PlanetEarthII《地球脉动》第2季第4集：沙漠-BBC(中英对照)

1、Planet Earth II 地球脉 动第 2 季第 4 集 :沙漠_BBC第四集想象一个世界Imagine a world气温高达四十九摄氏度where temperatures rise to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.没有什么能阻挡烈日狂风与沙尘Where theres no escape from sun, wind and dust.想象一个世界几乎没有食物和水Imagine a world with almost no food or water.这种地方占据了These are the conditions地球上三分之一的土地in one third of

2、the lands of our planet.生长于斯必须掌握非凡的生存策略To live here demands the most extraordinarysurvival strategies.这是世界上最古老的沙漠This is the oldest desert in the world.纳米布沙漠位于非洲西南部The Namib in south-west Africa.干旱已经持续了五千五百万年Its been dry for 55 million years.对于捕食者来说生活异常艰难Life here for a hunter is as hard as it gets.

3、一群狮子A pride of lions.她们是极少数能够忍受如此One of the very few that endures this deserts 高温缺水的沙漠环境的物种之一scorching temperatures and lack of water.沙漠狩猎有着特殊的难题Hunting here presents special problems.这群直角大羚羊A herd of oryx,是方圆三十二公里内唯一的猎物the only prey within 20 miles.这里没有任何伏击可用的遮挡物Out here, there is no cover for an a

4、mbush.唯有直截了当扑杀过去Itll have to be a straight chase.她们失败了They have failed每失败一次狮群离饿死就更近一步and each failed hunt brings the lions closer tostarvation.为了寻找食物充饥To find enough to eat,狮群不断地在瑞士国境那么大的区域内搜寻the pride continually searches an area the size of Switzerland.三天里它们走了 161 公里 仍然一无所获 Three days and 100 mile

5、s later, and still no kill.这是濒临绝望的时刻These are desperate times.她们领土的边缘有一条干涸的河床A dry riverbed on the edge of their territory.长颈鹿是附近唯一的动物The only animals here are giraffe,但这重达一吨的巨兽一脚就能踢死一头狮子but these one-tonnegiants could kill a lionwith a single kick.狮群很少会去叨扰如此棘手的猎物Lions seldom tackle such formidable

6、prey.但没有食物充饥狮群已寸步难行.but this pride cant go on much longer without food.为了猎杀成功The whole pride must work together as a team整个狮群必须互相配合if theyre to succeed.两头母狮带头追捕Two lionesses lead the chase.其他狮子奋起直追切断猎物的逃生路线Others race to cut off possible escape routes.长颈鹿的速度和耐力都强于狮群The giraffe has thespeed and stami

7、natooutrun the pride.但它正被逐入敌人的陷阱.but its being chased into a trap.领头的母狮就在前面等待着Up ahead, the lead female waits.轮到她上场了Its now up to her.狮子的猎杀行动多以失败告终Most lion hunts end in failure.但沙漠种群的失败次数远比其他种群要多得多But no lions fail more often than those that live in the desert.狮群必须再次踏上寻找食物的征程Once again, the pride m

8、ust continue their search.沙漠地区偶尔也会降雨It does, sometimes, rain in the desert.在美国西部地区Here, in the American West,暴风雨会带来灾难性的影响storms can strike with devastating force.十个月的干旱以后After ten months of drought,百万吨降水millions of tonnes of water在一小时内倾泻而下are dumped on the land in under an hour.数百万年来Over millions of

9、 years,挟带着砂石的湍急洪水sand and gravel carried by the rampaging floods在坚硬的岩石上切割出凹槽have carved channels through the solid rock.形成狭缝谷深达 46米Slot canyons, 150 feet deep.一些地方的峡谷不断侵蚀扩张In some places, these canyons have widened 最终形成桌状高地until the land between them is sculpted into tablelands和高耸的石塔and isolated pin

10、nacles,这是地球上最激动人心的自然奇观some of the most dramatic landscapes on the planet.雨季也许早已过去The rain may be long gone.但沙漠里还是有水.but there is water here.只是储存在沙生植物特化的组织当中.locked away within the tissues of specialist desert plants.仙人掌是美国沙漠中独一无二的植物Cacti are unique to American deserts.它们肥硕的茎干They all hoard water,有储水

