完 美 星 球
我們生活在一個充滿暴力氣氛的世界 We live in a world with a violent atmosphere.
雨雲形成, Rain clouds form,
強風把淡水帶到全球各地 and powerful winds carry their fresh water around the globe.
沒有這個,我們完美的星球就無法運轉 Without this,our perfect planet simply couldn't function
因為陸地上所有的生命都取決於天氣 for all life on land depends on the weather.
大 氣
我們都知道天氣每天都在變化, We all know that the weather can change on a daily,
甚至每小時一次 even hourly,basis.
但幾千年來,每年的天氣模式一直是穩定的 But annual weather patterns have been stable for millennia
而生命所依賴的正是這種可靠性 and it's this reliability on which life depends.
每年十月,天氣都會帶來戲劇性的變化 Every year in October,the weather brings a dramatic transformation
去贊比亞的一小塊森林 to this tiny patch of forest in Zambia.
風暴雲開始形成 Storm clouds begin to build.
就在這時,稻草色的果蝠開始出現 And right on cue,straw-coloured fruit bats start to appear.
他們已經走了幾百英里,甚至幾千英里來到這里 They've travelled hundreds,if not thousands,of miles to be here.
他們總是在同一時間到達 And they always arrive at exactly the same time.
他們知道這些雨水會改變這片森林, They know that these rains will transform this forest,
讓無數的果樹成熟 allowing countless fruit trees to ripen.
蝙蝠貪婪地尋找新發現的豐饒 And the bats gorge on the new-found abundance.
每年只有12周, For just 12 weeks every year,
這片森林成了一千萬果蝠的家園 this forest becomes home to ten million fruit bats.
地球上最偉大的哺乳動物聚集地之一, One of the greatest gatherings of mammals on Earth,
都擠在一個不超過十幾個足球場的地方 all crowding into an area no bigger than a dozen football pitches.
蝙蝠從這個中心扇出, From this hub,the bats fan out,
消耗了30多萬噸水果, consuming more than 300,000 tonnes of fruit,
傳播種子和更新森林 spreading the seeds and regenerating the forests.
非洲最大的野生動物遷徙完全依賴雨水 Africa's largest wildlife migration entirely dependent on the rain
來到贊比亞的這個小角落 that comes to this small corner of Zambia
每年的同一時間 at the same time each year.
每秒,超過1300萬噸的水 Every second,over 13 million tonnes of water
從我們的海洋蒸發,形成雲 evaporate from our oceans,forming clouds.
地球自轉和盛行的風 The spin of the Earth and the prevailing winds
確定這些雲層的位置 determine where these clouds blow.
因此,有些地方的雨水較少 As a consequence,some places get less rain
還有更多 and others much more.
亞馬遜雨林 The Amazon rainforest
地球上最潮濕的地方之一 one of the wettest places on Earth.
一年有三米的雨 It gets three metres of rain a year
因此,生活已經學會了應對幾乎每天的傾盆大雨 so life has learned to deal with the near-daily downpours.
每年,幾千年來, Every year,for thousands of years,
持續的降雨淹沒了亞馬遜的大片地區 the persistent rains have flooded vast tracts of the Amazon
把叢林變成季節性濕地 turning the jungle into a seasonal wetland.
住在這里的任何東西要麽爬要麽遊 Anything living here must either climb or swim.
但有一種非凡的動物扭轉了這場洪水 But there's one extraordinary animal that has turned this deluge
從災難變成機遇 from a disaster into an opportunity.
這只火蟻已經到達了她已知世界的邊緣 This fire ant has reached the edge of her known world.
她的前進之路現在已被上漲的河水堵住了 Her way forward has now become blocked by the rising waters.
她是很多人中的一個,幾分鐘後 She's one of many,and in a few minutes
他們的地下家園將被淹沒 their underground home will be submerged.
被迫撤離的工人和士兵們試圖拯救幼仔 Forced to evacuate,workers and soldiers try to save the larval young.
當它們的巢穴被洪水淹沒時,這個殖民地似乎註定要滅亡 As their nest floods,the colony seems to be doomed.
但混亂帶來秩序 But from chaos comes order.
火蟻聚在一起,每一只都和它的鄰居鎖在一起 The fire ants band together,each locking legs with its neighbours.
他們正在建造一個救生筏 They're building a living raft.
每只螞蟻身上都長滿了細毛,這些細毛能把空氣吸引到身體上 Each ant is covered in fine hairs that trap air against its body.
當木筏形成時,這些空氣為它們提供了一個漂浮的緩沖層 As the raft forms,this air creates a cushion for them all to float on.
