鸟瞰地球（2011）

It's a universal dream to fly like a bird.
这是人类共同的梦想 象鸟一样飞翔
To soar on wings into the heavens.
展翅冲向云霄
But it's nothing compared to the reality.
但是与现实相比 这算不了什么
This is our planet seen as never before.
以前所未有的视角探索我们的地球
A bird's-eye view.
鸟眼看世界
Theirs is a journey that covers the world.
追随鸟类迁徙的旅程环游世界
Filled with astonishing natural events...
其间有令人赞叹的自然事件...
..extreme challenges...
...超越极限的挑战...
..and hard-won rewards.
...来之不易的丰厚回报
This is the world on the wing.
这是翅膀下的世界
Our story begins on the southern tip of Africa.
我们的故事将从非洲的南端开始
A bird's-eye view of Cape Town's Table Mountain
鸟瞰开普敦桌山
gives no hint of what's stirring in the seas far offshore.
对于远离海岸线的海面之下发生着什么 我们毫无线索
Beneath the waves a great gathering is occurring.
海浪之下 一场大型的集♥会♥正在悄悄地展开
Its innermost secrets are known by a bird.
对于这个鲜为人知的秘密有一种鸟却了如指掌
The Cape gannet.
那就是开普敦塘鹅
An intelligent and curious creature that works as part of a team.
它们聪明 富有好奇心 作为团队的一部分与其他动物协作
Small groups spread out across the ocean looking for clues
几个一组的塘鹅散飞在海域上空查看海面上的种种线索
that might lead them to the great event.
这些线索将带领它们参与一大盛事
They keep their eye on humpback whales as they seek the same reward.
它们关注驼背鲸的一举一动 因为驼背鲸与它们有相同目的
But dolphins make even better allies.
但是与驼背鲸相比 海豚是更好的盟友
The two creatures work together.
塘鹅与海豚两种动物一起协作
The gannets are the dolphins' eyes in the sky.
塘鹅是海豚空中的眼睛
From their high vantage point,
从空中制高点
the gannets can see what the dolphins can't.
塘鹅能够看到海豚无法看到的东西
One finally spots what they're looking for.
一只塘鹅终于有所发现了
He dives - a signal to all his followers
它潜入水中 - 这是向同伴发出的信♥号♥♥
that they've finally arrived.
它们已经到达目的地
20 metres down,they reach their target.
20米的下方就是它们的所要寻找的目标
The Great Sardine Run,
巨大的沙丁鱼群
the biggest fish migration in the world.
这是世界上最大的迁徙鱼群
But at this depth the sardines are quite a challenge.
但是要抓住处在这个深度的沙丁鱼对塘鹅来说可是不小的挑战
He comes up with nothing.
它冲出水面 一无所获
But guiding the dolphins here is about to pay off.
但是通过引导此地的海豚 它们马上就会有巨大的回报
They attack from below,
海豚从下方攻击
breaking up the shoals and driving them to the surface.
把鱼群驱散 赶向海面
Now the sardines are much easier to catch.
现在 这些沙丁鱼抓起来就容易多了
But the commotion also attracts bronze whaler sharks.
但是这一阵骚动也引来了短尾真鲨
At every dive, the birds now dice with death.
现在 塘鹅的每一次下潜都是在拿生命做赌注
And some hunters could swallow a dozen gannets in just one gulp.
其中一些捕食者一口就能吞下好几只塘鹅
Fortunately, Bryde's whales are only here for the sardines.
幸运的是 布莱德鲸鱼只是来捕食沙丁鱼的
The victors return to Bird Island,
胜利者凯♥旋♥回到“鸟岛”
the biggest Cape gannet colony in the world.
这里是世界上最大的开普敦塘鹅聚集地
It's their extraordinary knowledge of ocean life
对海洋异常丰富的知识
that allows 65,000 pairs to thrive here.