11、功能storing it in swollen stems叶片特化成刺以防止水分散失and protecting it behind a barricade of spines.这套策略成功地让它们主宰着这片沙漠Theyreso successful thattheydominatethese deserts.但这片尖刺丛林也给居住在此的动物们But this forest of spikes can cause problems 带来了很多麻烦for the animals that live here.一只栗翅鹰A Harris Hawk.它练就了在仙人掌林捕食的特殊技能It has de

12、veloped special techniques for hunting amongst the cacti.这是地松鼠Ground squirrels.栗翅鹰的猎物Prey.当发现危险信号时At the first sign of danger地松鼠们迅速躲进刺丛中避险they bolt for the safety of the thorns.但栗翅鹰有法子逼它们出来But the hawks have a tactic to flush them out.栗翅鹰是唯一成群捕食的猛禽These are the only birds of prey that hunt in packs.

13、它们编队飞行Flying in formation,将猎物驱赶到开阔地带they try to drive their quarry into the open.但这只地松鼠按兵不动But this squirrel is staying put.栗翅鹰开始改变策略So now the hawks continue the hunt.转为地面追击.on foot.它们从四面八方逐渐逼近Theyre closing in from all sides.很快封锁了所有的逃跑路线Soon, all escape routes are cut off.地松鼠陷入绝境The squirrel is tr

14、apped.这片沙漠上的植物几乎都浑身是刺The spines that cover almost every plant in this desert它们能为动物提供了庇护之所can provide protection and shelter for many animals.可这些尖刺上为什么挂着尸体So, why should these spikes be hung with corpses?如此可怕的场景究竟What kind of creature could be responsible是谁的手笔呢for creating such a gruesome scene?这片沙漠里

15、有一位神秘杀手Theres a mysterious killer at work in this desert.一只伯劳鸟Its a butcherbird.就像屠夫用钩子挂肉This little songbird uses the spines 这只小型鸣禽利用这些刺as a butcher uses his hook.将肢解完的食物悬挂起来to hold its prey as it dismembers it.幼鸟们嗷嗷待哺叶刺就像是食品储藏柜And with chicks to feed, he also uses the spines as a larder.他已经储备了好几个星

16、期Hes been stocking it for weeks.把猎物挂起来可以防止地面的食腐动物来争抢Hanging his prey out of the reach of scavengers on the ground以确保刚出生的幼鸟不会挨饿ensures that his newly hatched young will never go hungry.为了让好时光持续更久点An ingenious solution这的确是个巧妙的策略to making the good times last in the desert.虽然有点毛骨悚然.if a little macabre.有

17、的荒漠十分贫瘠Some deserts are so arid,看似寸草不生they appear totally devoid of all vegetation. 但即使是这种地方也能在几天之内焕然新生Yet even these landscapes can be transformedin a matter of days.秘鲁荒漠是世界上最干燥的地方之一The deserts of Peru are amongst the driest in the world,休眠了几个月的植被只要遇到一点点水but just add a little water and plants that

18、have lain dormant for months便可立即恢复生机will burst into life.当沙漠突然变为绿洲And when a desert suddenly turns green, 即使看似最荒凉的地方even the most seemingly desolate 也能变得生机勃勃can become a land of opportunity.没有什么生物能比蝗虫更早或更轰动地No creature exploits the greening of a desert more quickly发现这抹绿意or more dramatically than a l

19、ocust.马达加斯加干旱的西南部Madagascars arid south-west迎来了近几年最大的降雨has received its highest rainfall in years.蝗虫大军正大步行进Now, an army is on the march,追寻着新生嫩芽的香气attractedby thesmell ofnewlysproutinggrass.蝗虫通常独居Locusts are normally solitary creatures, 但当食物突然充足之时but when food becomes suddenly plentiful它们便聚集成群以势不可挡的气

20、势they come together into an unstoppable force 吞噬沿途所有的植物that devours everything in its path.而这巨大的灾难正愈演愈烈But this devastation is about to get a lot worse.蝗虫正在变态为有翅的成虫The locusts now transform into winged adults, 由于生长环境良好and with conditions as good as this, 它们发育的速度达到平时的三倍they do so three times faster t

