◎胡立宗
Stolen rhino horns could be deadly
被偷的犀牛角可能致命
Two 19th century rhino horns stolen from a South African museum could be deadly if sold as a popular aphrodisiac because they are drenched in poison, a museum official said.
南非一間博物館被偷走的2支19世紀犀牛角如果被當成春藥賣，可能致命，因為它們都被有毒物質浸泡過，館方人員說。
The "priceless" horns were snatched from a display at the historic mammal gallery in Cape Town three days ago, said Jatti Bredekamp, chief executive of Iziko Museum.
這對「無價」的犀牛角是3天前從開普頓一項哺乳動物歷史展的會場被偷走，伊紀柯博物館主管賈堤．柏德坎普說。
"Unknowingly, the thieves have exposed themselves to more than the danger of arrest and prosecution," Bredekamp said in a statement.
「竊賊在不知情的狀況下，讓自己面臨比被捕和起訴還嚴重的危險，」柏德坎普在聲明中指出。
"Before the mid-twentieth century, taxidermy mounts were prepared by being soaked in arsenic and preserved from insect infestation through regular applications of DDT, both highly toxic poisons that retain their toxicity over time," he said.
「20世紀中葉之前，標本都會在砷水中浸漬，並定期噴灑DDT以防止蟲害，這兩種高毒性物質的毒性都會留存很久，」他說。
Bredekamp said the horns were deliberately targeted in a carefully planned robbery, and might be destined for Asia, where ground rhino horns are a prized aphrodisiac.
柏德坎普說，這對犀牛角是一項精心設計的搶劫計畫鎖定的目標，可能會被運往亞洲，在那裡犀牛角粉被當成昂貴春藥。
"This could have unforeseen consequences," he said.
「這可能造成無法想像的後果，」他說。
新聞辭典
aphrodisiac：形容詞，催情的；名詞，春藥。語源來自Aphrodite，希臘神話中主管愛（慾）與美麗的女神。
taxidermy：名詞，（動物標本）剝製術。taxidermist，名詞，標本製作者。
toxicity：名詞，毒性、毒力。toxic，形容詞，有毒的。toxic substance╱waste（有毒物質╱廢棄物）。
http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2008/new/apr/20/today-int6.htm
--
[垃圾桶] 裡沒有會話群組？當您有超過 6423.752806 MB (還在增加中) 的免費儲存空間時，誰還需要刪除郵件？！
沒有留言:
張貼留言