Big cats’ droppings help German circus weather coronavirus crisis

 Big cats’ droppings help German circus weather coronavirus crisis

大貓糞便幫助德國馬戲團度過冠狀病毒危機

【摘要2020.8.22.自由】◎周虹汶

One creature’s droppings can be another’s treasure, as Germany’s Krone Circus is finding out during the new coronavirus pandemic.

一個生物的糞便，可能是另一個生物的寶藏，正如德國王冠馬戲團在新型冠狀病毒大流行期間所發現。

Home to 26 lions and tigers, the circus has found an unusual side income and raised money despite coronavirus-related restrictions：selling jars of big cats’ droppings.

儘管受到冠狀病毒相關的限制，這個養了26隻獅子和老虎的馬戲團發現了一種不尋常的外快並攢了錢：販售裝有大貓糞便的瓶罐。

Customers have told lion tamer Martin Lacey they swear by the stuff.

顧客告訴馴獅人馬丁．拉西，他們相信這玩意兒有用。

"I am told it keeps cats away from the garden, and since then we have learned that also it keeps the animals away from the car, where they eat all the electric cables," Lacey said.

拉西說，「我聽說這讓貓遠離花園，從此我們知道，它也能讓這些動物遠離車輛，牠們之前把裡頭所有電纜都吃掉。」

The jars sell for 5 euros each, with some of the money going towards a charity to improve the living conditions of captive animals.

每罐賣5歐元，有些錢用在慈善機構，以改善圈養動物的生活條件。

And if you don’t have a garden pest problem but find your neighbours pesky? – "Put some in the garden, and the neighbours will go away," Lacey chuckles.（Reuters）

而若你沒有花園動物蟲害問題，但覺得你的鄰居很討厭？—拉西竊笑表示，「放一點在花園裡，然後那些鄰居就會走開。」（路透）

新聞辭典

weather：名詞，指天氣、惡劣天候、處境；動詞，指平安度過暴風雨、日曬雨淋、風化、褪色、損壞；形容詞，指迎風的。例句：His face has been weathered by the sun.（他的臉曬黑了。）

swear by：片語動詞，指非常相信有效。例句：My mom swears by these pills.（我媽媽深信這些藥丸有用。）

pesky：形容詞，指討厭的、惹麻煩的。例句：There is a pesky question that’s been lingering in his head.（有個問題一直縈繞他的腦海。）