Kangaroos can learn to communicate with humans similar to how domesticated dogs do, by using their gaze to "point" and ask for help, researchers said in a study published on Wednesday.

研究人員在週三發表的一份研究中說，和被馴化的狗類似，袋鼠可以學習和人類溝通，利用凝視來「指向」並尋求協助。

The study involved 11 kangaroos that lived in captivity but had not been domesticated. Ten of the 11 marsupials intently gazed at researchers when they were unable to open a box with food, according to the report. Nine alternately looked at the human and at the container, as a way of pointing or gesturing toward the object.

這份研究涉及11隻圈養但未經馴化的袋鼠。根據這份報告，這11隻有袋動物的其中10隻，在打不開一個裝有食物的盒子時，專注凝視研究人員。9隻交替看著人和容器，做為指向或是朝該物體示意的一種方法。

"We interpreted this as a deliberate form of communication, a request for help," Alan McElligott, the Irish researcher who led the study, told Reuters in a call.

主導這起研究的愛爾蘭研究人員亞倫‧麥克利戈特在電話中告訴路透，「我們將之解釋為一種刻意的溝通形式，是一種求助。」

The findings challenge the notion that only domesticated animals such as dogs, horses or goats communicate with humans.

這項發現挑戰了只有諸如狗、馬或山羊這類被馴化的動物會和人類溝通的觀念。

2 pythons weighing 100 pounds collapse ceiling in Australia （澳洲2條合計100磅的蟒蛇壓垮天花板）

An Australian David Tait entered his home in Laceys Creek in Queensland state and was surprised to find a large chunk of the ceiling lying on his kitchen table. "I knew we hadn’t had rain, so I looked around to find what had caused it," Tait said.

一名澳洲民眾大衛．泰特回到位於昆士蘭州萊西溪市的家時，驚訝地發現一大片天花板躺在廚房餐桌上。泰特說：「我知道沒下雨，所以我四處張望尋找事發原因。」

He soon found two culprits, non-venomous carpet pythons 2.8 meters and 2.5 meters long, that had slithered into a bedroom and living room. The snakes have an estimated combined weight of 45 kilograms.

他很快發現2隻罪魁禍首，各為2.8公尺及2.5公尺的無毒地毯蟒爬進了臥室和客廳。這2隻蟒蛇合計重達45公斤。

Snake catcher Steven Brown was called to remove the two snakes. "I would assume that it was two males fighting over a female that was nearby in the roof," he said. He suspected the female could still be in the ceiling or nearby.

捕蛇專家史蒂芬．布朗被叫來抓2隻蟒蛇。他說：「我想是2隻公蟒為了待在天花板附近的1隻母蟒在打架。」他懷疑，那隻母蟒或許還待在天花板或附近一帶。

The males were returned to the wild, but the suspected third snake hasn’t been found.

2隻公蟒被野放，疑似還在屋內的第3隻蟒蛇下落不明。

Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1422528 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1420019

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