沙漠 Deserts.
灼热 荒凉而凶险 Scorched, desolate, hostile.
但也同样充满生机 But, alive.
上百万只饥饿的蝙蝠 One million hungry bats
在夜晚降临之前飞出了它们安全的洞穴 Forced to leave the safety of their cave before nightfall.
太阳的炙烤如此强烈 The sun is so powerful here,
这里几乎没有任何食物 There's barely anything to eat.
蝙蝠只有早些行动 才能捕捉到足够的昆虫 The bats can only catch enough insects by leaving early.
但是 把自己暴露在阳光之下 非常危险 But, in daylight, they're dangerously exposed.
鹰等来了时机 Hawks wait for them.
在沙漠中 时机至关重要 In the desert, timing is everything.
把握不好 就会让你代价惨重 Get it wrong and you pay the price.
太阳掌控着沙漠生命的节奏 The sun governs the rhythm of desert life.
动物们在这里生活 And the animals that make their home here
要完全受太阳的支配 Are at the mercy of its power.
水深火热的星球
在我头顶上方是一个直径可达160万公里的巨大核反应堆 Above me is a nuclear reactor almost a million miles across.
太阳每秒喷发的能量能超过人类历史上 Every second, the sun spits out more energy than humans
消耗的全部能量 Have used in all our history.
而当你置身沙漠 对太阳威力的感受将最为深切 And nowhere is its power more potent than in the desert.
然而不可思议的是 竟然有动物终生都生活在这种 Amazingly, there are animals that spend their lives
炽热的环境中 In this scorching heat.
但是现在 地球上最炎热的地方正变得更加炙烤 But now the hottest places on earth are getting even hotter.
就连最顽强的动物也面对着前所未有的 And even the most resilient creatures are facing a fight
斗争 Like never before.
太阳的统治开始了 The sun's rule begins.
从现在开始 每过去一个小时 生存就愈加艰难 From now on, survival gets tougher by the hour.
努比亚羱羊生活在沙漠中最高 Nubian ibex make their home in the highest,
最陡峭的地方 Steepest corners of the desert.
在这里养育两个孩子 简直无法想象 A daunting place to raise two kids.
(bleating).
然而它们最大的挑战却来自太阳 But, their greatest challenge comes from the sun.
过去几十年里 In the last few decades,
热浪变得越来越强烈 Heatwaves have become more severe.
努比亚羱羊需要水 但是水源在300多米以下的地方 They need water, but it lies 1000 feet below.
这对只有几天大的幼崽们来说 是一次危险之旅 It's a perilous journey for kids only a few days old.
但是它们软底攀岩鞋般的蹄子能牢牢抓住岩壁 But, their soft soled hooves grip like climbing shoes.
它们似乎也不会恐高 目眩 And, they appear utterly immune to vertigo.
这些被太旧炙烤的陡峭山坡上 几乎没有任何植物 Little grows on these steep, sun baked slopes.
它们的脚下只有不断崩塌的岩石 All that's underfoot is crumbling rock.
在太阳的驱赶下 Driven downward by the sun,
努比亚羱羊一家快要到山脚了 The family's journey is almost over.
但是现在 它们远离了 But now, they no longer enjoy the protection
高耸悬崖的保护 Of the high cliffs.
一只阿拉伯狼出现了 An arabian wolf.
它的体重是努比亚羱羊幼崽的1O倍之多 He outweighs an ibex kid ten to one.
在这片沙漠中 它是努比亚羱羊最害怕的猎食者 In this desert, he's the ibex's most feared predator.
妈妈让孩子们攀上山坡 By keeping her family up slope,
它的纤瘦体形占据了优势 She has a slender advantage.
但是滚落的岩石无法阻止阿拉伯狼 But falling rocks won't stop him.
幼崽拥有无可战胜的灵活性 The kids have unbeatable agility,
但是它们经验不足 But lack experience.
