一名马耳他男子因涉嫌试图将300只陆龟和77只鹦鹉从西西里岛运往马耳他，正面临虐待动物指控。
A Maltese man is facing animal cruelty charges after allegedly attempting to transport 300 tortoises and 77 parrots from Sicily to Malta.
意大利金融警察当地分部周一表示， inspectors在西西里岛波扎洛港进行检查时，在一艘驶往马耳他的双体船登船区附近发现这些动物被塞在一辆汽车里。
The animals were found packed into a car near the boarding area for a Malta-bound catamaran during an inspection at the Sicilian port of Pozzallo, the local unit of Italy’s financial police squad said on Monday.
兽医随后进行检查发现，76只鹦鹉属于受《华盛顿公约》保护的物种。
Subsequent checks by veterinarians found that 76 of the parrots belonged to species protected by the Washington convention, a global agreement signed in 1973 to protect endangered plants and animals from the risk of international trade.
《华盛顿公约》是一项于1973年签署的全球协议，旨在保护濒危动植物免受国际贸易带来的风险。警方称，此次查获是该公约下最重要的行动之一。警方补充说，这些动物已被交由一家繁育机构托管。
Police said the seizure was one of the most significant under the convention. The animals have been entrusted to a breeding facility, police added