要在大草原上成长生活 Growing up on the savanna,
这头小象将等面对各种各样的危险 This calf will face many dangers.
像这样两头庞然大物间的决斗 难得一见 But a battle this big is incredibly rare.
两头公象势均力敌 斗志满满 Two evenly matched testosterone-fueled bulls.
小象不宜在止停留 No place for a baby.
这头小象有朝一日也会面临这样的战斗 One day the calf may have to fight like this.
但眼下它要应对一场更为紧迫的危机 But there are far more imminent threats.
三分之一的小象 A third of all calves don't make it
出生不到一年就会夭折 Through their first year.
和所有的草原动物一样 Like all animals here,
小象的命运取决于它脚下生生不息的青草 His fate depends on the grass growing under his feet.
水深火热的星球
草原覆盖了地球上大约四分之一的陆地 Grasslands cover a quarter of the land on the planet.
草原上既有高大壮硕的动物 They support the largest animals
也有浩浩荡荡迁徙行进的兽群 And the biggest herds to walk the earth.
草原上的生活似乎悠然自得 Life on the these great plains may look easy...
然而事实并非如此 But don't be fooled.
每当天气条件骤变 When conditions turn,
草原很可能发生天翻地覆的 They can become some of the most volatile landscapes
变化 On our planet.
会发生一连串的灾难 洪水 A relentless cycle of flood...
饥荒 Famine...
冰冻和火灾 Freeze and fire.
随着地球气候越发捉摸不定 And as our climate becomes more unpredictable...
草原动物们在面临炼狱般的考验 It takes the animals of the grasslands to hell and back.
北美大平原进入了隆冬时节 Deepest winter on north america's great plains.
气温低至零下40摄氏度 40 below...
降雪量也创下新高 And record snowfall.
北美野牛刨开厚厚的最积雪 却只找到零星食物 Bison dig deeper for diminishing returns.
干枯的草叶毫无营养价值 Dead grass with the nutrition of cardboard.
它们每天的食量达到10公斤 却依然填不饱肚子 23 pounds of the stuff every day still isn't enough.
它们不得不忍饥挨饿 They're starving.
小牛犊弱不禁风 The calves are the most vulnerable,
不仅深受严寒威胁 其它天敌也在虎视眈眈 And if the cold doesn't get them, another enemy might.
冬天有利于狼的生存 Winter is a wolf's ally.
寒风中挣扎的动物有机会让它们饱餐一顿 A time to feed off the suffering of others.
这里的狼不仅在体形上数一数二 These are the biggest wolves in the world.
还组成了超过25匹的庞大狼群 And at 25 strong, they're one of the largest packs.
猎捕庞然大物时 群体规模很关键 Size matters when you hunt giants.
北美野牛的体重比狼重10倍 Ten times heavier and well armed,
还长有尖锐的牛角 The bison are stronger,
只要它们坚守阵地就能占据上风 As long as they stand their ground.
然而狼群的到来引发了恐慌 But wolves create panic.
[grunting]
奔向树林对美洲野牛而言是一个错误 Running for the woods is a mistake.
草木破坏了美洲野牛群的队形 Trees break their formation
弱点暴露出来 And expose the weak.
落单的小牛犊很容易被拿下 Alone, a youngster is an easy target.
美洲野牛妈妈冒着生命危险来营救孩子 But a mother will risk her own life to save her calf.
只有回到美洲野牛群中 它们才能转危为安 They must make it back to the safety of the herd.
然而厚厚的积雪极大消耗了美洲野牛的体力 But deep snow saps the bison's energy.
小牛犊再次被孤立 Again, the calf is isolated.
它又一次化险为夷 Again, it's rescued.
小牛犊唯一的希望 Now there's hope.
就是藏身于美洲野牛群之中 As long as the calf can stay hidden within the ranks...
皑皑的白雪只会让美洲野牛群越来越虚弱 While the snow remains, the bison get steadily weaker.
但草原生活 But on the grasslands,
总会充满变化 有时是翻天覆地的 Change is inevitable and often extreme.
时值4月 气温较年初 By April, it's 100 degrees warmer
上升了50多摄氏度 Than at the start of the year.
一场新的危机一触即发 And a new danger is brewing.
春天到了 暴风雨开始侵袭大地 Spring, and the start of storm season.
全球最为强烈的雷暴现象 North america's great plains are a hot spot
多数发生在北美洲的大平原 For some of the most intense thunderstorms on earth.
一些雷暴会演变成超级单体风暴 Some mutate into supercells.
它们犹如天空中的怪兽 释放出的能量相当于100枚核弹 Monsters with the equivalent energy of 100 nuclear bombs.