21、han normal.现在到了食欲最旺盛的时候Now they are at their most voracious.有了翅膀它们就能飞行and with wings, they can take to the skies.一旦上天蝗虫每天可以飞行九十六公里Once airborne, the locusts can travel over 60miles a day去寻找新的觅食区in their search for new feeding grounds. 如此大规模的超级蝗群也许十年才出现一次A super swarm of this scale may only appear on

22、ce in a decade.这个蝗群遍布518 平方公里This one extends over 200 square miles 共有数十亿只蝗虫and contains several billion individuals.每天能吃掉四万吨食物Between them, they will devour 40,000 tonnes of food in a day.蝗灾吞噬植被的速度和彻底性Nothing can strip a land of its vegetation with such speed没有任何事物能与之比肩and thoroughness as a plague

23、of locusts.当食物消耗殆尽时蝗虫大军就会灭亡When the food eventually runs out, the whole army will die.但不等它们寂灭下来世界早已一片狼藉but not before its devastated the land.没有植被固定土壤With no plants to bind them,稀薄的土层很快就会变成沙尘被风吹走thin soils soon turn to dust and blow away.如今这片不毛之地只能任由自然力量摆布Now, these barren lands are left to the merc

24、y of the elements.烈日炙烤加之风沙侵袭Scorchedbythesunandscouredbywindblown sand,沙漠岩石形成了奇异非凡的景致desertrockisshapedintostrange,otherworldly landscapes.这片岩质沙漠或许看似美好These rocky deserts may have a beguiling beauty,但这里如此荒芜极少生物能够适应but when they become this barren, very little life can endure.动物们想要在最严苛的环境里活下来For many

25、 animals, the only way to survive the most hostile times就必须不断迁移is to keep moving.喀拉哈里沙漠短暂的雨季已被旱季替代In the Kalahari, brief rains have given way to the dry season.食物和水愈发稀缺Food and water are becoming increasingly scarce.这群斑马是时候离开了For these zebra, its time to leave.斑马的迁移距离称霸Theyre setting off on the long

26、est overland migration所有非洲哺乳动物made by any mammal in Africa,嗅着远方雨水的味道不断前进marching towards the scent of distant rains.随着干旱加剧As drought intensifies,沙漠象也必须踏上旅途desert-livingelephants must also undertakelong journeys寻找水源in search of water.年长的母象能记住哪些地方The older females can remember where, 即使在极端干旱的季节也会有水eve

27、n in times of extreme drought, there may still be water有时她能把象群带领到and sometimes lead the herd to a water hole 数十年前去过的水坑they may not have visited for decades.这群斑马即将结束旅程These zebra are almost at the end of their journey.这里就是它们的目的地This is what theyve been heading for.一个珍贵的水坑.A rare water hole.沙漠里的大部分水坑都

28、转瞬即逝In deserts, most water holes are short lived.它们在雨后出现They appear after rains,但以几乎同样的速度消失but then vanish almost as quickly as they came.动物长途跋涉来到这里Animals have come here from many miles around.但在此地逗留可能会有危险Yet this can be a dangerous place in which to linger.离水坑九十六公里远的沙漠中心60 miles away, in the heart

29、 of the desert, 沙鸡的雏鸟正在孵化sandgrouse chicks are hatching.他们待在这里比较安全Its safer for them to be here.但是离水源那么远也有很大风险But being so distant from water is a gamble.只有母亲在帮他们遮挡太阳With only their mother to shield them fromthe sun,如果没有水喝雏鸟会在数小时内曝晒而死if they get nothing to drink, they will be deadwithin hours.唯一的希望寄

30、托在父亲身上Their only hope is their father.每天早上他都要往返飞行一百九十三公里Every morning he makes the 120-mile round trip为家人带水回来to get water for the family.沙鸡从四面八方飞来这片绿洲Grouse from all over the desert visit this oasis, 在这里集结成群arriving together in large flocks,这十分重要and that is important.数量越多越安全Theres safety in numbers.

