幸存的天堂（2022）

古老的白蚁丘似乎是三角洲
Ancient termite mounds seem to be the only things impervious
唯一不受当前强大力量影响的东西
to the great forces now at play in the Delta.
现在是十月了
It’s October.
在短短的两个月里
In two short months,
干旱把一个郁郁葱葱的天堂
the drought has transformed a verdant paradise
变成了一片贫瘠的沙尘暴
into a barren dust bowl.
所有的兽群都在寻找水源
All the herds are searching for water
不管在哪儿能找到
wherever they can find it.
它们是两只年轻雄狮的简单猎物
They are easy pickings for the two young males.
狮子们在变得日渐强壮
Who grow bigger and stronger every day.
它们寸步不离地跟着水牛
They follow the buffaloes’ every move.
追踪同一批的牛群
Tracking the same herds,
母狮必须与雄狮们保持安全距离
the lioness must stay a safe distance from the males.
在这种脆弱的状态下 它迫切需要进食
In her delicate state, she desperately needs to eat.
但是让它独自去捕获水牛大小的猎物 几乎是不可能的
But taking on prey the size of a buffalo all by herself is next to impossible.
它现在顶多能吃些雄狮们留下的残渣
At best, she can pick up scraps left by the males,
满足生存的基本需求
scavenging the bare minimum she needs to stay alive.
所有的牛群和它们的捕食者 都被♥干♥旱所驱动着
All the herds and their predators are being drawn in by the drought,
来到三角洲的中心地带
coming together in the heart of the Delta,
这里有仅剩的水源
where the last water sources remain.
小象和它的象群
The calf and her herd
每天都要走向更深处
have to travel further with each passing day.
它们的视力可能很差 但是凭着高度发达的听觉和嗅觉
Their eyesight may be poor, but with highly attuned hearing and smell,
大象能在几公里外感知到危险
elephants can sense danger from miles away.
尼罗鳄
Nile crocodiles.
有些能长到六米长 重达四分之三吨♥
Some up to six meters long, weighing three-quarters of a ton.
但是大多数都很小 只有一米左右长
But most are pretty small, only a meter or so.
年长的大象向小象展示了
The older elephants show the calf how to get to the water
如何通过这条奇怪的障碍路线 到达水源处
by navigating this strange obstacle course.
终于
At last.
如果你还没有掌握使用象鼻的技巧
And if you still haven’t mastered the art of the trunk,
把脑袋扎进水里 也是不错的退一步选择
face drinking is always a good fallback.
小象正在通过
The calf is learning…
艰难的方式学习
the hard way.
这个水坑是牛群的救星
This water hole is the herd’s savior.
大象也要用它 来避免皮肤经受太阳的暴晒
Elephants also use it to protect their skin from the sun.
泥浆蒸发时会冷却过热的身体
The mud cools their overheated bodies as it evaporates.
尘土凝在它们皮肤的裂缝里
And the dust settles in the cracks and crevices of their skin,
起到防晒霜的作用
acting as sunblock.
像这样的地点很受欢迎
A spot like this is highly sought-after.
但是象群还没有准备好 离开它们的泥巴浴场
But the herd aren’t ready to move on from their mud spa just yet.
如此艰难的时期 教会了成长中的幼崽们很多东西
Such difficult times teach the growing pups many things.
骚扰一只酒足饭饱的秃鹫 从某种角度来说 一定是很好的一课
Harassing a well-fed vulture must be a good lesson in… something.
一只落单的鬣狗
A lone hyena…
让教学变得严肃起来
makes for a more serious education.
测试它们的压力水平能帮助它们
Testing their stress levels helps prepare them
为未来与它们竞争对手的对抗做好准备
for future confrontations with competitors.
但它们还需要学习到最重要的一课
But they still need to learn the most important lesson.
捕猎的
The art…
艺术
of the hunt.
有了领头野犬重新回来坐镇
With the alpha now back in charge…
它指挥团队将猎物 驱赶进厚厚的泥浆中
she directs the team to drive their prey into the thick mud
来减缓它们的速度
to slow them down.
它的辅♥导♥正在取得成效
Her coaching is paying off.
它们正在学习要猎杀哪些目标
They’re learning who to target…
留下哪些动物
and who to leave.
兽群变得越来越聪明 越来越亲近
The pack is growing wiser and closer each day.
到了十月下旬 气温已飙升至45摄氏度
By late October, temperatures have soared to 45 degrees Celsius.
一滴雨都没有下
Not a drop has fallen.
近几年来 这里的旱季变得越来越长
In recent years, the dry seasons here have been getting longer,
天气越来越热了
the heat more severe.
今年很快将成为本世纪最干旱的一年
This year is fast becoming the drought of the century.
