Police officers in Singapore want to stop people who trade animals illegally. They're working hard to learn how to recognize rare reptiles.
The officers are focusing on four main groups of animals: snakes, turtles and tortoises, lizards and crocodiles. They're learning how to recognize colors each of the different reptiles have. They're also learning how to pick out young and old animals.
In Singapore, reptiles are the most common type of animal traded illegally. The police are working to stop that.
PHOTO: AFP
"People get bored with cats or dogs," said Dr. Mark Auliya, who is a police officer. "They want something more exotic."
Rare pets such as Komodo dragons cost several thousand US dollars.
An Angola python, one of the world's rarest, can cost US$14,000 (NT$456,000).
Since 2000, 7,153 live reptiles have been found in Singapore while being transported.
(Staff Writer, with DPA)
新加坡警方為了遏止非法動物買賣，正努力學習如何辨識稀有的爬蟲類。
警方主要著重於四大類爬蟲︰蛇、海龜和陸龜、蜥蝪及鱷魚。他們正學習如何辨識每一種爬蟲的顏色，及如何分辨小的和老的爬蟲。
爬蟲類是新加坡最常見的非法買賣動物，警方正採取行動遏止此情況。
「人們厭倦了貓狗，」警官馬克．奧利亞博士說：「他們要更具異國風情的東西。」
稀有的寵物，例如科莫多巨蜥，價值數千美元。
安哥拉巨蟒是世界上最稀有的爬蟲之一，價值高達一萬四千美元（新台幣四十五萬六千元）。
自二ＯＯＯ年以來，新加坡境內已有七千一百五十三隻活爬蟲在運送途中被查獲。（德通社／翻譯：張愛弟）
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