這就是殖民地的力量 This is the power of the colony.
通過合作,他們變得永不沈沒 By working together,they've become unsinkable.
沒有人會落在後面 And no-one gets left behind.
從淺灘拉出來的殖民地現在受洪水的擺布 Pulled from the shallows,the colony is now at the mercy of the flood.
緊緊抓住幼蟲 Holding tight to the larvae
把王後藏在木筏中央, and keeping their queen hidden at the centre of the raft,
這個殖民地漂流到更深的水里 the colony drifts into deeper water
在那里它們很容易被魚吃掉 where they're vulnerable to fish
它們現在遊過被洪水淹沒的森林 that now swim through the flooded forest.
那些失去抓地力的人必須回到救生筏的安全處 Those that lose their grip must get back to the safety of the raft.
下顎連接成一根外科針頭, With jaws that join to become a surgical needle,
這個池塘溜冰者能把螞蟻吸幹 this pond skater could suck an ant dry.
但在一起,殖民地是強大的, But together the colony is strong,
是時候驅逐寄宿生了 and it's time to repel boarders.
螞蟻可以這樣旅行幾個星期 The ants can travel like this for weeks.
他們甚至開始依靠洪水來運送他們 They've even come to depend on the flood to carry them
去新的飼養場 to new feeding grounds.
最後,螞蟻們可以把他們的筏子固定住了 At last,the ants can make their raft secure.
他們勇往直前,聲稱擁有自己的新家 Surging forward,they claim their new home
毫不猶豫地驅逐現有房客 evicting current tenants without hesitation.
首先安全的是它們的幼蟲皇後, One of the first to safety is their larval queen,
從木筏的中心帶出來的 carried from the heart of the raft.
這個棕櫚樹將是他們未來三個月的家, This palm will be their home for the next three months,
直到洪水退去,他們可以回到地下 until the floodwaters recede and they can head back underground.
我們星球的平均溫度沒有變化 The average temperature of our planet hasn't varied
在一萬年內下降了一攝氏度以上 by more than a single degree Celsius in 10,000 years.
這使得我們的氣候穩定, This has made our climate stable,
允許動物微調它們的行為 allowing animals to fine-tune their behaviour
圍繞可預測的天氣模式 around predictable weather patterns.
十月在亞馬遜 October in the Amazon.
大雨已經結束了, The heaviest rains have come to an end,
河流水位的下降暴露了一種新的景觀 and the falling river level exposes a new landscape.
三周前,這些一英里寬的沙洲根本不存在 Three weeks ago,these mile-wide sand bars didn't exist.
再過三個月,他們就會回到水下 In another three months,they'll be back under water.
但現在它們為巨型河龜提供了一個關鍵的機會 But now they provide a crucial opportunity for giant river turtles.
他們世世代代就在這個時候來到這里 They've been coming here at precisely this time of year for generations.
其中50000人——占世界人口的四分之一 50,000 of them - a quarter of the world's population.
他們來這里只有一個原因 They're all here for one reason.
但他們的機會很短, But their window of opportunity is short,
所以時間就是一切 so timing is everything.
爬上三米高的堤岸會讓這只雌性 Scaling the three-metre-high banks will take this female
比幾個月前更高更幹燥 higher and drier than she's been for months.
她是來產卵的 She's come here to lay her eggs.
但其他人已經打敗了她 But others have beaten her to it.
早到的人已經認領了 The early arrivals have already claimed
幾乎每一寸海灘 nearly every inch of the beach
還有更多的海龜要來 and there are still many more turtles to come.
無論她轉向哪里,空間都被占據了 Wherever she turns,the space is taken.
但是時髦地遲到確實有好處 But being fashionably late does have an advantage.
如果她早一點到的話,她的蛋可能就壞了 Had she arrived earlier,her eggs might have been
被那些尋找藏身之處的人挖出來的 dug up by those searching for somewhere to lay.
她找到了自己的位置 She's found her spot.
安頓下來,她下了將近100個蛋 Settling down,she lays nearly 100 eggs.
埋葬它們可以保護它們免受捕食者的傷害, Burying them keeps them safe from predators,
溫暖的沙子孕育著離合器 and the warm sand incubates the clutch.
它們必須在河水再次上漲並淹沒沙洲之前孵化 They must hatch before the river rises again and floods the sandbar.
任何在她身後躺著的烏龜都可能離開得太晚了 Any turtles that lay after her may have left it too late.
希望她時機把握得對 Hopefully,she has got her timing right.