暴雨光顾得越来越频繁 Storms are becoming more frequent here.
在世界各地 And in grasslands across the globe,
草原的气候模式都变得更加反复无常 Weather patterns are increasingly erratic.
这里的降水比往常提前了一个月 滂沱如注 Here the rains are a month early and hitting hard.
短短几个月的降水总量就超过了往年的全年降水量 Over a year's worth of rain in just a couple of months.
雨水的冲刷足以让草原变得面目全非 Enough to transform the grasslands beyond recognition.
这里遭遇了50年不遇的洪灾 The worst flood in 50 years.
积水深度超过了一米 Four feet of water.
积水并没有妨碍成年动物的生活 Not a problem for the adults,
和青草的生长 And plenty of fresh grass,
但这对小象来说太深了 But a bit deep for a calf.
幸运的是 它的象鼻可以伸出水面呼吸 Luckily, he has a snorkel.
洪水在短期内可能会给动物们 These floods may complicate things
造成一些麻烦 A little in the short term.
但从长远看 洪水滋养了这片草原 But they'll revitalize life on the savanna.
随着洪水消退 As the flood waters subside...
草原一片欣欣向荣 ...They reveal a flush of new growth.
洪水还推动了下一代的降生 And fuel a baby boom.
但对新生儿来说 这片草原危机四伏 But this can be a dangerous place to take your first steps.
和地球上其它地方相比 It's home to more large predators
这里生活着更多的大型猎食动物 Than anywhere else on earth.
许多新生的汤氏瞪羚幼崽活不过一小时 Many thomson gazelle fawns won't survive their first hour.
它们必须小心躲藏 才有存活的希望 Their only hope is to hide.
汤氏瞪羚妈妈舔舐着宝宝 Mothers clean their newborns
尽量消除它的气味 To remove any scent,
可留给这只小汤氏瞪羚的时间不多了 But for this fawn
没有时间了 there isn't time.
如果妈妈站岗放哨 就会暴露宝宝的位置 If mum stands guard, she'll blow its cover.
妈妈别无选择 只得走开 She has no option but to walk away.
猎豹只有发现运动的目标才会展开追击 The cheetah's hunting instinct is triggered by movement.
在猎豹眼中 一动不动的小汤氏瞪羚 A motionless fawn looks remarkably
如同一个小土堆 Like a mound of earth.
小汤氏瞪羚只能卧倒不动 All it can do is stay down.
保持安静 Stay still.
希望这只猎豹会转移目标 Hope someone else is spotted first.
猎豹很有耐心 Cheetahs are patient.
而小汤氏瞪羚需要尽快喝奶 But the fawn will need to suckle soon.
更槽的是 它身上残存的羊水招来了苍蝇 Worse still, the birth fluid is attracting flies.
猎豹的注意力被分散了 A distraction!
小汤氏瞪羚逃过一劫 And a narrow escape.
一只小水羚被发现了 A waterbuck calf.
有幼崽幸存 One fawn's fate
就会有幼崽遭殃 Is another's fortune.
草原动物幼崽们面临的最大挑战 Surviving its first 24 hours
就是熬过出生后的第一天 Is the greatest challenge the fawn will face.
如果它们得以幸存 Those that make it can enjoy growing up
就可以在这片富饶的土地上茁壮成长 On one of the most productive places on the planet.
北美草原养育了300万头北美驯鹿 North america's grasslands support 3 million caribou.
它们每年迁徙的距离长达4800公里 They journey up to 3,000 miles a year--
这是地球上行程最长的陆地迁徙 The longest land migration on earth.
但在这片大陆的多数地区 But on most of the continent,
浩浩荡荡的驯鹿群已不复存在 Mega herds are a thing of the past.
曾经有6000万头美洲野牛在这片平原纵情驰骋 60 million bison once thundered across these plains.
由于人类的猎杀 美洲野牛的数量锐减到了1000余头 Hunting decimated numbers to just over 1,000 animals.
直至今天 美洲野牛依然难得一见 And bison are still rare today.
盛夏时节到来了 Midsummer.
动物们需要储存脂肪 准备过冬 Time to fatten up before next winter.
但这个任务变得越来越难了 But that's getting harder.
这里的气温 Temperatures here have risen
比全球平均水平高出三倍 Three times more than the global average.
[flies buzzing]
四处飞舞的蚊虫引发了瘟疫 And it's creating plagues of biting flies.
每头美洲野牛的日均失血量约为500毫升 Each bison loses as much as a pint of blood every day.
此时 雄性美洲野牛必须保持身强力壮 And just when the bulls need to be at their strongest
它们要为争夺交配权而战 To compete for mating rights.
来年 The winner will sire
将有四分之三的新生牛犊是获胜者的后代 Up to three quarters of next year's calves.