妈妈现在无能为力了 There's nothing the mother can do.
接下来 它将集中自己的全部精力 Now, she will focus all her energy on protecting
来保护和养育唯一的幼崽 And providing for her remaining kid.
在太阳无法照射到的峡谷中 Deep in the canyon, sheltered from the sun,
则是另一番景象 It's a different world.
这就是它们铤而走险的原因 This is what they've risked everything for.
这也是沙漠中最宝贵的资源 The desert's most precious resource.
它们的生命线 A lifeline.
但这也让它们代价巨大 But a costly one.
太阳逐渐爬升 它的威力也在加强 As the sun climbs higher its power intensifies,
而它对沙漠生命的蹂躏也在变本加厉 Tightening its grip on desert life.
在一些地方 任何能生存下来的动物 In some places, it seems miraculous
都堪称奇迹 That anything can survive.
这里气温的上升速度 The temperature here is rising three times faster
是全球平均水平的3倍 Than the global average.
这座矿城是60多年前废弃的 This mining town was abandoned over 60 years ago.
据说这些建筑里会闹鬼 Some believe these buildings are haunted.
但是行走在这座鬼城之中的 But whatever's stalking this ghost town
却是活生生的动物 Is very much alive.
在非洲的纳米布沙漠中 In africa's namib desert...
一只非洲鬣狗在一座鬼城中安了家 A brown hyena has set up home in a ghost town.
它的幼崽们非常饥饿 Her pups are hungry.
在这个荒凉的地方 似乎不太可能 And, finding food in this desolate landscape
找到食物 Seems impossible.
但是在一公里之外 这片沙漠却连接着 Yet, less than a mile away, the desert meets one of the
世界上富饶的海洋 Richest seas in the world.
大西洋把生命带到了纳米布沙漠 The atlantic brings life to the namib.
成千上万只南非海狗聚集于此 Thousands of cape fur seals.
海狗幼崽极易成为攻击目标 Pups could be an easy target.
它们就像将近7公斤重的脂肪球 15 pound balls of blubber,
完全无法适应沙漠的生活 Totally unsuited to desert life.
黑背胡狼也展开了捕猎行动 Black backed jackals are also on the hunt.
但是海狗幼崽身边有难以应付的保镖 But, the pups have formidable bodyguards.
这么大规模的海狗聚居地 In a colony this size,
会有不少其它机会 There are plenty of other opportunities.
一个从初生宝宝身上脱落的胎盘 A placenta from a recent birth.
因为有3只幼崽需要喂养 With three pups of her own to feed,
这只鬣狗要选择更大的目标 The hyena needs a bigger meal.
随着海滩温度的升高 “保镖”们回到了海水中 As the land heats up, bodyguards retreat to the sea.
南非海狗拥有锋利的牙齿 Armed with sharp teeth,
甚至落单的幼崽都敢于积极反抗 Even a lone pup can put up a brave fight.
等到太阳发挥威力 捕猎或许更容易一些 It's easier to wait until the sun takes its toll.
被热昏头的海狗幼崽 Disoriented by the punishing heat,
在沙漠中迷失了方向 This pup strays into the desert.
鬣狗掌握了完美的捕猎时机 She timed her hunt to perfection.
是时候在一天中最炎热的时刻放松一下了 Now it's time to relax during the heat of the day.
即使现在气温还在不断升高 Even now, with temperatures still rising,
但并非所有动物都能够休息 Not all animals can afford to rest.
这些细尾獴幼崽刚出生5周 These meerkat pups are just five weeks old.
还需要学习许多关于沙漠生存的技巧 They still have a lot to learn about desert survival.
现在是旱季 It's a dry season.
6个月之后才会有降雨 Rain is six months away.
最近的河流已经7年没有水了 And the closest river hasn't flowed in seven years.
寻找食物是最大的挑战 Finding food is the toughest challenge.
大部分食物都隐藏在炙热的沙土之下 Most of it's hiding under sun-baked soil.