兩個月過去了,幼仔出現在這個世界上 Two months on,and the hatchlings emerge into the world.
他們在最合適的時候被放了下來 They were laid at the perfect time.
成百上千的人爭搶這條河 Hundreds scramble for the river
就在水開始上升的時候 just as the water starts to rise.
那些還沒孵化的就沒那麽幸運了 Those still to hatch aren't so lucky.
今年,暴雨來得早 This year,the heavy rains have returned early.
築巢的海灘開始泛濫 The nesting beach is beginning to flood.
大多數幼仔都能及時逃走 Most hatchlings can escape in time.
那些還在地下的 Those still below ground
會淹死在它們的巢穴里 will drown in their nests.
幾千年來,巨型河龜一直在為它們的繁殖計時 For thousands of years,giant river turtles have timed their breeding
圍繞著亞馬遜可靠的降雨周期 around the Amazon's reliable cycles of rain.
但是今天,我們的天氣在變 But today,our weather is changing.
像這樣災難性的早期洪水過去每20年發生一次 Disastrous early floods like this used to happen once every 20 years.
現在海龜們每四個就得對付一次 Now the turtles have to deal with them every four.
風可能會把大量的雨水帶到亞馬遜, Winds may carry huge amounts of rain to the Amazon,
但他們並沒有向地球的每一個角落提供這種服務 but they don't provide this service to every corner of the planet.
三分之一的土地每年的降雨量不到25厘米 A third of the land receives less than 25cm of rain a year.
沙漠被幹燥的風刮得傷痕累累,被太陽烤得焦頭爛額 Deserts are scarred by desiccating winds and baked by the sun.
但即使是這樣充滿挑戰的天氣,對當地人來說也是完美的 But even weather as challenging as this can be perfect for the locals.
隨著南非沿海沙漠的黑暗降臨, As darkness falls in the coastal deserts of South Africa,
沙丘變得活躍起來 the dunes come alive
伴隨著一個令人驚訝的沙漠居民的呼喚 with the call of a surprising desert dweller.
雨蛙 A rain frog.
在一個年降雨量只有7厘米的地方,這可不是你所期望的 Not what you'd expect in a place that gets just 7cm of rain a year.
為了在這里生存,她必須避開炎熱的天氣 To survive here,she has to avoid the heat of the day
埋在沙子里 buried in the sand.
但每天晚上,她都會出去 But each night,she heads out
她在尋找水分 on her hunt for moisture.
短而粗的腿和豐滿的身體是挖掘的理想選擇 Short,stumpy legs and a plump body are ideal for digging
但不太適合四處走動 but not so good for getting around.
她不會跳,所以她搖搖晃晃地穿過沙丘 She can't hop,so she waddles across the dunes.
世界上最慢的障礙賽跑選手 The world's slowest steeplechaser.
用頑強的毅力克服困難 Obstacles are tackled with dogged perseverance.
她一晚上能走38米遠 She can travel a whopping 38 metres a night.
當你和棉花糖一樣大小和形狀的時候,這可不是什麽了不起的壯舉 No mean feat when you're the same size and shape as a marshmallow.
白蟻 Termites.
它們是75%的水- They are 75% water -
一餐一飲合一 a meal and a drink in one.
但她不是最敏捷的捕食者 But she's not the most agile predator.
如果他們再靠近一點？ Maybe if they just came a little closer ?
哦,親愛的 Oh,dear.
如果他們停止移動？ Perhaps if they stop moving ?
最後 At last.
但現在她面臨另一個挑戰 But now she has another challenge.
要吞下食物,她必須用眼球擠壓 To swallow her food,she must squash in her eyeballs
把它壓進她的喉嚨 to push it down her throat.
白蟻可能多汁, Termites may be juicy,
但是他們沒有給她足夠的水來生存 but they don't provide her with quite enough water to survive.
這里很少下雨, It rarely rains here,
但是沿海沙漠確實有另一個可靠的水分來源 but coastal deserts do get another reliable source of moisture.
夜晚,涼爽潮濕的空氣從海洋中吹來, At night - cool,moist air is blown in from the ocean,
形成霧堤,把沙漠籠罩在霧中 forming fog banks that shroud the desert in mist.
它凝結在植被上,濕潤了下面的沙子 It condenses on vegetation,wetting the sand beneath.
所以她就在這里等待,通過皮膚吸收水分 So it's here that she waits,absorbing moisture through her skin.
雨蛙是如此依賴於水,他們只能生存 Rain frogs are so dependent on this water that they can only survive
在每年至少有100天霧的地方 in places with at least 100 days of fog a year.
