幸存的天堂（2022）

随着水位涨到最高
With water levels at their highest,
奥卡万戈变成了真正的天堂
the Okavango becomes a true paradise.
来自周围河流和沼泽的水生生物
Aquatic life from the surrounding rivers and swamps
扩散到草原来产卵
spreads into the grassland to spawn.
被大象撞倒的树枝和树木
Branches and trees knocked down by elephants
为幼鱼创造了保护它们的苗圃
create protected nurseries for young fish.
在洪峰期间
During peak flood,
三角洲会膨胀到原来的两倍大
the Delta swells to twice its original size,
任何干燥的地方都会成为珍贵的地♥产♥
and anywhere high and dry becomes prime real estate.
无花果树对于各种吃鱼的鸟类来说
Water fig trees provide perfect nesting
是完美的筑巢地点
for an astonishing variety of fish-eating birds.
对于这些家庭来说 在哪里筑巢没那么重要
For these families, it’s not so much about where you build.
重要的是你筑巢的质量
It’s what you build.
只有用最好的建筑材料才行
Only the finest construction materials will do.
如果你找不到你想要的材料
If you can’t find the exact fabric you’re looking for…
那就从你的邻居那里偷吧
just steal it from your neighbor.
反正它们总能又偷回去
They can always steal it back again.
终于
Finally,
巢穴准备好迎接它们最宝贵的财富了
a nest ready to hold their most treasured possessions.
轻轻翻动
Gently turned…
躲避毒辣的太阳
and shaded from the scalding sun.
蛋壳 蜗牛壳
Eggshell? Snail shell?
它还是新手爸爸
He’s a first-time dad.
大家都赶在洪水退去之前
Everyone is in a race to raise their young
抓紧抚养自己的孩子
before the floodwaters recede…
到时候巢穴将失去了身处孤岛的保护
and the nests lose their island protection.
母狮现在难以猎杀到猎物
The lioness has been struggling to make a kill.
在干旱的时候 苇羚和驴羚都是不错的选择
In drier conditions, a reedbuck or lechwe would be a good bet.
但是在汛期 靠自己可很难做到
But not in the flood, not by herself.
而且它还有竞争对手
And she’s got competition.
是时候回击它的对手了
Time to push back on her rivals.
这只是一次恐吓 它是不会吃尸体的
It’s pure intimidation. She won’t eat the carcass.
兽群足够聪明 不会再次考验它的耐心
The pack would be wise not to test her patience again.
到了九月 气温开始升高
By September, the temperatures rise,
水位开始下降
and water levels begin to drop,
不断缩小的池塘里挤满了鱼
leaving shrinking pools crowded with fish.
完美的时机
Perfect timing.
成鸟们开始干活
The adults get to work…
要喂饱它们珍贵的小怪兽
feeding their precious little monsters.
洪水褪去时 每天都不断形成了新的池塘
New pools form each day as the flood recedes.
每只鸟都有自己的独门技术
Everyone has their own special technique
运用它们独特的喙
to go with their own special bill.
鹈鹕喜欢用渔网
Pelicans favor the fishing net.
花斑翠鸟
Pied kingfishers…
运用俯冲轰炸体系
use the dive-bombing system.
开嘴鹳让给蜗牛破壳成为一门艺术
Openbill storks have snail-plucking down to a science.
还有那只相当有意思的黑鹭
And the rather theatrical black egret
用它的斗篷 模仿鱼喜欢隐藏的阴凉地方
uses its cape to mimic shady spots where fish like to hide.
厉害
Bravo.
不同的方法有着一个目的
Different approaches with one purpose.
为了让雏鸟们尽快强壮
To build up their chicks’ strength as quickly as possible.
鹈鹕的雏鸟是最贪婪的
Pelican chicks are the greediest.
它们一天需要喂30次
They need up to 30 feeds a day.
不知疲倦的成鸟们都知道
The tireless adults all know
三角洲家族命运的黄金法则
the golden rule of family life in the Delta.
你的幼崽越强壮 它们存活的可能性就越大
The stronger your young, the greater their chances of survival.
随着洪水逐渐褪去
As the floodwaters recede
沙漠的热量逐渐增强
and the desert heat builds,
狩猎场干涸了
hunting grounds dry out…
将力量的天平重新偏向了捕食者那边
…shifting the balance of power back to the predators.
但是 形单影只的母狮 捕杀成功率还是异常低
But alone, the lioness’ kill rate is still dangerously low.
它一天比一天虚弱
She’s growing weaker by the day.
让事态进一步复杂的是
To complicate matters,
它要进入发♥情♥期了
she’s come into season.
它的气味会传给该地区的任何狮子
Her scent will carry to any lions in the area.