每一天都变成了一场赌博
Every day becomes a gamble
不知道能否找到足够的水 维持整个象群生存
to find enough water to keep the whole herd alive.
小象和它的妈妈最需要水
The calf and her mother need it the most.
它成了这片土地的囚犯
She’s a prisoner in these lands
仅仅几个月前 这片土地还施舍给它们那么多
that only a few months ago offered her so much.
它能否生存完全掌握在
Her survival is entirely in the hands
这位年长的智者手里
of the wise, old leader.
象群的女族长
The herd’s matriarch.
从它还是一只小象的时候开始
She’s been traveling these pathways
它就一直在走这些道路
since she, too, was a young calf.
它的大脑充满了记忆
Her brain, infused with memories,
装着一张古老的地图
holds an ancient internal map
上面记录着最后的一点水源 可能出现在哪儿
of where the last pockets of water might be found.
家族不止是兽群
Family is more than just the herd.
家族更是记忆
Family is memory…
这也能改写
and that’s what’s making the difference
象群的生死
between life and death.
古老的家族记忆带领着它们 来到整个三角洲
The old family knowledge leads them to one of the last remaining water holes
最后的水坑之一
in the entire Delta.
每一滴泥浆都是救命稻草
Every muddy drop is a lifesaver.
但是小象够不到水面
But their little one can’t get to the water.
所以它干脆跳进水里面
So she simply gets into the water.
出来就没那么简单了
Getting out, not so easy.
对于一头笨拙的小象来说 充满爱的家族就是它最有力的盟友
For a clumsy calf, a loving family is her most powerful ally.
没有时间可以浪费了
There’s no time to waste.
它们需要更多的水
They need more water,
它们会追逐风暴前沿来寻找
and they’ll chase the storm front to find it.
终于 云层开始成型
Finally, clouds begin to form.
巨大的暴风雨要来了
Giant storm cells.
大象们能够听到远处雷鸣的低频响声
Elephants are able to hear the low frequencies of distant thunder
并探测到200公里以外的暴风雨
and detect storms up to 200 kilometers away.
但是在一个七个月来 几乎没下一滴雨的地区
But in a region that’s gone seven months with barely a drop of rain,
柔软的干草就是一颗定时炸♥弹♥
the tinder-dry grasses are a ticking bomb.
象群里的成年象以前见识过大火
The adults in the herd have seen fire before.
每一年 超过4000平方公里的 三角洲平原都会燃烧
Each year, up to 4,000 square kilometers of the Delta burns.
它们知道在试图穿过大火时 要紧紧挨在一起
They know to stick close together as they try to navigate the flames.
这场大火是毁灭性的
The fires are devastating…
但它没有吞噬掉一切
…but don’t devour everything.
牧群的啃食减少了火灾的燃料
The grazers have thinned the amount of fuel available to burn.
而被烧焦的地区将为明年的洪泛
And the scorched areas will create new pathways
开辟新的通道
for next year’s flood to access.
三角洲总能找到方法治愈
The Delta has always found a way to heal
因为它的居民们从没停止过 发挥应有的作用
because its residents never stop playing their part.
最后 天空屈服了
At last, the skies yield.
这场动物们记忆中的最大干旱
The greatest drought in living memory
终于结束了
is finally broken.
在接下来的五个月里
Over the next five months,
这里的降水量将会接近半米
half a meter of rain will fall here.
所有被大火烧焦的土地
Any ground scorched by the fire
都将恢复生机
will be revitalized.
畜群从它们的水坑中得到解放
The herds are released from their water holes.
捕食者们四散开来
And the predators spread out.
让食草动物继续活动
Keeping the grazers on the move,
给新生儿们一个机会
giving the new shoots a chance,
并防止任何一个区域的资源被耗尽
and preventing any one area from becoming depleted.
平衡
Balance…
将会继续维持
is maintained.
随着雨水的到来
And with the arrival of the rains…
四只小狮子也出生了
come four new cubs.
绿潮的袭来也引发了婴儿潮
The flush of green has prompted a baby boom.
它每过几天就要带着小狮子们搬家
She moves her cubs every few days…
防止它们的气味引来敌人
to prevent their scent from attracting enemies.
但它最近的搬迁还是被发现了
But her latest move hasn’t gone unnoticed.
年轻的雄狮们追踪到了它们的行踪
The young males have picked up their trail.
它们不会容忍♥另一只雄性幼崽的存在
They will not tolerate the presence of another male’s cubs.
母狮的体型只有雄狮的一半 数量也不占优
She’s half their size and outnumbered.
它们被困住了
They’re trapped.
它的本能就是把孩子带到安全的地方
Her instinct is to lead her babies to safety.