年轻的美洲野牛们激战正酣 As the young bison scrap...
一头老当益壮的美洲野牛在旁观战 An old bull watches on...
它在等待最佳的登场时机 Waiting for the perfect moment to enter the arena.
眼下正值交配季节 It's mating season.
这头经验丰富的美洲野牛静等实力不凡的挑战者出现 An old bull waits for a worthy challenger to emerge.
[grunts]
威风上场 老美洲野牛不再观望 Fresh to the fight, the old bull enters the ring.
对手年轻力壮 The youngster is stronger,
但老美洲野牛经验十足 But the old bull is more experienced.
老美洲野牛向对手的肋部发动袭击 占据了上风 Targeting the flanks, he gains the upper hand.
年轻的美洲野牛落荒而逃 The young rival retreats.
老美洲野牛保住了交配权 Mating rights secured...
它有资格享受一番了 ...The old bull can enjoy the good times.
然而好景很难长久 But they won't last long.
旱季到了 The dry season begins.
从现在起 草原生活将变得更加艰辛 From now on, life just gets tougher.
青草提供的营养越来越少 Grass becomes less nutritious,
很难满足大象的庞大胃口 And elephants struggle to satisfy their huge appetites.
和许多草原动物一样 Like so many grassland animals,
它们唯一的选择就是踏上旅程 Their only option is to keep moving.
大象为寻找食物 Elephants can walk over 100 miles a day
每天可以行走160公里以上 In their search for food.
它们在行进中可能会踏入危险地域 And it can lead them into dangerous territory.
这群狮子擅长围攻大型猎物 These lions specialize in bringing down large prey.
袭击风险性大 因此它们会选择一些弱小的目标 Still, it's risky, so they target the most vulnerable.
大些的大象性命无虞 Older calves should be safe.
但虚张声势可能会让它陷入绝境 But bravado can be a dangerous thing.
其余的大象无能为力 只能继续前进 There's nothing they can do but move on.
炙烤之下 地面水分蒸发 As the sun robs the land of its water,
旱灾愈演愈烈 The dry season intensifies,
雨水已经成为草原动物们遥远的记忆 And rain becomes a distant memory.
河马们苦不堪言 Hippos suffer more than most.
这头河马整晚都在吃草 He's spent the night grazing,
而现在毒辣的阳光威胁着它 But now the climbing sun is a threat.
河马的体温很快飙升 Hippos can quickly overheat.
需要马上到深水中降温 He needs deep water and fast.
这里有一个泥潭 There is one pool...
却早已被抢占一空 ...But it's occupied.
雄性河马通常会和邻居 Each bull hippo normally commands
拉开60米的距离 A territory of 200 feet.
但现在800头脾气火爆的河马 Now, 800 of africa's most bad-tempered animals
不得不挤在一起 Are crammed together.
人类截取了大量的水资源用于灌溉 And as humans take more water for irrigation,
留给河马的空间越来越少 There's less room than ever before.
这头河马必须想方设法挤进去 Somehow he's got to find a way in.
它的生命危在旦夕 His life depends on it.
离开水的河马很快就会体温过高 Out of water, this hippo would soon overheat.
可是泥潭里已经没有它的位置了 But the water hole is already full.
对方表现得不太友好 It may not look very inviting.
牛椋鸟肆意破坏着河马脆弱的伤口 Oxpeckers ravage cracks in their delicate skin.
每天多达20吨的排泄物把这里变成了一个大粪池 And 20 tons of waste a day has turned it into a cesspit.
但这个臭气熏天的地方可以挽救河马的生命 But this hell hole could save his life.
前提是它能够安全进入 If he's allowed in.
早已占据这里的雄性河马体形更大 This resident bull is bigger.
但闯入者早已无路可退 But the outsider is desperate.
两头重达5吨的河马针锋相对 Five tons of hippo clash.
它们比拼的是块头 Testing bulk...
凶狠的大嘴 Bite size...
和蛮力 And brute force.
闯入者认输了 The outsider accepts defeat.
随着干旱的加剧 He must venture into the unknown,
它只能冒险踏进陌生地域 As the stranglehold of drought tightens.
土地遭受炙烤 The earth is parched
草原一片焦黄 And the grass, tinder-dry.
野火能以每小时60公里的速度蔓延至整个草原 Fires can sweep across the plains at 40 miles an hour.
温度可达420摄氏度 And reach temperatures of 800 degrees.
在非洲 每年遭受草原火灾的地区相当于美国 Across africa, an area the size of half the united states
国土面积的一半 Burns every year,
随着气候不断变暖 And with a warming climate,
火势将进一步扩散 Wildfires are set to spread even further.