包括那些它想极力避开的
Including those she most wants to avoid.
摧毁了它家族的年轻雄狮
The young males who destroyed her family.
但是随着狩猎场的逐渐开阔
But with the hunting grounds opening up,
另一只更大的雄狮被吸引到这个地区
another even bigger male is drawn to the area.
它那黑色的鬃毛和低沉的吼声
His dark mane and deep call
是正处于壮年的标志
are signs he’s in his prime.
这很危险
It’s risky.
但如果它们联合起来
But if they join forces,
它可以提供保护和捕猎的支持
he could offer protection and hunting support.
它新建立的联盟是短暂的
Her newfound alliance is short-lived.
陌生人仅在几天后就继续前进了
The stranger moves on after only a few days.
它再次形单影只
Alone, once more,
但这一次 它怀孕了
but this time pregnant.
它不能再只为自己狩猎了
She won’t be hunting for just herself anymore.
在三角洲的每个家族
Every family in the Delta
与季节变化的节奏紧密相连
is intimately connected to the rhythms of the changing seasons.
水位直线下降
The water levels are plummeting,
变成了泥巴
turning to mud.
对小象来说很好玩
Fun for a calf…
但这代表着它的象群要继续前进了
…but it’s a sign her herd should move on.
随着旱季的到来
With the dry season taking grip,
象群需要充分利用剩下的草场
the herds need to make the most of whatever grazing is left.
小象边看边学
She learns from watching.
但有些事情 它还没做到完美
But some things, she has yet to perfect.
比如集中注意力 才不会被象群落下
Such as paying attention, so as not to get left behind.
它被带到一个特殊的地方
She’s being taken to a special place.
一片棕榈林
A stand of fan palms.
它们在洪水蒸发后留下的盐碱地里 茁壮成长
They thrive where salts have been left behind by the evaporating flood.
而它们树顶结的果实
And the fruits that sit at the top
很受大象们的喜爱
are revered by elephants.
能收获如此丰厚的食物
Harvesting such lofty treats
是只有四吨♥重的野兽才能做到的技巧
is a trick that only a four-ton bull can pull off.
每摇一下都能掉下来上百枚果实
Each shake releases hundreds of fruits at once.
它摇下了足够大家吃的果实
He knocks down enough for everyone.
这顿珍贵的美餐
This precious meal
不仅仅这个家族在今天能享受
is not just for this family and not just for today.
大象是棕榈树林的
Elephants are the chief distributors
头号♥经销商
of fan palm seeds.
小象的长辈给它留下了果实
The calf’s ancestors left this fruit.
现在它也会做同样的事 留给后来者果实
And now she will do the same for those to come.
象群能携带种子到几公里外的地方
The herd will carry the seeds for many miles.
它们随着粪便被排出 然后扎根发芽
Wherever they release them in their dung, they can take root.
这是象群对三角洲的另一个重要贡献
Just another of the herd’s vital contributions to the Delta.
这将是它们最后一顿像样的饭
It will be their last decent meal.
从现在开始 食物和水的日益匮乏
From here on,
将驱使它们的每一步行动
the increasing scarcity of food and water will drive their every move.
非洲野犬已经从洪水中挺了过来
The painted wolves have made it through the flood,
但困难还没彻底结束
but not entirely intact.
一位团队成员已经被杀了
One team member already killed,
现在最好的猎人们 已经抛弃了领头野犬和它的小幼崽
and now the best hunters have deserted the alpha and her pups.
太多等着喂饱的嘴
Too many new mouths to feed
却没有足够的食物供应
and not enough food to go around.
现在是新猎手们离开巢穴
It’s time for the rookies to move out of the den
开始寻找食物的时候了
and begin searching for food.
小幼崽们的第一次大冒险
The pups’ first great adventure.
第一次跟成年野犬外出巡逻
Their first patrol with the grown-ups.
尽管与其说它们是帮助 不如说是阻碍
Though, they are more of a hindrance than a help.
它们的小短腿 只能支持它们一天跑15千米
Their little legs will carry them up to 15 kilometers a day.
领头野犬必须把它的队伍重建成一个 高速运转的捕猎机器
The alpha must rebuild her team into a peak hunting machine…
教给幼崽们兽群的狩猎之道
and teach her pups the ways of the pack hunter.
退去的洪水
The receding floodwaters
制♥造♥了释放灾害的完美条件
have created perfect conditions to unleash a plague.
蝗灾
Locusts.
上升的温度让无数蝗虫破土而出
The building heat triggers a mass hatching.
一千万只饥饿的蝗虫 吞食着干燥的植被
Ten million greedy mouths devour the drying vegetation.