Missing snake that had zoo on edge found dead 令動物園緊張的失蹤蛇被人發現死亡

 ◎羅彥傑
Residents and visitors to Atlanta’s Grant Park can relax.
住戶與亞特蘭大「格蘭特公園」的遊客可以放心了。
The rattlesnake missing from the quarantine section of the reptile building since Friday was found dead over the weekend, its identity confirmed by the zoo on Monday.
自週五起從爬蟲類館隔離區失蹤的這條響尾蛇，週末被人發現氣絕身亡，動物園週一證實了牠的身分。
"From the snake’s perspective, obviously, there could’ve been a better ending," said Dr. Dwight Lawson, Ph.D, Deputy Director of Zoo Atlanta. "But we’re very relieved and pleased to know that the situation is over."
「從這條蛇的角度而言，本來是可以有更好的結局，」擁有博士學位的亞特蘭大動物園副園長洛森說。「但我們知道狀況解除時，仍深深感到鬆了一口氣及欣慰。」
Not knowing where the 2-foot-long, broom-handle-thick tiger rattlesnake was had Zoo Atlanta staffers on edge all weekend.
不曉得這條2英尺長、猶如掃帚柄厚度的虎斑響尾蛇的下落，讓亞特蘭大動物園工作人員整個週末都如坐針氈。
On Monday morning, the zoo got a call from a woman who’d heard that a snake had escaped from its cage at the zoo.
週一上午，動物園接到一名女子來電，她先前曾聽說有一條蛇從動物園牢籠中逃出。
"Her husband, who apparently was working on renovating a house, had said that he had killed a snake on the property presumably the day before. So, sometime Sunday," Lawson said.
「她的丈夫，顯然當時在裝修房屋，說他大概前一天在自家範圍內殺死這條蛇。所以，是週日的某個時間點，」洛森說。
新聞辭典
on edge：片語，緊張不安、煩躁。例句：The constant noise set her nerves on edge.（噪音不絕於耳，使她心煩意亂。）
renovate：動詞，修復、裝修。例句：He renovated a two-storey building.（他裝修一幢兩層樓的房子。）
presumably：副詞，據推測、大概。例句：Presumably he won’t see you, if you are leaving tomorrow.（如果你明天離開，他大概碰不見你了。）