Two members of the team have scoured the area for hours.
无意间撞上一个难得的好机会
And literally walked into a rare opportunity.
他们把高速摄影机锁定在三脚架上
To film it they set up a high speed camera and lock it down on a stable tripod.
以防有东西引起震动或摇晃
Nothing must vibrate or shake the rig
因为他们要就近拍摄奇景
because they are going in close.
这是两个擅于伪装的致命杀手之间的决斗
It's a deadly duel between two camouflaged killers.
对于每一个成功的生物而言
For every succesful creature coupling,
都必须打起十二分精神
there are dozens more that don't work out.
这只雄螳螂
This male praying mantis
刚刚从雌螳螂贪婪的口中逃过一劫
has just escaped the voracious jaws of the female
从超过自身长度50倍的高处坠落
falling over 50 times of his body length.
它强壮的外骨骼勉强救了它一命
His strong outer skeleton barely saves his life.
如今它和雌性有了安全距离
While he is now at safe distance from the female
战斗却令它精疲力竭
the fight has drained his energy reserves.
现在轮到它饿了
Now, he is hungry.
附近的落叶里出现一阵窸窣声
There is a rustle in the leaves nearby.
它的目标有6条腿,18个膝部
His target walks on 6 legs, 18 knees.
时速能达3哩
And can run up to 3 miles per hour.
蟑螂源自2亿5千万年前的非洲和亚洲
Cockroaches originated in Africa and Asia 250 million years ago.
现在地球上几乎每个角落都有蟑螂
And now occupied almost every corner of out planet.
由于螳螂完全静止又加上有保护色
The mantis is so motionless and camouflaged
蟑螂直接走进了攻击区
the roach walks straight into the strike zone.
从实际时间看来攻击动作快得看不见
In real time the attack is too fast to see.
但螳螂攻击的惊人速度和准确度
But the awesome speed and precision of the strike
就在放慢60倍的画面中揭晓
are revealed when the action is 60 times slower.
螳螂在5万分之1秒内抓住蟑螂
The mantis captures the cockroach in 1/50,000 of a second.
现在它要杀死它
Now, it's time for the kill.
利用尖锐的口器
Using the blades of his jaws,
雄螳螂深深咬进蟑螂的颈部使它瘫痪
the male paralyses the roach with a deep bite to the neck.
现在它要活活吃掉它
Now he eats it alive.
蟑螂的身体超原始
Roach bodies are so primitive,
少了头还能活1周
they can actually live for a week without their heads.
藉由留住它的头
By keeping his head,
螳螂得以暂时逃过致命攻击
the mantis escaped a lethal attack
和饿死的威胁
and a threat of starvation for now.
在东非,多数胜利都很短暂
In East Africa, most victories are short lived.
深色的尖羽毛
The dark, pointed feathers...
和优雅的阔步
and long graceful stride
是属于一个古老掠食者
belong to an ancient predator.
它的物种始于5000万年前
Its species dates back 50 million years.
高贵的东非冕鸛
The magnificent, grey crowned crane.
它们过去最远是住在北美洲
Once, they lived as far away as North America.
但现今只有非洲艳阳
But today only the African sun provied
能提供它们生存所需的温暖
the warmth they need to survive.
它的翼长将近7尺
Its wingspan is almost 7 feet
寿命可达25年
and its lifespan, almost 25 years.
东非村民相信
The East African villagers believe
这种崇高的掠食者能带来雨季
this majestic predators bring in the seasonal rains.
生物学家认为它们受瞬膜保护的眼睛
Biologists believe their eyes, protected by nictitating lids...
提供了卓越的周边视觉
...provide excellent peripherial vision...
让它们能看见躲避的猎物
...allowing them to spot elusive prey.
东非冕鸛和西非冠鹤
The grey crowned and black crowned
是唯一能栖息在高枝的鹤
are the only cranes able too roost in high branches
利用它们的长后趾保持平衡
using their hind toes to hold them steady.
然而当这只雌鹤在林中寻找庇护所
But while this females find shelter in the trees
其他饥饿的掠食者则会寻找猎物
other hungry predators find prey.
而要从树枝上看出这些
And telling some of these killers apart
潜行在树上的杀手并不容易
from the branches they prowl is not easy.
这个掠食者看来就像藤蔓
This one looks like a vine
直到你看见它的危险部位
until you see its business end
尖吻藤蛇
The vine snake.
它的分叉舌头能从空气中嗅出猎物的气味
Its forked tongue samples the air for scent of prey.
在尖吻部后方的
Set behind the pointed snout,
是带有锁孔状瞳孔的眼睛
their eyes with pupil shape like keyholes
这给了尖吻藤蛇更多深度知觉
This gives the vine snake increased depth perception.