一些动物利用了熊熊的大火 Some capitalize on the chaos.
佛法僧鸟和蜂虎鸟趁机捕捉逃离的昆虫 Rollers and bee-eaters pick off fleeing insects.
食腐的非洲秃鹳 Known as the undertaker bird,
在清理各种动物的腐尸 Marabou storks clean up afterwards.
食草动物的食物所剩无几 There's nothing left here for the grazers.
但是草原并非毁于一旦 But the grass itself clings on...
深深扎入地下的草根在大火中完好无损 Its deep roots untouched by the flames.
现在只要有水 草就能生长 All it needs now is water.
阿拉伯狒狒为降雨的到来 等待了几个月之久 Hamadryas baboons wait months for the rains to arrive.
但这片干涸的大地 But earth this dry
无法靠阵雨解决问题 Needs more than a shower.
埃塞俄比亚是最易发生旱灾的 This is one of the most drought-prone countries
国家之一 In the world,
而且情况正进一步恶化 And it's getting worse.
气候变化导致的水源短缺问题 As our climate changes, water shortages are sparking conflict
使动物和人类之间的矛盾不断激化 For animals and humans alike.
这是方圆几公里内唯一的水塘 One of the only water holes for miles.
这里的水源尚且充足 能确保这群阿拉伯狒狒 It provides enough water for this band of baboons
在旱季的生存 To survive the dry season.
相对而言 这群阿拉伯狒狒数量更多 也更加健康 They're relatively strong in health and numbers.
而在干旱的草原上 另一群阿拉伯狒狒口渴难耐 Further out on the arid plains, another band is thirsty.
它们没有地方喝水 With little to drink out here,
也来到了悬崖下的同一个水塘 They're forced to the same water hole below the cliff.
两群阿拉伯狒狒狭路相逢 一场大战在所难免 But when two bands meet, it nearly always ends in violence.
雌性狒狒和幼崽们危在旦夕 Females and babies are most at risk.
闯入的阿拉伯狒狒想喝上水 If the outsiders want to drink,
就必须决一死战 They'll have to fight.
一个水塘 One water hole.
两群阿拉伯狒狒 Two bands of baboons.
闯入者想要喝水 The outsiders need to drink.
但水塘早被更强大的阿拉伯狒狒群独占了 But the band at the water hole is stronger.
大战即将打响 This is how wars begin.
草原最佳的生存策略是组建—个强大的群体 The best survival strategy here is to form super bands.
在数量上压倒对手 Bigger than the opposition.
新来的阿拉伯狒狒被迫撤退 The outsiders are forced to retreat.
但有些掉队的 But not fast enough.
这些阿拉伯狒狒会在交战中夺走对方的雌性 These baboons use battles to steal females from each other.
获胜的一方扩大了自己的队伍 The winners expand their ranks,
而它们的手下败将则变得更加落魄 While the outsiders grow even weaker.
它们所能做的只有养精蓄锐 然后卷土重来 All they can do is bide their time and try again.
干旱愈演愈烈之时 As the drought reaches its peak,
饥荒成为了一道残酷的考验 Famine becomes a harsh reality.
小象只有几个月大 Just a few months old.
但生不逢时 Born at the wrong time.
大象妈妈无法分泌足够的奶水 Mum couldn't produce enough milk.
它反刍出宝贵的水 She regurgitates precious water,
尽可能地降温自救 Desperately trying to cool down and save herself.
然后俯身跟自己的孩子做最后的告别 Then says her final goodbye.
即使身处最理想的时间段 Even at the best of times,
在草原上生存 Surviving on the planet's grasslands
也绝非一件易事 Is no walk in the park.
旱季的气候 And as the dry seasons become
变得更加极端 难以预测 Even more extreme and unpredictable,
只有最强壮的动物才有能力 Only the strongest will have what it takes
坚持到最后 To make it through.
它们必须拥有非凡的适应性 Adaptability...
坚定的决心 Unfailing resolve...
并且对美好的明天充满希望 And the hope that eventually better days will return.
这只小家伙赶在雨季前出生 如今它有6个月大了 Six months older and born just before the wet season,
它的生命之旅有了顺利的开始 This calf had a stronger start.
母象首领经历过艰难时期的考验 The matriarch has seen hard times before.
它知道如何带领家人度过难关 She knows how to lead her family through.
这里拥有足够的水源 可以安心等待雨季的回归 Enough water to go round until the rains return.
草原上的生活从未如此艰辛 Surviving on the grasslands has never been harder.
然而无论年龄大小 Yet young and old,
这里的动物不屈不挠 This herd is still standing strong,
它们的精神将会代代相传 And hopefully will be for generations to come.
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