在大霧彌漫的夜晚, And on the foggiest nights,
當其他青蛙出現在沙丘上時, when other frogs have emerged onto the dunes,
她抓住機會尋找愛情 she takes her opportunity to find love.
雄性雨蛙比雌性小, Male rain frogs are smaller than the females,
他的短粗的腿讓他很難堅持住 and his stubby legs make it hard to hold on
所以他把自己粘在她的背上 so he glues himself onto her back.
仍然被他們擁抱著, Still locked in their embrace,
兩人回到沙子下面產卵, the pair head back beneath the sand,where they'll lay their eggs,
遠離沙漠陽光的灼熱 safe from the heat of the desert sun.
但是有一個沙漠變得很冷 But there's one desert that gets so cold
液態水根本不可能存在 that liquid water simply can't exist.
蒙古戈壁沙漠的冬天 Winter in Mongolia's Gobi Desert.
零下40度 40 degrees below freezing.
世界上最幹燥最極端的環境之一 One of the driest and most extreme environments in the world.
大多數動物不能在這樣的天氣里生存 Most animals can't survive weather like this
但是有一種獨特的哺乳動物 but there's one unique mammal
在這里勉強維持生計 that manages to eke out a living here.
戈壁是地球上最後1000頭野生雙峰駝的家園 The Gobi is home to the last 1,000 wild Bactrian camels on Earth
在可能的邊緣生存 surviving at the very edge of what's possible.
即使駱駝也需要水分, Even camels need moisture,
但這里的水現在都凍成了固體 but any water here is now frozen solid.
要想找到一個解決辦法就得靠公牛了 It's down to the bull to find a solution.
帶著他的牛群出發, Setting off with his herd,
他的搜索範圍可達數千平方英里 his search could cover thousands of square miles.
推動他們前進,他可以連續幾天繼續前進 Driving them forward,he can keep going for days on end.
牛群從廣闊的範圍聚集在一起 Herds come together from across their vast range
都在找同一件事 all looking for the same thing.
這些長途專家能聞到30英里外的濕氣 These long-distance specialists can smell moisture from 30 miles away
他們發現了一種氣味 and they've picked up a scent.
即使在戈壁,地球上最幹燥的地方之一, Even in the Gobi,one of the driest places on Earth,
風可以提供罕見的濕氣來源 wind can provide a rare source of moisture.
雪是從西伯利亞吹到這個沙漠的 Snow is blown to this desert from Siberia.
它在哪里定居是無法預測的, Where it settles is impossible to predict,
可能不會持續太久 and it may not last long.
但至少現在,這頭公牛已經找到了他一直在尋找的東西 But for now,at least,this bull has found what he's been searching for.
在寒冷幹燥的空氣中, In the cold,dry air,
雪不會融化 snow doesn't melt
所以一定要吃 so it must be eaten.
戈壁的風雪是一條生命線 The Gobi's windblown snow is a lifeline
整個冬天都能養活他的牛群 that will sustain his herd throughout the winter.
即使在這個最敵對的地方, Even in this most hostile of places,
天氣仍然只夠生存 weather still provides just enough for survival.
地球上最大最難以預料的天氣 The largest,most unpredictable weather on the planet
從遙遠的海上開始 starts far out at sea.
颶風、臺風和熱帶氣旋 Hurricanes,typhoons and tropical cyclones
是劇烈的,短暫的大風暴 are violent,short-lived megastorms.
但是有一個更可靠的天氣系統 But there's a far more reliable weather system
起源於海洋 that originates over the ocean
在其發展道路上被所有人熱切期待的人 one that is eagerly anticipated by all in its path.
季風是季節性的風,每年在同一時間吹 Monsoons are seasonal winds that blow at the same time each year
它們把大量的水從海洋帶到陸地 and they carry colossal amounts of water from the ocean to the land.
聖誕島 Christmas Island.
印度洋上一塊遙遠的巖石 A remote speck of rock in the Indian Ocean.
在過去的四個月里,它的森林內部一直保持幹燥和多塵 For the last four months,its forest interior has remained dry and dusty.
這里的生活在等待改變 Life here is waiting for change.
11月,季風的第一場風暴抵達該島 In November,the first storms of the monsoon reach the island.
對於那些在幹旱中受苦受難的人來說,它們是一種受歡迎的解脫 They're a welcome relief for those that have suffered through the dry.
它們對島上最多的居民來說是至關重要的 And they are vital for the island's most numerous residents.
聖誕島上的紅螃蟹 The red crabs of Christmas Island.