成年细尾獴负责放哨 警惕危险 With adults on guard duty scanning for danger.
随时准备发出警告 Ready to sound the alarm.
幼崽们则可以安全地开始学习了 It's safe for the pups' lessons to begin.
首先是挖掘 First, digging.
这比想象中要难 Harder than it looks.
成年细尾獴几秒钟就能挖出相当于自己体重的沙土 An adult can dig its own body weight every few seconds.
但是对一只幼崽来说 求助会更容易一些 But, for a pup, it's easier to beg.
何不把繁重的工作交给成年细尾獴呢 Why not let the adults do the hard work?
然而 得来之食未必能直接下肚 But, not all handouts make for a simple meal.
一只蝎子 A scorpion.
成年细尾獴已经破坏了蝎子的蛰针 The adult has already disabled its stinger,
但蝎子的蛰仍然功能完备 But its pincers are still fully functional.
学习如何应对危险的动物 Learning how to deal with dangerous animals
是一项重要的沙漠技能 Is a vital desert skill.
很快就该休息一下了 All too soon, it's time for a break.
它们需要在灼热阳光下找到阴凉 They need to find shade in the searing sun.
但是课程还没有结束 But, lessons aren't over yet.
在非洲的卡拉哈里沙漠中 In Africa's Kalahari Desert,
一只年幼的细尾獴遭遇了一条金黄眼镜蛇 A young meerkat is face to face with a cape cobra.
一对一 它陷入了大麻烦 One on one, he's in big trouble.
但家人在听到求救声之后 But when his family hear the call,
迅速赶来营救 They race to the rescue.
这将是最重要的一课 This will be one of the most important lessons of all.
如何对付一条有剧毒的金黄眼镜蛇 How to handle a venomous cobra.
如果它们不能把这条蛇赶出领地 If they can't see the snake off their territory,
整个细尾獴家族仍将面临风险 The entire family remains at risk.
细尾獴幼崽现在知道 The pups now know,
它们在这片凶险的沙漠中 生存的秘诀就是 Their secret to living in this inhospitable desert,
团队合作 Teamwork.
时间接近中午 Midday is approaching.
学习结束了 是时候躲藏起来了 School's over and it's time to take shelter.
因为未来的几小时 太阳将施展全部的威力 For the next few hours, the sun's full power is unleashed.
很少有动物能在外面生存下来 Very few animals can survive out in the open.
纳米布沙漠 纳米比亚 这是世界上最古老的沙漠 This is the world's oldest desert.
它至少存在了5500万年 It's existed for at least 55 million years.
如今这里的气温还在不断升高 And now the temperature is rising even higher.
一个世纪增加一两度或许不算什么 An extra degree or two a century may not sound much.
但当动物们已被逼近极限时 But where creatures are already pushed to the limit
这就会关乎生死 It could be fatal.
中午时分 沙子的温度甚至能熔化你的鞋子 At midday, the sand is hot enough to melt your shoes.
铲吻蜥蜴会通过“跳舞” The shovel snouted lizard
来避免自己的脚被烫伤 Avoids burning its feet by dancing.
隆头蛛能够承受其它蜘蛛 The buck spoor spider can survive higher temperatures
难以忍受的温度 Than any other spider.
近40摄氏度的高温 Up to 120 fahrenheit.
但是气温很快会升得更高 But it's gonna get hotter than that.
它必须快速织出一个沙毯 She must work fast, weaving a blanket of sand
来覆盖自己洞穴的入口 To cover the entrance to her burrow,
而它就能躲在里面纳凉 Where she escapes the heat.
现在 沙子的温度超过了70摄氏度 Now, the sand hits 160 degrees.
但是对沙漠速蚁来说 这只是工作日的开始 Yet, for hotrod ants, it's the start of the working day.
在沙丘上 它们搜寻着太阳的受害者 Alone on the dunes, they scavenge the sun's victims.
