑在稀树草原，或是休憩在丛林的高枝上 或许你还在动物园里近距离见过它们 不过有些人会把老虎、鹦鹉、蟒蛇这类野生动物养在家里当宠物 这类宠物就被叫做奇异宠物 美国兽医协会估算，每十个美国家庭里就有一户养了奇异宠物

United States law defines exotic animals as those not usually kept as pets or on farms. They often come from other countries. An animal does not have to be huge to be exotic. Animals such as hedgehogs, turtles, gerbils, and lizards are also considered exotic pets. Exotic animals are usually wild, meaning they have not been domesticated. A domestic animal, such as a dog or a horse, has been bred to live easily with humans. Domestic animals have often been bred to be gentle or social. Exotic animals, on the other hand, have traits that help them survive in the wild. As a result, they can be very dangerous when kept as pets.

美国法律将奇异动物定义为不常作为宠物或家畜饲养的动物 它们大多来自其他国家 奇异动物不一定都是体型庞大的 刺猬、乌龟、沙鼠、蜥蜴这类动物也属于奇异宠物 奇异动物一般都是野生的，也就是说它们没有被驯化过 像狗、马这类家畜已经经过繁育，能轻松和人类一起生活 繁育后的家畜通常温顺又亲人 而奇异动物保留着帮助它们在野外生存的天性 因此，它们被当作宠物饲养时会非常危险

Why do people want exotic pets? Many exotic animals make fun, beloved pets. They can be beautiful and interesting to watch, too. However, so can domestic animals. Why choose an exotic pet? A dog, fish, or cat may not sound that unusual, But a tiger is sure to amaze people. For some people, keeping a wild pet such as a cheetah is a way to show off. Still others have their own personal zoos. They may search the world for the next exotic animal to add to their collection. Many people simply fall in love with the animals. They may treat them like their own family. Some owners even dress certain animals, such as chimpanzees, in human clothes.

为什么人们想要养奇异宠物呢？ 很多奇异宠物都很有趣，受人喜爱 它们长得好看，观察它们也很有意思 不过普通家畜也能做到这些呀 为什么还要选奇异宠物呢？ 狗狗、鱼儿、猫咪听起来都太普通了，养老虎肯定能惊艳众人 对有些人来说，养猎豹这种野生宠物是一种炫耀方式 还有些人拥有自己的私人动物园 他们会在全世界搜寻新的奇异动物，加入自己的收藏 很多人就是单纯爱上了这些动物 他们把奇异宠物当成自己的家人 有些主人甚至给黑猩猩这类动物穿人类的衣服

The Popularity of Exotic Pets Millions of exotic animals are kept as pets across the United States, more than live in zoos. Among the most desired are big cats, such as tigers, lions, and cheetahs. The United States is also home to 15 ,000 primate pets, including chimpanzees and monkeys. Reptiles are the most common type of exotic pet, ranging from tiny lizards to deadly snakes. Exotic birds from around the world are also found in American homes.

奇异宠物的风行 美国有上百万只奇异宠物被当作宠物饲养，数量比动物园里的还多 最受欢迎的是老虎、狮子、猎豹这类大型猫科动物 美国还有一万五千只灵长类宠物，包括黑猩猩和猴子 爬行动物是最常见的奇异宠物，小到蜥蜴大到致命毒蛇都有 来自世界各地的奇异鸟类也能在美国家庭中见到

Although many exotic pets are found in the United States, the biggest customer of the exotic pet trade is China. Owning a pet snake, crocodile, monkey, or shark is popular. In parts of the Middle East, a pet cheetah is considered a status symbol among very wealthy people. Europe imports more pet reptiles than any other place. Nearly half of all traded wildlife comes from Asia. The next biggest source is Africa, followed by South and Central America. Selling wildlife provides much -needed income for many communities. However, taking too many animals out of the wild can threaten the survival of a species.

虽然美国养了很多奇异宠物，但奇异宠物贸易最大的买家是中国 养蛇、鳄鱼、猴子或是鲨鱼当宠物在这里很流行 在中东部分地区，养猎豹当宠物是顶级富豪的身份象征 欧洲进口的宠物爬行动物比其他任何地区都多 近一半用于交易的野生动物都来自亚洲 第二大来源是非洲，其次是南美洲和中美洲 售卖野生动物给许多地区提供了急需的收入 不过，从野外带走太多动物会威胁整个物种的生存