他們在潮濕的洞穴里躲過了旱季 They've spent the dry season sheltering in damp burrows
在落葉層下面 beneath the leaf litter.
螃蟹通過必須保持濕潤的鰓呼吸 Crabs breathe through gills that must be kept moist.
所以只有在每年季風回歸的時候 So it's only with the return of the annual monsoon
這些陸蟹最終會出現 that these land crabs can finally emerge.
現在濕度夠大了, With the humidity now high enough,
他們可以開始史詩般的長途跋涉到海岸 they can begin an epic trek to the coast.
每一只紅螃蟹都來自島的另一端, Every red crab comes together from across the island,
他們以百萬計 and they do so in their millions.
準確地說是5000萬 50 million,to be precise.
它們是來釋放只能在海洋中發育的卵的 They've come to release their eggs that can only develop in the ocean.
只有一個小問題 There's just one small problem.
它們可能是螃蟹 They may be crabs
但他們不會遊泳 but they can't swim.
他們害怕大海 They're scared of the sea.
但他們別無選擇 But they don't have a choice.
它們必須在最高的潮水上產卵 They must release their eggs on the highest tide.
每個都有大約10萬個雞蛋, Each carries around 100,000 eggs,
所以就兩三個晚上, so over just two or three nights,
數以萬億計的二氧化碳被釋放到海洋中 trillions are released into the ocean.
盡管有些人比其他人更成功 Though some are more successful than others.
一旦他們的工作完成,螃蟹將返回森林 Once their work is done,the crabs will return to the forest.
四周後, Then,four weeks later,
在下一個高潮 on the next highest tide
孵化出海, having hatched out to sea,
新一代紅蟹回歸同一海灘 a new generation of red crabs returns to the same beach.
在這樣的好年景里, In good years like this one,
無數的人回到聖誕島的海岸, countless millions arrive back on the shores of Christmas Island,
把海灘變成紅色 turning the beaches red.
像他們的父母一樣,他們也需要空氣中的水分來呼吸 Like their parents,they also need moisture in the air to breathe.
所以在下雨之前, So before the rains move on,
幼小的螃蟹必須開始他們自己的史詩般的森林之旅, the young crabs must undertake their own epic journey into the forest,
在那里他們將等待未來幾個月的幹旱 where they'll wait out the next few months of dry.
聖誕島蟹- The Christmas Island crab -
完全依賴季風的回歸 entirely reliant on the return of the monsoon.
每年的天氣節奏塑造了地球上的生命 The annual rhythms of the weather shape life across our planet.
在世界的某些地方, In some parts of the world,
季節性的幹濕循環會帶來巨大的變化 seasonal cycles of wet and dry can bring dramatic change.
很少有地方比這更明顯 And there are few places where this is more apparent
而不是南部非洲 than southern Africa.
贊比西河 The Zambezi River.
它流經六個國家,排水面積達50萬平方英里 It flows across six countries and drains half a million square miles.
在雨季的高峰期, At the peak of the wet season,
每秒有5000噸的水從維多利亞瀑布流下 5,000 tonnes of water cascade over Victoria Falls every second.
然而,每年雨停的時候, And yet,each year when the rains stop,
這些瀑布幹涸了 these falls run dry.
就好像有人關了水龍頭 It's almost as if someone turns off the tap.
五月 May
十二月 December.
雨季 Wet season
旱季 dry season.
幾千年來都是這樣 It's happened like this for thousands of years.
但有跡象表明這里的天氣正在變化 But there are signs that the weather here is changing.
近年來,流經維多利亞瀑布的水量 In recent years,the volume of water flowing over Victoria Falls
下降了一半 has dropped by half.
對依賴動物的關註 A concern for animals that have come to rely on
幹濕交替的自然節奏 the natural rhythms of wet and dry.
贊比亞的Luangwa河是贊比西的一條主要支流 Zambia's Luangwa River is a major tributary of the Zambezi.
每年旱季來臨, Every year,as the dry season takes hold,
它逐漸變成了水池 it dwindles into pools.
當地人的住宿條件開始緊張起來 Accommodation starts to get tight for the locals.
由於周圍沒有別的水,這條河成了吸引遊客的磁石 With no other water around,the river becomes a magnet for visitors.
數以百萬計的紅嘴雀群湧向水邊 Millions of red-billed quelea flock to the water's edge.
這些吃種子的人每天都要喝水 These seed eaters need to drink every day
尼羅河鱷魚也知道 and Nile crocodiles know it.
他們可能已經六個月沒吃東西了 They may not have eaten for six months.
對他們來說,旱季是好時光的開始 For them,the dry season is the start of the good times.