长腿真是帮了大忙 Long legs are a lifesaver.
仅仅升高了5毫米 温度就会下降12度 Just a fifth of an inch up is 12 degrees cooler.
速蚁真是名副其实 And, the hotrods live up to their name,
它们跑动得如此之快 甚至能制造出阵阵凉风 Running so fast they create a cooling breeze.
地面温度升的太高时 它们会完全离开地面 When it gets too much, they climb off the sand entirely.
通过挑战自己的耐热生存极限 By pushing the limits of thermal survival,
蚂蚁可以在它们的天敌躲藏时 自如行动 The ants can be active when their predators are in hiding.
但是它们也必须尽快返回巢穴 But, even they must get back to the nest soon.
以免被烤焦 Before they boil to death.
蚂蚁的挣扎不会被忽略 The ants' struggles won't go unnoticed.
震动沿着丝线传到了 Vibrations travel down silk threads,
地下洞穴中 To an underground lair.
有时候 隆头蛛会把杀戮交给太阳 Sometimes, the spoor spider lets the sun do its killing.
它则会晚一点出现 获取现成的食物 It will emerge later to eat its precooked meal.
在世界各地的沙漠中 Across the world's deserts,
气温都会在午后达到最高点 Temperature peak in the early afternoon.
这些地放几乎没有一丝生命的迹象 With barely a trace of life,
看起来就像是火星的表面 These landscapes look like the surface of mars.
而从太空中 我们可以充分领略到沙漠的地貌之美 From space, the full beauty of desert geology is revealed.
在非洲 撒哈拉之眼有48公里宽 In africa, the eye of the sahara is 30 miles wide.
那是有着数百万年历史的 坍塌的圆顶形岩石 A collapsed dome of rock millions of years old.
在我们日渐温暖的世界中 如果沙漠继续扩张 Landscapes like this will become more common if deserts
这种景象会变得越来越普遍 Continue to expand in our warming world.
现在最接近沙漠化的大陆 Right now, the closest we have to a desert continent
就是澳大利亚 Is Australia.
这是最干旱的大陆板块栖息地 The driest of all inhabited land masses.
面积相当于美国加州和蒙大拿州之和的地区 A brutal drought has hit an area the size of
遭遇了可怕的干旱 California and Montana combined.
在一些地方 年降水量甚至不足25毫米 In places, under an inch of rain has fallen in a year.
现在 最重要的就是生存下来 Right now, survival is all that matters.
和小型动物不同 Unlike smaller animals,
红袋鼠无法钻到洞穴中躲避高温 Red kangaroos can't burrow to escape the heat.
而是进化成沙漠中 Instead, they have evolved to be some of the toughest
最顽强的动物 Of all desert creatures.
但在46摄氏度的高温下 它们也快顶不住了 But at 115 degrees, even they begin to struggle.
这位妈妈和它的幼崽就快中暑了 This mother and her joey are dangerously overheating.
它们必须尽快躲藏起来 They must find shelter and fast.
在澳大利亚 一只红袋鼠和它的幼崽 In Australia, a kangaroo and her joey
被热浪威胁 Are dangerously overheating.
它们只有一个躲避的机会 They have one chance to escape.
阴凉能让太阳的威力减弱80% Shade cuts the sun's energy by 80%.
但是后来者是不受欢迎的 But latecomers are not welcome.
在太阳的威力达到极点时 In the full force of the sun,
这位妈妈必须发挥所有的生存技能 This mother must draw on all her survival skills.
挖坑能让它有所缓解 Digging offers a little relief.
仅在十几厘米的地下 Just five inches underground,
土壤的温度就能比地表低10摄氏度 The soil can be 50 degrees cooler.
它最后的办法是使用储备的宝贵水分 As a last resort, she uses precious water reserves.
唾液的蒸发能给皮下毛细血管中的 Evaporating saliva cools the blood in capillaries
血液降温 Beneath her skin.
