Tigers jumping through flames, horses rearing elegantly and elephants standing on their hind legs - animals have played a large role in Mexican circuses for generations.
老虎跳火圈，馬群騰立表演，大象后腿站立…多年來(lái)，這些動(dòng)物們?cè)谀鞲珩R戲團(tuán)的表演中發(fā)揮了巨大的作用。

But not for much longer, with Mexico's government banning the use of animals in performances last month.
但是這樣的好景不會(huì)太長(zhǎng)了，上個(gè)月墨西哥政府已頒布法令禁止馬戲團(tuán)使用動(dòng)物表演。

Lawmakers in the Latin American country have given acts a year to adapt to the law, so the animal shows will go on for the time being - as these incredible pictures show.
為了適應(yīng)這項(xiàng)法律，該國(guó)的法律制定者給出了一年的適應(yīng)期，所以如圖所示的動(dòng)物表演暫時(shí)仍可看到。

These images, taken at a circus in Mexico City, show just how large a part animals play in Mexican performances.
這些拍攝于墨西哥城的一個(gè)馬戲團(tuán)的圖片顯示，在動(dòng)物表演占了很大一部分
。

Tigers are seen jumping through fiery rings and dancing with matadors, all to the applause of the audience.
圖片中我們可以看到老虎從燃燒的火圈中跳出，和打扮成斗牛士的演員們共舞，引起臺(tái)下觀眾的陣陣歡呼。

Meanwhile elephants and horses are both seen rearing on their hind legs, as animals perform alongside Mexicans in a tradition that dates back more than 200 years.
除此之外，還可以看到大象和馬群都用兩只后腿直立站著的場(chǎng)景。動(dòng)物們的這些表演一直伴隨著墨西哥人，是一項(xiàng)可以追溯到200年前的傳統(tǒng)。

But animal rights activists say the creatures are mistreated, leading them to celebrate the incoming change in the law.
但是動(dòng)物權(quán)利保護(hù)者稱(chēng)這些動(dòng)物受到虐待，法令的頒布對(duì)它們來(lái)說(shuō)可喜可賀。

However, performers dispute this, saying the creatures are born and raised in the circuses they perform in and do not know another way of life.
然而，馬戲團(tuán)的表演者卻不這樣認(rèn)為，他們說(shuō)這些動(dòng)物在馬戲團(tuán)出生、長(zhǎng)大、訓(xùn)練、表演，除此之外，它們不懂得任何其他技能。

Armando Cedeno, president of the Mexican circus association, said 50,000 circus employees could lose their jobs, and as many as 3,500 would be affected by the changes.
墨西哥馬戲團(tuán)協(xié)會(huì)的主席阿曼多稱(chēng)，禁令的頒布會(huì)讓馬戲團(tuán)的5萬(wàn)多名員工失業(yè)，超過(guò)3500頭動(dòng)物會(huì)受到影響。

He said: 'It is impossible to take these animals back to their natural habitat, because they would die.'
他說(shuō)：“讓這些動(dòng)物重回大自然不太可能，因?yàn)樗鼈儠?huì)死掉的。”

Circus performers took to the streets of Mexico City to protest against the law, holding public shows without animals to highlight what performances will look like this time next year.
馬戲團(tuán)的演員們走上墨西哥街頭抗議新法令，他們還舉辦沒(méi)有動(dòng)物參與的公共演出，以強(qiáng)調(diào)明年這個(gè)時(shí)候他們只能這樣表演。

The animals are well fed, cleaned and cared for, the performers claim.
他們還聲稱(chēng)，動(dòng)物們都得到了很好的照顧，他們吃得好，住的地方也干凈。

Any circuses found to be flouting the ban could be fined up to $70,000 and animals will be seized.
任何無(wú)視這項(xiàng)法令的馬戲團(tuán)都會(huì)被處以高達(dá)7萬(wàn)美元的罰款，而且動(dòng)物也會(huì)被強(qiáng)行帶走。

The ban is the latest in a wave of animal rights legislation passed in Latin American countries.
這項(xiàng)禁令是拉丁美洲國(guó)家近來(lái)在動(dòng)物權(quán)利立法浪潮中最近通過(guò)的一項(xiàng)法令。

Six Mexican states have already banned the use of animals in the circus, as do South American countries, Bolivia, Peru, Paraguay and Colombia.
墨西哥已有六個(gè)州禁止在馬戲團(tuán)中使用動(dòng)物表演，頒布同樣禁令的還有包括玻利維亞、秘魯、巴拉圭和哥倫比亞等在內(nèi)的幾個(gè)南美洲國(guó)家。

Bullfighting is still legal in most countries, but some campaigners have called for it to end in Mexico.
斗牛在多數(shù)國(guó)家是合法的，但是也有人呼吁在墨西哥禁止斗牛。

Parts of Ecuador do not allow the final killing of the bull to take place in front of an audience.
在厄瓜多爾的部分地區(qū)不允許在觀眾面前屠殺公牛。