他們不是每年這個時候唯一依賴的人 And they are not the only ones to depend on this time of year.
食用胭脂紅的蜜蜂已經飛行了數百英里 Carmine bee-eaters have flown hundreds of miles
來自剛果的熱帶雨林 from the rainforests of the Congo
到了旱季的高峰期, arriving at the peak of the dry season,
當陡峭的沙洲被落水沖出時 when steep sandbanks are exposed by the falling water.
它們是個完美的巢穴, They're a perfect place to nest,
從上面掠食者夠不著的地方 out of reach of predators from above.
食蜂洞可以伸入松軟的河沙中兩米 Bee-eater burrows can extend for two metres into the soft river sand.
已經有6000個巢穴了, Already home to 6,000 nests,
食蜂塔的房地產需求量很大 real estate at Bee-eater Towers is in high demand.
但是不要建得離鄰居太近是值得的 But it pays not to build too close to the neighbours.
隨著越來越多的鳥類抵達,爭奪最佳築巢地的競爭愈演愈烈 As more birds arrive,competition for the best nesting sites heats up.
這是一項幹渴的工作 It's thirsty work.
在突如其來的騷亂中,他們很脆弱 In the sudden commotion,they're vulnerable from below
以及以上 and above.
非洲魚鷹 African fish eagles.
他們是這里的永久居民 They are permanent residents here.
但在一年中的這個時候,他們不僅僅吃魚 But at this time of the year,they don't just eat fish.
最安全的地方是在洞穴里 The safest place to be is inside a burrow.
但是一只飛過的老鷹卻給整個殖民地帶來了恐慌的沖擊波 But an eagle fly-by sends shock waves of panic through the colony.
老鷹的策略是把獵物釘在河岸上 The eagles' strategy is to pin their prey against the river bank.
殖民地一片混亂, With the colony in disarray,
捕食者有優勢 the predators have the advantage.
這些魚鷹也選擇在旱季繁殖, These fish eagles also choose to breed in the dry season,
因為它們需要吃蜜蜂的小雞作為食物 because they need the bee-eaters as food for their chicks.
但今年的旱季並沒有停止的跡象 But this year's dry season shows no sign of letting up.
部分河流現在已經幹涸了, Parts of the river are now bone-dry,
強迫巨大的雄性河馬離開它們的家 forcing huge male hippos from their home.
無處可去, With nowhere left to turn,
它們必須聚集在僅存的幾片水域上 they must converge on the few remaining patches of water
但這些已經被占用了 but these are already occupied.
這里的居民公牛不能容忍另一只大公牛 The resident bull here can't tolerate another big male
在他縮小的遊泳池里 in his shrinking pool.
新來的人被放逐了 The newcomer is banished.
太陽照耀著大地 Still the sun bakes the land
帶來毀滅性的後果 with devastating consequences.
數以百計的巢穴被消滅了 Hundreds of nests are wiped out.
南部非洲經歷了旱季 Southern Africa has experienced dry seasons
幾千年了 for thousands of years.
但這是不一樣的 But this is something different.
創下近40年來的最高氣溫和最低降雨量 Record high temperatures and the lowest rainfall in nearly 40 years
使非洲部分地區陷入一個世紀以來最嚴重的幹旱之一 have thrown parts of Africa into one of the worst droughts in a century.
在整個地球上,我們曾經穩定的氣候正在發生變化 Across the planet,our once stable climate is changing.
天氣不太可靠 Weather is less reliable
而且越來越極端 and is getting more extreme.
野火越來越頻繁 Wildfires are becoming more frequent.
幹旱更為嚴重 Droughts are more intense.
暴風雨更猛烈 And storms are more ferocious.
所有這一切都源於最近全球氣溫的上升 All this from a recent rise in global temperatures
只有一攝氏度 of just a single degree Celsius.
然而,如果氣候變化繼續不受控制, Yet if climate change continues unchecked,
到本世紀末,我們可能會看到上升近五度 we may see a rise of almost five degrees by the end of the century.
我們只能想象這會對我們的天氣造成什麽影響 We can only imagine what this will do to our weather.
對於野生動物電影攝制組來說,還有一些事情更讓人望而生畏 There are a few things more daunting for the wildlife film crew
比在廣袤的土地上發現一種非常稀有的動物要難得多 than the prospect of finding a very rare animal in a vast area.
但這是蒙古戈壁沙漠的使命- But that is the mission in Mongolia's Gobi Desert -
拍攝少於500只的動物 to film an animal numbering less than 500
在50萬平方英里的荒野里 in a wilderness of half a million square miles.