那对从树枝上挑选猎物来说非常重要
Which is critical when picking prey off a branch.
这条雄蛇猎食了整完却一无所获
This female hunted all night without a kill.
但现在逐渐增强的光线揭露了一个机会
But now, the rising light reveals an opportunity.
现在它只需把头转向正确的方向
All the snake has to do is turn her head in right direction.
稍后请收看绿色幽灵的非凡进食方式
Coming up, the deadly slurp o a green phantom.
以及蜂拥逃窜
And later, a stampede.
烈日当空
In the heat of the day,
阳光会扰乱生物的判断力
light from the sun can be blinding.
在东非平原上
The plenty of cratures in the East African plain,
许多生物都设法将自己隐藏起来
make it their business to be invisible in plain sight.
这条尖吻藤蛇
This vine snake,
离猎物只有一个身长却没发现它
only a body length away from kill has failed to recognise its prey
原因非常简单
for a very simple reason.
这个爬虫类是非洲的骗术大♥师♥
This reptile is Africa's master of deception.
它的名字正代表了伪装
Its name is the very definiton of disguise.
变色龙,这只是非洲侏儒变色龙
The chameleon. In this case, an African dwarf chameleon.
东非的树林和草地之中
There are more than 50 species of chameleon...
共有超过50中变色龙
...that haunt the trees and grassy floors of East Africa.
全都能改变体色以融入环境
All able to change their colors to match their surroundings.
但它们的敌人
But their enemies
融入环境的能力经常也不相上下
are often nearly as good at blending in to the surroundings.
致命的加彭膨
The deadly Gabon viper
拥有能融入粗糙树皮的鳞片
has scales that blend in with rough tree bark.
但变色龙仍胜一筹
But chameleons still have an edge.
和蛇不同的是
Unlike snakes,
变色龙能根据心情
chameleons can change to precept colors
改变预设的体色和花纹
and patterns to match their moods.
有些组合使它们更难被认出
And some of these combinations make them harder to spot.
在静定状态
In a calm state,
这种变色龙会变成和树叶一样的鲜绿色
this species turns the same vivid green as the leaves of this tree.
普通变色龙
The common chameleon.
这只雌性会用一对非凡的眼睛追踪昆虫
This female stalks insects, using a pair of remarkable eyes
它们长在可移♥动♥的转座里
housed in movable turrets.
它在猎食时每只眼睛能各自移♥动♥并聚焦
She can actually move and focus each eye separately as she hunts.
它会缓慢从容地移♥动♥,直到看见猎物
She moves slowly and delibarately until she spots her kill.
为测量舌头的速度并看看它是如何展开
To gauge the tongue's velocity and to see how it's deployed...
团队将采用超级慢动作摄影
...the team will use simple slow motion photography.
从实际时间看来,攻击动作很模糊
In real time, the strike is a blur.
而放慢200倍的画面却非常惊人
Slowed down 200 times, it's nothing short of awesome.
舌尖有类似球棒的肌肉
The tip of the tongue has a club like muscle...
上面覆满了黏液
...covered in sticky mucus...
作用有如吸盘
...that acts like a suction cup.
变色龙嘴里的特殊肌肉
Specialized muscles inside the chameleon's mouth
以时速约15哩伸出舌头
fire the tongue at roughly 15 miles per hour
在3万分之1秒内击中蟋蟀
hitting the cricket in 1/30,000 of a second.
然后猎物会被带到
The prey is then whipped back
变色龙强而有力的颚部
into the lizards powerful jaws.
日正当中
With the sun directly overhead
这只雌性得在它的血液过热前
this female must find real shade
找到阴凉处
before her blood overheats.
无心徘徊在它路途上的昆虫
Any insect in her path careless enough to linger,
都会成为它的午餐
becomes part of the lunch menu.
它会放过这只独居的掘土蜂
She'll give the solitary digging wasp some space,
因为它的螯针超毒
because its sting is highly toxic.
遇上这种威胁,变色龙会蹒跚而行
Confronted by threats like this, chameleons stagger their walk.
生物学家推论
Biologists theorize
这是模仿飘叶的欺骗战术
it's a deceptive tactic to mimic a blowing leaf.
但更大的威胁还在前方
But far greater threats lay in her path.
其中一个拥有粗厚的防护兽皮
One of them has a thick, protective hide.
和一组迅速致命的脚
A set of fast, deadly feet.
只要是会动的东西它都吃
And an appetite for just about anything that moves.
稍后请关注黑翅快速反应高手带来的威胁
Coming up, a black winged menace stalks the ultimate quick change artist.
以及队员们与灵长类的近距离接触
And later, the crew encounters dog-faced primates
和致命喷射的威胁
and a menace that spits death.
在另一个午后
At the start of another East African afternoon
一个源于恐龙时代的掠食者
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