但是温度还在升高 But the heat keeps rising.
澳大利亚接收的太阳能量 Australia receives more solar energy
比其它大陆板块都多 Than any other landmass.
红袋鼠几乎丧失了移动的力量 They barely have the strength to move.
因为几乎没有任何食物 And, with almost nothing left to eat
它们处于饿死的边缘 They're all slowly starving.
如果遭受最严酷的干旱 80％的红袋鼠会死去 In the most severe droughts, 80% of red kangaroos can die.
它们的尸体会在干燥的沙漠空气中迅速变成干尸 Their bodies quickly mummify in the dry, desert air.
但是几只异常顽强的红袋鼠 Yet, a few of the very toughest kangaroos
却生存了下来 Somehow manage to survive.
当降雨最终到来时 它们的后代 When the rains finally come, their offspring will
将重新返回澳大利亚的内陆 Repopulate the outback.
并非所有的沙漠都荒凉得令人绝望 Not all deserts are so desperately bleak.
索诺拉沙漠 美国亚利桑那州 树形仙人掌可以长到18米的高度 重量可达两吨 Saguaro cacti can tower over 60 feet and weigh two tons.
而它只是这里生长的2000多个植物物种之一 Just one of over 2,000 plant species that grow here.
在这片充满绿色和尖剌的沙漠中 In this green, spiky desert.
一只年幼的栗翅鹰遇到了一个麻烦 A young harris hawk has a problem.
它的猎物有许多地方可以躲藏 There are lots of places for his prey to hide.
这让栗翅鹰进化出了不同于其它鸟类的捕食策略 It forces harris hawks to hunt like no other bird.
群体捕食 In a pack.
太阳开始下落 And, now the sun's dropping.
现在足够凉爽 可以发动攻击了 It's cool enough to launch an attack.
作为最小的家庭成员 As the youngest family member,
它的工作就是把兔子赶到开阔地带 His job is to flush the rabbit into the open.
而在上空 它的母亲协调着捕猎行动 Above, his mother coordinates the hunt.
其余的家庭成员则各就各位 The rest of the family take their positions,
准备追击 Ready for the chase.
俯冲标志着攻击的开始 A dive signals that the hunt is on.
三位追逐者开始了围捕 The three chasers enter the game.
第一次失败了 而另一名追逐者继续跟进 After a miss, another chaser takes over.
最终轮到了最年幼的栗翅鹰 Finally, it's the youngster's turn.
通过每秒钟拍打4次翅膀 Beating his wings four times a second,
它能加速到时速近50公里 He accelerates to over 30 miles an hour.
通过团队合作 By working as a team,
栗翅鹰大大增加了成功几率 The hawks more than double their chances of success.
这是在沙漠多遮蔽地区 A smart hunting strategy
发展出的巧妙捕食策略 In a desert with so many places to hide.
索诺拉沙漠是美国 The sonoran is the most diverse desert
最多变的沙漠 In the united states.
季节性风暴为它带来了生机 But, the monsoonal storms that bring it life
但也带来了可怕的怪物 Also spawn monsters.
在美国西部夏季的午后 On summer afternoons in the western united states,
太阳迫使积聚在空气中的水分 形成风暴 The sun whips up winds that suck moist air
投向沙漠地区 Into the desert.
风暴为这片土地带来了生机 Storms bring life to the land.
但有时候风也能造就可怕的怪物 But, sometimes the winds generate a monster.
它以80公里的时速移动着 Moving at 50 miles an hour.
沙尘暴能够吞没沿途的动物 A dust storm can engulf and even suffocate
甚至让它们窒息 The animals in its path.
太阳势不可挡的破坏力展露无遗 An unstoppable manifestation of the sun's destructive power.
傍晚时分 沙漠终于稍稍恢复了平静 By late afternoon, deserts finally become less hostile.
天气变得平稳而凉爽 Conditions are calmer and cooler.