31、雄沙鸡抓紧时间喝了口水The male snatches a drink,但他还要给雏鸟们带水回去but he also needs to collect water for his chicks.他胸前特化的羽毛Using specially adapted breast feathers, 可以像海绵一样吸收大量的水he can soak up water like a sponge.不过这需要时间而他已身陷危险But it takes time, and he is in danger.苍鹰Goshawk.沙鸡是他们的主要猎物Sandgrouse here are their main

32、prey.日复一日雄沙鸡都要冒着生命危险Again and again, the male sandgrouse risk their lives来给雏鸟采水in order to collect water for their chicks.这就是沙鸡巢离水坑如此远的原因This is why sandgrouse nest so far from water holes.终于他吸足了水At last, hes soaked up as much as he can.带着自身体重四分之一的水Carrying a quarter of his body weight in water, 他开始

33、漫长的归家旅程he can now set off on the long journey home.到家了时间刚刚好Hes back, and just in time.雏鸟可以喝上第一口水了He can give the chicks their first ever drink.但在未来两个月他依然每天都要But he will have to undertake this perilous journey every day踏上这段危险的征程for the next two months直到雏鸟长大until his chicks can finally make the flight

34、 能独自飞到水坑to the water hole for themselves.美国西部内华达州沙漠的七月Its July in thedesertsof Nevada in thewestern United States.是一年中最炎热的时候The hottest time of the year.一群群美洲野马聚集在Bands of wild horses, mustang, are convergingon方圆几公里内仅存的水塘边one of the last remainingwater holes formiles.水不仅能用来喝Now, water not only offer

35、s them the chanceto drink,还能借此获得权力it can also bring power.如果一头公马能够控制饮水权If a stallion can control access to water, 便拥有与群中所有母马交配的权利he willhave secured mating rights to theentire herd.所以公马们会试图独占水塘So stallions try to dominate these pools,赶走所有想要靠近的竞争对手fighting off rivals who venture too close.一位不速之客A str

36、anger.他跋涉了十六公里Hes travelled ten miles to be here 因为他所在地方的水源已经完全干涸because the pools wherehes come fromhave already dried up.他身后跟着一群母马With him come his females.如果他无法提供水源她们都会离开If he cant provide them with water, they willleave him跟这匹已经占有水池的白马在一起for the white stallion who already dominates this pool.他必须

37、选择战斗So, he will have to fight.这一战至关重要There is everything to lose.若是断了腿或是碎了下巴A broken leg or a shattered jaw就意味着死前将饱受折磨would mean a slow and painful death.没踢中一切都结束了A missed kick, and its all over.新来的马取得了胜利The new arrival has won.他所获得的奖赏不只是可以喝水and his prize is more than just the chance to drink.他为马群提供

38、了水源与此同时He has provided for his herd, and in the process,抢走了竞争对手的后宫stolen his rivals females.白马的统治已经结束The white stallions rule is over.沙漠中不仅水源稀缺Desert life is not only shaped by the scarcity of water,更有炎炎烈日的残酷炙烤but also by the relentless power of the sun.地球上的最高温度记录The highest temperatures on Earth全部出

39、现于沙漠中have all been recorded in its deserts.气候变化让这里的温度Changes in the climate mean temperatures here涨幅和速度都超过全球平均值are rising more than the global average,随着温度升高沙漠也在不断扩散andasdesertsheatup,theyarealsoexpanding.每年都有近十三万平方公里的草地和农田Every year, a further 50,000 square miles of grass and farmland变成了贫瘠干涸的尘土沙石ar

40、e turning into barren stretches of dust and rock.一天中最热之时In the heat of the day,沙漠地表温度可达七十一摄氏度surface temperatures can reach 160 degrees, 大多数生物都无法忍受far too hot to handle for most.但这只铲吻蜥蜴却可以But not for this shovel-snouted lizard.它将四肢轮流抬起Raising its feet off the ground in turn.短暂降温一下.enables each to br

41、iefly cool.可即便是这位耐热性极强的沙漠舞者But even this dancing desert specialist 也无法长时间忍受高温cant stand the heat for long.一个办法是寻找阴凉One option is to find shade.沙丘草是这里唯一的植物近乎无荫可寻Dunegrass,theonlyvegetationhere,provides virtually none,但仅仅是沙子表面下几厘米处but just an inch beneath the surface of thesand,温度都要低上几度it is several d