使得6万5千对塘鹅得以在这儿繁衍生息
Back on the mainland, vultures have an unrivalled knowledge
在内陆 秃鹰对生活在陆地上的动物
of the creatures that live on the land.
同样拥有无可比拟的了解
These canny scavengers
这些狡猾的腐蚀者
soar for hours, studying the movements of animals.
在空中盘旋数小时 密切观察动物们的一举一动
Their all-seeing eyes watch for clues that might lead them to a meal.
它们全视角的眼睛搜寻着能给它们带来食物的蛛丝马迹
Running animals are a good sign.
奔跑的动物通常是个好兆头
But lions are even better.
但是如果能到狮子那就更好了
But in the high-stakes world of the African bush,
但是在非洲危机四伏的灌木丛中
the watched also do the watching.
被观察的也在密切地观察着周遭一切
There is an uneasy alliance between vultures and lions
秃鹰和狮子要保持盟友关系可不是件容易的事
as both spy on one another to find fresh meat.
为了找到新鲜的肉食 双方相互监视彼此的举动
This time there's nothing, but she will keep looking.
这一次没有发现 但是它会继续寻找
Her bird's-eye view reveals many secrets.
它俯瞰到的景象能揭示很多秘密
This S-shaped island is actually alive.
这个看似S形的岛屿实际上是有生命的
It is made up entirely of lesser flamingos.
全都是小火烈鸟
Flamingos may be the most beautiful and graceful birds in Africa,
火烈鸟可能是非洲大♥陆♥最漂亮 也是最优雅的鸟类
but they spend their lives in the most unsavoury places.
但是它们却是生活在最令人生厌的地方
They wade in toxic soda lakes.
它们穿梭于有毒的高碱湖
The only lagoons where the algae they eat is found.
这些是它们唯一能够找到藻类吃的潟湖
They filter it from the caustic water with their bills.
它们用喙过滤具有腐蚀性的湖水获得其中的藻类食用
It not only keeps them alive,
这不仅让它们得以生存
pigments in the algae create their flamboyant colour.
藻类中的色素还给予了它们艳丽的色彩
As the amount of algae varies with the seasons,
藻类的数量随着季节的变化而变化
the flamingos are on a continual quest for the perfect lake.
火烈鸟不断地找寻适合它们觅食的湖泊
But wherever they go,
但是无论走向哪里
these delicate birds fall prey to hunters of every kind.
这些脆弱的鸟类都会成为各种捕食者的猎物
Fish eagles are their main enemy.
鱼鹰是它们最主要的敌人
These clever and solitary predators
这些猎食者非常狡猾 喜欢独来独往
are found over every body of water south of the Sahara.
在撒哈拉沙漠之南的每一个水域都有它们的踪迹
They eat mainly fish, but here flamingos are easier prey.
它们主要吃鱼 但是火烈鸟对它们来说更加容易捕食
Fish eagles have become expert at hunting them.
鱼鹰已经成为捕食火烈鸟的专家
The fish eagle is small and highly manoeuvrable.
鱼鹰个子小 机动性很强
But it still won't be easy.
但是这仍非易事
This battle plays out wherever flamingos roam.
哪儿有火烈鸟的踪迹 哪儿就有这样的战斗上演
For now, the lake's algal bloom gives them all they could wish for.
现在 湖里的藻类涨势正旺 能给提供它们充足的食物
But all good things must end.
但是天下无不散的筵席
Soon they will be gone.
很快它们都将离开
Vultures never get the chance to stop travelling.
秃鹰从来都不会有机会驻足停歇
Her broad wings ride the air for hours
它宽大的翅膀能让它在空中飞翔数小时
as she searches for the dead or done for.
以便让它寻找死亡的动物或动物残骸
Every feather reacts to the tiniest breath of air,
它的每一根羽毛都能感受到最细微的气流变化
adjusting its angle to perfect her flight.
让它调整角度 使飞行完美无瑕
She splays her wing-tip feathers to reduce drag.