我們都上膛了起來,我們有40箱裝備,我們有9輛車 We're all loaded up.We got 40 cases of gear,we got nine vehicles.
我們出發了,我們要去戈壁 We're off,we're heading to the Gobi.
來自首都烏蘭巴托, From the capital,Ulaanbaatar,
橫渡蒙古需要五天時間 it'll take the team five days to cross Mongolia
在深冬- in the depths of winter -
乘坐大型露營車的車隊, travelling in a convoy of large camping trucks,
在家里待五個星期 home for the next five weeks.
1000英里後,車隊到達戈壁並紮營 1,000 miles later,the convoy reaches the Gobi and makes camp.
我們第一天早上就醒了, Well,we have woken up on our first morning,
離日出還有一個半小時, and it's about an hour-and-a-half before sunrise,
我們昨晚把火放掉了,真是太愚蠢了 and rather foolishly we let the fire go out last night,so it's
這里冷-20 a cool minus 20 in here.
所有的東西都是冷凍固體-牙膏,早餐用辣醬, Everything's frozen solid - toothpaste,hot sauce for breakfast,
即使是美聯社的尿壺 even the AP's pee bottle
所以這很好 so that's nice.
在比利時那麽大的地方發現稀有動物 Finding a scarce animal in an area the size of Belgium
這顯然不是一件小事 is clearly no small task
但是沒有當地研究人員的幫助是不可能的 but impossible without the help of local researchers.
每一天,這個團隊都要搜索數千平方英里的地方 Each day,the team scour thousands of square miles.
面積很大,只有450頭駱駝, It's a huge area,and there's only 450 camels,
所以這真的有點像大海撈針 so it really is a bit like a needle in a haystack.
真是大海撈針 A truly enormous haystack.
450頭駱駝 450 camels
28000平方英里 28,000 square miles.
放松,是嗎？是 啊 Easy,yeah? Yeah.
在地平線上搜尋駱駝的時候, And when scanning the horizon for camels,
犯錯太容易了 mistakes are all too easy.
另一個灌木叢 Another bush.
A布什,對不起 A bush.Sorry.
有時連一棵灌木都看不到 Sometimes there's not even a bush to look at.
看到什麽了嗎？沒有什麽 See anything? Nothing.
又爬了一座山 Another hill climbed.
另一條線索隨之而來 Another trail followed.
又一條死胡同 Another dead end.
值得慶幸的是,專家們仍然持積極態度 Thankfully,the experts remain positive.
我希望你能很快見到他們 I hope you can see them soon.
是 啊,是的,求你了 Yeah,yeah.Please.
離開英國兩周後 Two weeks since leaving the UK.
我只是希望我們沒有 I'm just hoping that we haven't
在這個問題上有點過於雄心勃勃 been slightly overambitious on this one.
有點擔心這其實是不可能的 Getting slightly worried it might actually be impossible.
嗯,很好的支持,謝謝 Hmm Good support there,thanks.
最終,這支隊伍發現了他們的第一只駱駝 Eventually,the team spot their first camel
但不幸的是,它首先發現了他們 but,unfortunately,it spotted them first.
很遠 Very far away.
偷獵讓幸存的駱駝非常緊張, Poaching has made the surviving camels very nervous,
一旦他們開始跑步,他們就可以繼續跑好幾英里 and once they start running they can keep going for miles.
當寒風吹起, And when the winter winds kick off,
駱駝的所有跡象都消失了 all signs of camel vanish.
所以,在過去的24小時里,我們經歷了 So,for about the past 24 hours,we've been experiencing
戈壁風.它整晚陣風時速高達70英里, the Gobi winds.It's been gusting up to 70mph hour all night,
溫度可能降到了-50度 and the temps have probably been down to almost -50
隨風而動-冷靜.我們只能蹲下來,我們不能拍這個 with the wind-chill.We just have to hunker down,we can't film in this.
當大風減弱時,搜尋工作顯示出新的希望 When the gale eases,the search reveals new hope.
我們這里有很多新的駱駝足跡 We got a load of fresh camel tracks here.
所有的軌跡都是單向的- And all tracks head one way -
走向更偏遠的南部戈壁 towards the even more remote mountainous southern Gobi.
團隊必須決定是否應該跟隨 The team must decide if they should follow.
你認為那片土地對我們可能更好嗎？ Do you think that landscape is likely to be better for us?
更多的駱駝和近距離接觸？ More camels and closer encounters or ?
你的直覺告訴你什麽？ What's your gut telling you?
