鸟瞰地球（2011）

The perfect meal, if only the gulls were hunters.
如果海鸥能捕猎的话 它们可是完美的大餐
But by studying the seal's behaviour,
但是通过研究海豹的行为
these inoffensive birds have put seal meat at the top of their menu.
那些毫无攻击力的海鸟还是把海豹肉作为了它们食物的首选
They pick out the youngest
它们找到最小的海豹
and wait for them to brave the open waters of the bay.
等待它们勇敢地向海湾的开阔水域游去
Then they look for someone to prepare their meal.
然后它们寻找他人为自己准备美餐
A great white shark will do nicely!
大白鲨会做得非常漂亮!
To be first at the kill means a feast.
首先到达猎杀现场意味着饱餐一顿
But the shark has to catch dinner first.
但是鲨鱼首先得准备大餐
The commotion is a signal to other gulls.
骚动对于其他海鸥来说就是信♥号♥♥
In the killing season,
在杀戮季节
over 30 attacks happen around Seal Island each day.
在海豹岛的周围每天有超过30次这样的猎杀
The gulls have become experts on the great white's killing technique.
这些海鸥已经成为大白鲨捕猎技能方面的专家了
Back on the South African mainland,
另一方面在南非内陆
a very different wildlife spectacle occurs every evening.
一种完全不同的野生物奇景在每天傍晚上演
These are barn swallows.
这些事是家燕
Three million of them.
3百万只
They roost in these reed beds before travelling 6,000 miles
它们栖息在这些芦苇地里 然后飞行6千英里
to their spring breeding grounds in northern Europe.
前往它们在北欧的繁殖地
They are well equipped for their migration.
它们的身体机能非常适合迁徙
Few can beat their aerobatic skills.
它们的飞行技巧几乎是不可匹敌的
They even drink without missing a beat.
即使是在喝水时 它们飞行的节奏也不会被打乱
Their streamlined body and long, pointed wings
他们流线型的身体 修长的尖翅膀
allow them to effortlessly manoeuvre,
可以让它们毫不费力地运动自如
and their forked tail helps their sublime control.
分叉的尾巴使它们在方向上的操控令人赞叹
Taking a bath couldn't be easier.
要洗个澡再容易不过了
Their flying abilities will soon be tested
它们的飞行能力很快就要接受考验了
as they embark on one of the riskiest and most epic journeys on earth.
因为它们即将开始的是地球上最危险最艰难的迁徙旅程
But they will not be alone.
但是它们并不孤单
In the skies above, thousands of white storks join them
高空中 数以千计的白鹳加入了它们的行列
in a race against time to reach their European breeding grounds.
争分夺秒地飞向它们在欧洲的繁殖地
But while swallows flap their wings all the way,
但是燕子是振动翅膀飞行的
white storks glide on thermals.
而白鹳是在热气流间滑翔前行的
On a good day, the storks can travel 300 miles
在天气晴朗的日子 白鹳一天能飞300英里(约483公里)
with hardly any effort at all.
而且几乎是不费吹灰之力
But flying isn't always such a breeze.
但是飞行并不总是如此轻松的
They can only travel when the sun shines.
它们只能在有太阳时才能飞行（靠热气流）
Victoria Falls is a major landmark on their journey.
维多利亚瀑布是它们旅程中的主要地标
900 miles from where they first set off.
它们从900英里之外开始它们的旅途
As the Zambezi river plummets into the chasm below,
随着赞比西河在下面的地壳裂口垂直下落
it creates huge updraughts
它产生了巨大的上吸力
that make the falls a paradise for soaring birds.
对于高飞的鸟类来说 这些瀑布简直就是天堂
It's the perfect place for a fish eagle to set up home.
这里是鱼鹰安家的完美地方
It might be wet and wild, but these are the conditions eagles relish.
这里可能有点潮湿荒凉 但是这种环境正是鱼鹰所需要的
He patrols the mile-long canyon,
借助瀑布落水推起的气流
surfing on air pushed up by the falling water.
他在足有一英里长的峡谷里巡视
Birds understand and feel the air currents
鸟类能够感知这些气流
in ways that are difficult to imagine.
感知的方式我们很难想象
As well as detecting thermals,
它们也能探测到热气流
they see their landscape in terms of how it shapes and deflects the air.
它们根据地形如何成形和如何影响气流来判断整个地形
This knowledge allows them to glide with little effort,
这方面的知识让它们能够毫不费力地滑翔
allowing them to concentrate on what really matters.
从而把精力集中到真正重要的事情上去
Finding a meal.
觅食
Swooping from the air provides the best element of surprise.
从空中俯冲而下是最佳的奇袭方式
600 miles north of Victoria Falls,
在维多利亚瀑布以北600英里的地方
the thermals that support storks in the air simply vanish.
支撑白鹳滑翔的热气流突然凭空消失了
Below lies the problem.
问题就在下方
Lake Malawi.
马拉维湖
The first of many lakes in East Africa's Great Rift Valley.
东非大裂谷的许多湖泊中的第一个
Thermals can't form over water,
热气流是不能在水面上空形成的
so the storks have to work hard just to stay airborne.
因此白鹳只能奋力飞行 结果也只是勉强让它们呆在空中
And these soaring birds aren't designed
这些靠滑翔的鸟类天生就不适合
to flap their wings for long.
长时间振翅飞翔
But a promising apparition suddenly appears.
但是一个充满希望的奇特前景马上就要出现了
Dust devils seem to be rising from the lake.