它展开翅膀顶端的羽毛以减小阻力
And uses her tail to steer.
用尾巴控制方向
Her efficient flight is helped by a weather phenomenon
它的高效飞行得益于一种天气现象
often found in these hot climes.
这种现象常见于炎热的气候环境
Dust devils form when the sun bakes the ground
当太阳炙烤大地 旋风沙柱就形成了
and hot air rises in a thermal, sucking up dirt.
热空气以热气流的方式上升 把尘土卷向天空
Thermals are usually invisible,
热气流通常是肉眼不可见的
but vultures know just where to find them.
但是秃鹰就是知道怎么找到它们
She uses them as express elevators to the sky.
它使用热气流作为它飞上云霄的高速电梯
Just as she watches other vultures, they watch her too.
正如它注意其他秃鹰的动向一样 其他秃鹰也密切注意它的动向
Sharing their knowledge of where thermals can be found.
它们一起共享热气流所在的相关信息
When she finds lift, others rush to join her on her free ride.
当它发现“电梯”时 其他秃鹰一起跟上享受免费的服务
Gliding from thermal to thermal,
由一个热气流滑翔飞向另一个
she surveys hundreds of square miles with hardly any effort at all.
它可以毫不费力地巡视方圆数百平方英里的大地
A descending spiral of other birds
其他秃鹰的螺旋形向下飞行
marks the spot where a carcass might be found.
标志着该地有动物的尸体
She folds her wings to lose height and uses her legs as air brakes.
它收起翅膀以下降高度 使用双腿作为阻力器
Feathers along her wings spring up to slow her even more.
它展开翅膀上的羽毛以便更快地减速
With two and a half metres of wing to deal with,
长达2.5米的翅膀
landing among trees is a challenge.
使得它在树木之间着陆变得格外困难
Once down, the hard bit is finding the carcass.
一旦触地 如何找到动物尸体就是一个问题了
But backup is never far behind.
但是援兵从来都不会来得太晚
The spiralling vultures have also attracted the lions.
螺旋形从天而降的秃鹰也引来了狮子
Things could easily turn nasty.
事态很可能会变得一发不可收拾
Especially as something doesn't seem right.
尤其是有些地方看起来不太正常的时候
Swallows and carmine bee-eaters are here,
燕子和红食蜂鸟在此出没
not the usual suspects at a murder scene.
通常它们可不会出现在谋杀的现场
Marabou storks, the undertaker birds, are more like it.
秃鹳 鸟类的殡葬员 它们的出现还差不多有点像了
But these wily scavengers are not here for a carcass.
但是这些狡猾的食腐动物来这儿可不是为了动物的尸体
They're eating termites.
它们在吃白蚁
The vultures and lions have messed up, big-time.
秃鹰和狮子都弄错了 大错特错
It was an easy mistake to make.
这样的错误是很容易犯的
A gathering of birds always means food.
鸟类聚集通常预示着食物
They weren't to know that for them it wouldn't even be a snack
它们没想到的是那点食物给它们当点心都不够
Only the smaller hooded vulture has the right tool for the job.
只有个头偏小一点的冠鹫有能力吃到那样的“点心”
Much to the lion's frustration.
狮子大失所望
When messing with lions, the stakes are high.
惹毛狮子的风险是很大的
Unfortunately, it's an occupational hazard.
不幸的是 这是一种“职业风险”
Cape Point, at the southern tip of Africa,
开普角 位于非洲的最南端
is home to another bird that mixes with dangerous predators.
是另外一种与危险的猎食者共处的鸟类的家园
Kelp gulls may not have the charisma of a vulture,
凯尔普海鸥可能没有秃鹰的雄姿
but they certainly know their wildlife.
但是毫无疑问它们对自己的荒野生活了如指掌
The aptly-named Seal Island is home to 10,000 Cape fur seals.
恰如其名的“海豹岛”是1万头开普毛皮海豹的家园