这是捕猎的完美时机 The perfect time for a hunter.
虽然白天即将结束 It may be the end of the day,
但是这只狞猫的捕猎才刚刚开始 But this caracal is just getting started.
它要寻找的猎物要回巢过夜了 The prey she's after are all coming home for the night.
成百上千只群居织巢鸟 返回它们巨大的公共鸟巢 Hundreds of sociable weaver birds return to roost in their
栖息 Enormous communal nest.
强壮的后腿把狞猫弹向空中 Muscular legs propel her into the air.
张开的爪子则像钩锚一样锋利 And, with claws splayed like grappling hooks
它会努力抓住任何它能触及到的织巢鸟 She'll try to catch any bird within reach.
它能垂直跳跃3米多高 She can leap 11 feet vertically.
这可能是它日落之前最后的机会 This could be her last chance before sunset.
沙漠不会轻易放弃它稀有的资源 Deserts seldom give up their scarce resources.
但是狞猫会在夜间继续捕猎 But, the caracal will continue hunting through the night.
它只是众多利用终极生存策略 She's just one of many species that use the ultimate
对抗太阳的物种之一 Survival strategy against the sun.
那就是调整生命节奏 以完全地避开太阳 Timing their lives to avoid it almost entirely.
只有到了晚上 It's only at night that
沙漠才会展示出真正的魔力 The true magic of deserts is revealed.
这些耳廓狐白天会躲藏起来 These fennec foxes have been holed up for the day,
只等夜晚的到来 Waiting for darkness.
所以你很难看到它们 Just to catch a glimpse of them is extremely rare.
见到两只耳廓孤幼崽则更是难得 Let alone to see two pups.
它们进入了一个充满动物的世界中 They've emerged into a world bustling with creatures,
这些动物已经在地球上最大的沙漠中适应了夜间生活 Adapted to a nocturnal life in our planet's largest dessert.
浓密的皮毛能起到隔绝作用 从而帮助耳廓狐御寒 Dense fur insulates the fennecs against the cold.
反光的视网膜可以增强它们的夜视能力 A reflective retina enhances night vision.
巨大的耳朵则能够锁定极其微弱的声音 And, enormous ears pinpoint the slightest sound.
能有如此众多的动物在这种初看起来 The fact that such a diversity of animals can thrive here in
难以生存的环境中兴盛起来 A landscape that at first seems uninhabitable,
本身就非常不可思议 Is remarkable.
然而对于在夜间活动的沙漠动物来说 Yet, for all nocturnal desert animals,
生活就是在和时间赛跑 Life is a race against time.
很快 太阳将再次升起 Soon enough, the sun will rise again.
伴随着每一天的开始 这里的生活也变得愈加艰难 With each new day, life here gets more challenging.
随着全球气温的升高 As global temperatures rise ever higher,
我们的沙漠几乎每年 Our deserts are expanding by almost
都会扩张近13万平方公里 50,000 square miles every year.
所以或许只有充满创造力和身经百战的沙漠动物 So, perhaps the ingenious and battle hardened creatures of
能够继承地球 The desert might just inherit the earth.
在澳大利亚 沙漠生命展示了 In Australia, desert life shows its remarkable ability
非凡的恢复能力 To bounce back.
红袋鼠这样的动物 Creatures like the red kangaroo have evolved over
经过无数个世代的进化 适应了太阳的威力 Countless generations to cope with the power of the sun.
它们在几乎没有食物和水的环境中存活下来 They thrive in a landscape with barely any food or water.
并能在人类难以生存的环境中 And are able to raise a new generation in conditions
繁衍生息 That would kill us.
我们不知道变暖的世界究竟会带给我们怎样的命运 We don't know exactly what our warming world will bring.
但是不论发生什么 可以肯定的是 But, whatever happens, you can bet that desert animals will
沙漠动物绝对不会轻易放弃 Never give up without a fight.
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