澳大利亞的野生動物資源極其豐富，這也為該國民眾挑選寵物提供了更多選擇。一些人不再聚焦于貓、狗、兔子之類的普通動物，而是選擇喂養奇異動物作為生活伴侶。

在悉尼一家寵物店里，一名年輕人正在逗弄一只竹節蟲。（圖片來源：法新社）

The proud owner of dingo 'Kimba', James Bornstein, is part of the new wave of Australian exotic pet lovers whose unconventional companions are growing in popularity.
詹姆斯?伯恩斯坦為擁有一條名為“金巴”的澳洲野狗感到自豪。如今澳大利亞興起了飼養奇異動物作為寵物的新風潮，而像伯恩斯坦這樣的飼養者們所鐘愛的奇異寵物也越來越受到歡迎。

In a country known for its unusual wildlife, Bornstein says having a sub-species of the grey wolf in his Sydney home is an opportunity to change people's negative perceptions about the native wild dog and apex predator.
澳大利亞以與眾不同的野生動植物著稱。伯恩斯坦稱，他在悉尼家中喂養“金巴”作為寵物，可以借機改變人們對于澳洲野狗這種頂端肉食動物的負面印象。澳洲野狗屬于灰狼的一個亞種。

"Dingoes are so intelligent. We want people to see her (Kimba) and realise they are not vicious animals, they are just like normal dogs," he told AFP.
他告訴法新社說：“澳洲野狗非常聰明，我們想讓大家來看看它，讓大家意識到這不是邪惡的動物，就跟普通的狗一樣?！?/p>

Dingoes are infamous thanks to the dramatic case of Azaria Chamberlain -- a nine-week-old baby snatched by one of the animals during a camping trip in central Australia in 1980, which was made into a movie.
1980年，一名9周大的嬰兒阿扎利亞-張伯倫在澳中部一次露營旅行中被澳洲野狗叼走并吃掉，該物種由此變得聲名狼藉。這起事件還被拍進了電影。

Bornstein hopes his efforts will increase support for conservation, as dingo numbers decline amid habitat loss and cross-breeding with domestic dogs.
伯恩斯坦希望他所作出的努力能夠使人們更支持保護澳洲野狗。近年來由于棲息地的減少以及與家狗的雜交，澳洲野狗的數量不斷減少。

His views are echoed by Ben Dessen, reptile manager at Kellyville Pets store in Sydney, who owned his first snake at just six.
本?德森與伯恩斯坦觀點相同，他是悉尼凱利維爾寵物店的經理，主要負責爬行動物的售賣業務。德森6歲時擁有了人生中第一條寵物蛇。

一名澳大利亞年輕人和她的寵物蜥蜴。（圖片來源：法新社）

"Now we see every six-year-old that we set up with their first reptile -- hopefully they want to go on and protect animals and have an appreciation for how amazing these creatures are," he says.
他說：“現在看到每個我們出售給他們人生中第一只爬行動物的六歲孩子，希望他們能夠堅持下去，保護動物，能夠欣賞這些美妙的生物”。

According to the Australian Veterinary Association, exotic pets are becoming "more and more popular", with residents owning millions of birds, fish, small mammals and reptiles.
澳大利亞獸醫協會表示，喂養奇異寵物正變得“越來越流行”。居民擁有數百萬只鳥、魚、小型哺乳動物和爬行動物。

Ernie Chan, a breeder who has kept up to 130 reptiles, says shrinking homes and urbanisation has seen potential owners turn to smaller pets that require less maintenance.
厄尼?陳喂養的爬行動物數量多達130只。他說住房面積的減少和城鎮化的推進，使得更多人傾向于選擇喂養限制更少的小型寵物。

"You don't need to take a snake for a walk," Chan says. "Everybody's had dogs and cats for so many years and it's kind of reptiles' time to shine."
他說：“你不需要帶一條蛇出去散步，很多年以來，人們都是養貓養狗，現在是讓爬行動物大放異彩的時候了。”

Despite their growing popularity, there are strict laws across Australia governing what exotic creatures can be kept as pets.
盡管越來越流行，澳大利亞國內對于何種奇異動物能夠被當作寵物喂養有著嚴格的法律規定。

Even so, welfare officials warn of backyard breeders or buying an animal that may have been grabbed from the wild.
即便如此，動物保護官員還對在后院喂養野生動物或者購買了捕獲自荒野的動物的人士提出了警告。

"Those animals can have really special needs and even if they have been bred in captivity, they are generally wild animals with long histories of living in particular environments," RSPCA Australia's Jane Speechley adds.
“這些動物即使是圈養的，也有特殊的需求，它們畢竟是野生動物，長期生活在特定的自然環境中”，澳大利亞皇家防止虐待動物協會的簡-斯皮奇利補充說。

"They don't necessarily adapt very well to being kept as companion animals."
“當作伴侶動物豢養，它們不一定能適應得很好?！?/p>

英文來源：雅虎新聞
翻譯&編審：yaning