42、egrees cooler.为躲避难耐的高温 沙漠动物有了自己的节奏Avoiding the extreme heat imposes a rhythm on desert life.许多动物都选择了最简单的解决方案.And many animals here choose the simplestoption of all.白天隐匿在各处staying hidden all day,只在凉爽的夜晚外出活动and only venturing out in the cool of the night.夜幕降临动物纷纷从各处冒出Asdarknessfalls,animalsappearfroms

43、eemingly nowhere.而这之中必然存在And, among them, inevitably,猎食者are hunters.其中最贪婪的夜间捕食者Oneofthemostvoraciousnocturnalpredators也最难寻觅它们的踪迹is also one of the hardest to see.这个神秘的生物This mysterious creature鲜少出现在沙丘表面hardly ever appears on the surface of the dunes.但沙子的移动却泄露了它的行踪But there are signs on the sand that

44、 can give it away.它只生活在It lives only here,沙粒干燥光滑的地区where the sand grains are so perfectly dry and polished,让它们可以如流水般行动自如that they flow almost like water.它的体型还没有乒乓球大Its no bigger than a ping-pong ball.一只金毛鼹鼠A golden mole.它的视力已完全退化Its totally blind,但地下本来也没有什么可看的buttheresnothingtoseeundergroundanyway.取

45、而代之的是它极佳的听觉Instead, it has superb hearing.它的头犹如扩音器Its entire head acts as an amplifier 能够捕捉通过沙子传来的振动that picks up vibrations through the sand, 所以 为了定位沙丘表面上的猎物so, to locate prey on the surface of the dune, 它反而矛盾地将脸埋进沙子里it has, paradoxically, to thrust its face into the dune.白蚁Termites.双目失明自然不太好捉Not e

46、asy to catch when youre blind.最好还是切换成隐身模式Far better to go into stealth mode.一旦潜入沙中Once below the sand,金毛鼹鼠可以感知微弱的震动it can detect the slightest movement.让它能发动精准袭击allowing it to strike with pinpoint accuracy.大多数时候是这样Well, most of the time.它们一晚可以行进1.1 公里They can travel two thirds of a mile a night 来寻找晚

47、餐in search of its dinner.现在它刚刚发现了自己的主菜and right now, it has just detected its main course.难怪它有时候被称作“沙丘之鲨”Little wonder its sometimes called The shark of the dunes.食物在沙漠中非常稀缺即便是在夜晚Food can be so scarce in the desert that, evenat night,动物们也无权挑剔自己的饮食animals cant afford to be choosy about whatthey eat.在

48、以色列的内盖夫沙漠Israels Negev desert.中东尖耳蝠沙漠中的长耳蝙蝠正在捕猎Otonycteris, the desert long-eared bat, is on the hunt.大多数蝙蝠在飞行中捕捉飞虫Most bats catch flying insects on the wing,但在沙漠中飞虫数量极少but there are so few of these in the desert 这只蝙蝠必须另寻他路that this bat must do things differently.它必须在地面捕猎It has to hunt on the ground

49、.但真正让它与众不同的是它的猎物Butwhatreallysets itapartis whatitshunting.一只以色列金蝎A deathstalker scorpion.这种蝎子的毒液足以毒死一个人The venom of this species is potent enough to kill a human.捕捉毒蝎对于仅有 14 克重的蝙蝠来说近乎疯狂Tackling it seems madness for a bat weighing just half an ounce.周围一片漆黑In the pitch-black,猎食者和猎物都丧失了视力both predator

50、 and prey are effectively blind, 但是蝎子有一项优势but the scorpion has one advantage.他能够通过沙子的振动he can sense the approach of the bat 感知到蝙蝠的靠近through vibrations in the sand.尖耳蝠则要完全依靠自己的听觉Otonycteris must rely entirely on its hearing.如果蝎子不动它就无法感知其位置If the scorpion doesnt move, it wont knowits there.战斗打响了The ba