因為冬天, Because of the wintertime,
我們要去看看雪 we need to see some snow Mm.
去看駱駝 to see camels.
駱駝要在這片無水的沙漠中生存,就得靠找雪 To survive in this waterless desert,the camels depend on finding snow.
所以,在看不到任何東西的情況下, So,with none in sight,
這個隊決定在南方的冰山上碰碰運氣 the team decide to try their luck in the icy mountains to the south.
果然,下雪了- Sure enough,there's snow -
而且很多 and lots of it.
但是更大的露營車在山區掙紮, But the larger camping trucks struggle in the mountainous terrain,
球隊被迫在沒有他們的情況下繼續前進, and the team are forced to go on without them,
讓它們更多地暴露在冬天的環境中 leaving them somewhat more exposed to the winter conditions.
上周已經降到-25了 It's been down to -25 over the last week.
所以非常薄的帆布帳篷將是一個全新的體驗 So very thin canvas tents will be a whole new experience
在戈壁沙漠里 in the Gobi Desert for us.
我現在穿著兩條褲子,保暖的, I'm wearing,currently,two pairs of trousers,thermals,
上面有暖氣,兩對套頭衫,三件外套,兩頂帽子 thermals on top,two pairs of jumpers,three coats,two hats
所以我想我應該沒事 So I THINK I should be all right.
你沒事吧,埃迪？ You all right,Eddie?
哦,我太棒了,是的 Oh,I'm terrific,yeah.
太棒了！ Really terrific!
我很舒服 I'm all cosy.
我不冷.我冷 I'm not.I'm cold.
真冷！ Really cold!
正如阿迪亞所預言的,下雪來了駱駝 As Adiya predicted,with snow come camels.
到處都是跡象 The signs are everywhere.
但是已經走了這麽遠, But having travelled so far,
他們不能冒險破壞這次機會 they can't risk anything ruining this chance.
駱駝似乎不太喜歡這些車 Camels don't seem to like the cars so
現在我們走 now we walk.
我們已經走了五英里了, We've been walking for about five miles now,
徒步穿越這片土地, and hiking across this landscape,
它真的讓你對駱駝有了新的尊敬 it really does give you a new-found respect for the camels.
我們在平原上見過一些駱駝, We've seen some camels way out on the plain here,
但為了不嚇唬他們,約翰打算自己出去 but in order not to scare them,John's going to head out on his own.
是的,是的,我能看見他.他,呃 Yeah,yeah,I can see him.He's,um
去南方？ Going to south?
是的,他要去南方,他就在山脊的這邊 Yeah,he's going to the south,he's just this side of the ridge.
駱駝來到約翰身邊 The camels come to John.
他們是？駱駝要來找約翰？ They are? The camels are coming to John?
對！真的？ Yes! Really?
也許拿著袋子到我現在的地方來 Maybe grab the bags and come down to where I am now
在這些灌木叢旁,我們看看能不能滑進綠洲 by these bushes,and we'll see if we can't slip down into the oasis.
這太神奇了.這是一場艱苦的戰鬥 This is just amazing.It's hard fought
但回報是如此值得 but the reward is so worth it.
因為現在我們在100米外 Because right now we're about 100 metres away
從地球上一些最稀有和最堅韌的哺乳動物身上 from some of the rarest and hardiest mammals on the planet.
多大的特權啊 What a privilege.
這個團隊的行為很少有人看過 The team film behaviour very few people have seen.
世界上最瀕危的生物之一的罕見圖像 Rare images of one of the world's most endangered creatures.
曾經遍布中亞, Once widespread across Central Asia,
這片無人居住的沙漠是野駱駝最後的家園 this uninhabited desert is the wild camels' final home.
如果不是阿迪亞的團隊,它可能會完全消失, Were it not for Adiya's team,it might have disappeared altogether,
但由於他們的工作,我們可能還保存這個戈壁的圖標 but because of their work we may yet save this icon of the Gobi.
下次 Next time
海洋 oceans.
所有海洋生物都依賴於水的持續運動 All marine life depends on the continuous movement of water.
我們的海洋被強大的潮汐聯系在一起 Our oceans are linked by powerful tides
在有水流的地方, and where there are currents,
有生命 there is life.
開放大學制作了一張免費海報 The Open University has produced a free poster
探索我們完美的星球 exploring our perfect planet.
如需訂購,請致電0300 303 0901 To order,please call 0300 303 0901.
或者去bbc.co.uk/perfectplanet Or go to bbc.co.uk/perfectplanet
並按照鏈接到開放大學 and follow the links to the Open University.