旋风沙柱似乎就要在湖面升起
But these aren't thermals.
但是那些可不是热气流
In fact, they're made entirely of flies.
事实上 那些都是苍蝇
Each month, billions of lake flies swirl together
每个月 都会有数十亿的湖蝇在此盘旋
in a huge mating dance,
进行盛大的求偶舞会
creating the biggest swarms on Earth.
这是全球最大的昆虫群
Storks must head inland to find the real McCoy.
白鹳必须向内陆行进以找到真正的自我
But flapping flight takes its toll.
但是振翅飞行的考验来了
Tired storks must make frequent stops to rest and feed.
疲惫的白鹳必须不段地停下了休息觅食
Tornadoes of flies may be useless for storks,
龙♥卷♥风♥一般的苍蝇或许对白鹳没什么用
but they are a godsend for the swallows travelling close behind.
但是对于紧跟它们之后的燕子来说可是天赐美食
Like the storks, they have already flown over 1,000 miles at this point.
和白鹳一样 它们到此也已经飞行了1000多英里
They too are ravenous.
而且也已经饥肠辘辘了
They head into the very heart of the swarm.
它们冲到蝇群的中心
Swallows put on little weight before their journey,
燕子在开始旅程之前 体重并没有增加多少
so must feed at every opportunity.
因此它们必须把握每一次觅食的机会
Windfalls like this make the difference between life and death.
这样的天赐良机对它们来说可能是事关生死的进食机会
Refuelled, they continue their travels.
填饱肚子后 它们又上路了
Further north, along the Rift Valley,
在更远的北方 大裂谷边上
the land opens up into a huge expanse of grassland.
广袤的大地披上了一层绿草
Here, vultures command the skies,
这儿 秃鹰掌控着天空
soaring up to five miles above the Earth.
在离地最高可达5英里的高空翱翔
From these heights, they can drop down at any time to check out a meal.
从这样的高度 它们可以随时俯冲下来寻找食物
Her favourite scavenging grounds are the Serengeti plains.
它最爱的食腐场地是赛伦盖蒂平原
Home to the largest land migration in the world.
这儿是世界上最大的路上迁徙的发生地
Below, around one and a half million wildebeest
下面约有150万头野生动物
perform their yearly journey.
正进行着一年一度的迁徙
Vultures escort the herd, and are an expert on their habits,
秃鹰护送着兽群 对它们的习性了如指掌
especially as they might bring a meal.
主要是因为可能会带来食物
They know the torrential waters of the Mara river
它们熟知马拉河上那些湍急的水域
are an accident waiting to happen.
这些地方常常是事故多发地
Thousands of wildebeest must negotiate its dangerous waters
数以千计的野生动物必须涉险通过这些水域
and casualties are inevitable.
伤亡是不可避免的
The crocs have waited a year for this moment.
鳄鱼为了这一刻已经等了一年了
They won't waste their chance.
它们绝不会浪费这样的机会
It's carnage.
这是一场大屠♥杀♥
But there won't be much left for the vultures.
但是剩下给秃鹰的不会太多
But as the wildebeest reach the other side,
但是当动物们到达对岸时
a four-metre wall blocks their path.
一堵四米高的河岸堵住了它们的去路
It's a death trap.
这是个死亡陷阱
All it takes is just one slip.
一失足成千古恨
And there it is.
就在那里
The perfect meal, ripe for the taking.
完美的大餐 静待享用
Now the arguing begins.
现在争端也随之而来
The marabou stork is back.
秃鹳回来了
He uses his bill to dismember carcasses.
它使用尖喙肢解尸体
But he's quite happy to use it as a spear.
但是它也很乐意把它当做武器（梭镖）来使用
Vultures never get to eat in peace.
秃鹰别想安安稳稳地饱餐一顿
That's why they always keep moving.
这也是它们为什么老是不停走动的原因
Flamingos are also driven by the quest for food.
火烈鸟同样为了寻找食物而奔波
In desperate times, many travel up from southern Africa
在无计可施的时候 许多火烈鸟会从南部的非洲北上
to join East African flamingos as they seek the perfect soda lake.
与东非火烈鸟汇合 以便找到合适的高碱湖
Just south of the equator is Lake Nakuru,
纳库鲁湖（肯尼亚）位于赤道偏南的地方
the most famous flamingo lake in the world.
是世界上最知名的火烈鸟湖
The lake is a favourite stopover for flamingos
也是火烈鸟最爱停栖的地方
and thousands can arrive in a single day.
仅一天就会有数千只火烈鸟来到这里
But despite its past glory, it's now a bitter disappointment.
且不说它辉煌的过去 这个湖现在却有点让人失望
A change in water quality means little algae grows here now.
现在水质变化了 湖里几乎没有什么藻类植物了
There are other signs of change.
其他迹象也表明了这一点
Great white pelicans arrive, attracted to the salt-tolerant fish
大白鹈鹕 受到咸水鱼的吸引 也来到了这里
that have been introduced by local fishermen to the lake.
这些咸水鱼是由当地的渔民带来放养到湖里去的
They cruise over the water surface,
它们在湖面上巡游
riding a cushion of air created by the down thrust of their wings.
乘着翅膀下拍产生的气流滑行
The recent appearance of pelicans shows that the lake is changing.
这些最近才出现的鹈鹕表明湖里的水质正在发生变化
The flamingos face other problems, too.
火烈鸟还面临其他一些问题
Here, scavengers have turned hunters.
在这里 食腐动物已经变成了猎食者