51、ttle is on.凭借强大的双钳和一根毒刺Armed with crushing pincers and a sting loaded with venom,这只毒蝎是一个危险的对手this scorpion is a dangerous opponent.蝙蝠脑袋遭到一记猛刺A direct strike on the head.战斗结束了吗Is it all over?对这只蝙蝠来说并没有Not for this bat.尖耳蝠显然对毒液有一定的免疫Otonycteris clearly has some immunity to the venom,但连续的猛刺给它带来了难言的剧痛bu

52、trepeatedstingsmuststillbeextraordinarily painful.如果这只蝙蝠不想挨饿And if the bat is not to go hungry,它必须在日出之前再抓住三只蝎子it must catch another three scorpions before sunrise.沙漠动物进化出了非凡的策略Desert animals have developed remarkable strategies来充分利用难得的良机to make the most of the rare opportunities that come their way.

53、虽然有些沙漠也许数年都不会下雨Although some deserts may not see rain forseveral years,但大多数都会以各种形式储存少量的水分most will hold a little water in one form oranother.诀窍在于如何获取水分The trick is simply knowing how to reach it.破晓时分纳米布沙漠的沙丘上Dawn in the dunes of the Namib, 神奇的现象正在发生and something magical is happening.大西洋沿岸上空的湿空气Moist

54、 air lying over the neighbouring Atlantic 冷却并被吹至内陆is cooled and blown inland,形成雾堤笼罩沙漠forming fog banks that shroud the desert inmist.这些珍贵的水汽诱人地弥漫在沙丘顶部This precious moisture lies tantalisingly out of reach难以触及而且不会久留at the top of the dunes, and it wont last long.太阳升起数小时后就会被烤干Itll be burnt off by the s

55、un just hours after it rises.拟步甲狂奔至沙丘顶部Darkling beetles race to the top of the dunes 要赶在薄雾消失之前吸收水分to reach the fog before it vanishes.纳米布的沙丘有些高达300 米Some of the Namibs dunes are 1,000 feethigh,堪称世界之最the tallest in the world.对于拇指盖大小的甲虫来说攀爬距离相当于For a beetle no larger than a thumbnail, this is the equi

56、valent人类攀爬一座比珠穆朗玛峰高两倍的沙丘of us climbing a dune twice the height of Everest.但更令人印象深刻的是它接下来的举动But even more impressive is what it does next.身体正直迎面朝风Standing perfectly still, facing into the wind,甲虫倒立在沙丘上the beetle does a headstand.薄雾开始在它身上凝结成水滴Fog begins to condense on its body.鞘翅上的小凸起Microscopic bumps

57、 on its wing cases 将水引到通向嘴部的一个小沟渠里direct the water to grooves thatchannel ittowards the mouth.在回到背风坡上之前Before returning down the slip face, 它要喝下百分之四十体重的水分it will drink 40% of its body weight.这只小甲虫学会了This little beetle has learned如何在地球上最干燥的地方之一how to conjure water out of the air 从空气中变出水来in one of the

58、 driest places on earth.然而它并非沙丘顶部唯一的访客And its not alone on the top of the dunes.蹼趾虎也采用了相似的办法Web-footed geckos use a similar trick. 肯定少有动物跋涉更远的距离去获取水分Surely, few animals go to greater lengths to get a drink.不幸的是 纳米比亚变色龙知道在薄雾弥漫的早晨Unfortunately, Namaqua chameleons know that on foggy mornings,从沙丘上下来的甲虫t

59、he beetles coming down the dunes 会比上去的更多汁are juicier than those going up. 在这样一个水资源完全匮乏的世界The diversity of life that thrives in a world生物多样性如此之高确实令人惊叹almosttotallydevoidofwateristrulyremarkable.在沙漠中成功存活Success in the desert依靠的是数百万年进化而来的dependsonanextraordinaryvarietyofsurvival strategies非凡多样的生存策略that

60、 have evolved over millions of years.但我们的地球正遭受着变故But our planet is changing.世界沙漠的面积在扩大温度更高更加干燥The worlds deserts are growing bigger, hotterand drier,而且在以史无前例的速度变化着and theyre doing so faster than ever before.沙漠生命在未来如何存活依旧有待观察How life will cope here in the future remainsto be seen.拍摄日记在广阔空旷的沙漠中寻找动物Fin