生命（2009）

But once a year, off the coast of Southern Australia,
二十五万只蜘蛛蟹
a quarter of a million crabs
开始长途跋涉前往浅水区
set off on a long journey to the shallows.
它们来这里是因为一个共同问题
They are here because they all share a problem.
每只蜘蛛蟹身上的盔甲 都已经穿了一年
Each crab has been wearing the same suit of armour for a year now.
现在紧绷到不舒服的地步
And it's getting uncomfortably tight.
所有螃蟹终究必须褪下旧壳
So each crab eventually has to shed its shell
制♥造♥更大的新壳
and produce a bigger one.
可以想象替换旧壳的步骤很棘手
Replacing an old shell is understandably a tricky process.
首先螃蟹
First the crab
必须先在旧壳内 长出一层新皮肤
grows an entirely new skin within the old shell.
然后收缩身体 迫使外壳
It then flexes its body to force its shell
沿着背部裂开
to split along the back...
然后缓缓后退，从旧壳离开
..before gingerly backing itself out.
蜘蛛蟹来这里不只要换壳 还要进行交♥配♥
The spider crabs are not only here to moult, but to mate.
它们热切的把握这个机会
And they grab the opportunity with considerable enthusiasm.
然而像这样大批聚集有个缺点
Coming together in such numbers does however have a drawback.
这会吸引掠食动物
It attracts predators.
这是刺魟
A stingray.
虽然眼前有许多潜在猎物
Despite there being so many potential prey,
刺魟似乎视而不见
the stingray seems to ignore them.
或许人多势众真的比较安全
Perhaps there's safety in numbers...
但不是所有蜘蛛蟹 都准备仰赖群体
..although not all the crabs are prepared to rely on it.
蜘蛛蟹群开始警觉起来
Alarm spreads amongst the crabs.
但其实多数螃蟹都很安全
But in fact, most of them are safe.
这只刺魟很挑剔
This ray is being very choosy.
它只对外壳最软
It's only interested in the softest shelled,
刚换好壳的蜘蛛蟹有兴趣
most recently moulted crabs.
一旦选中目标，它绝对手到擒来
Once a target is singled out, there is no escape.
当新壳变硬
When their new armour has hardened,
蜘蛛蟹就回到较安全的海底
the crabs return to the comparative safety of the deep,
只留下它们褪下的旧空壳
leaving behind only their old, empty shells.
跟蜘蛛蟹一样 多数海洋动物的行为
Like spider crabs, the behaviour of most marine creatures
都是由简单的神经系统控制
is controlled by a very simple nervous system.
但还是有例外
But there are exceptions.
这只乌贼 是最聪明的海洋动物之一
This cuttlefish is one of the cleverest animals in the ocean.
这只母乌贼有很大的脑部
She has a very large brain.
根据身体比例
In fact, it's larger for her size
它的脑部 比多数鱼类或爬虫类更大
than that of most fish or reptiles.
它的生活不只复杂，更充满谜题
Her life is both complex and full of intrigue.
澳洲巨乌贼通常独来独往
Giant Australian cuttlefish usually live alone,
但在短暂的生命中 它们必须聚集一次进行交♥配♥
but once in their short lives they must come together to mate.
当这只母乌贼前往传统交♥配♥地
As she approaches the traditional mating grounds,
一只最大的公乌贼 对它表示兴趣
one of the largest males starts to show interest in her.
它带公乌贼离开对手 来到较安静的地点
She moves him away from his rivals to a quieter spot -
它将能在这里安全产卵
a place where she will be able to lay her eggs in safety.
公乌贼用触手抓住母乌贼 让它面向自己
The male takes the female in his arms and turns her to face him,
再用触手把精英 放入母乌贼
before using one of his arms to pass sacks of sperm
嘴巴附近的开口
to an opening near her mouth.
交♥配♥完成后 公乌贼在母乌贼上方徘徊
Once mated, he hovers over her,
守护母乌贼直到它产卵
standing guard until she's laid her eggs.
但公乌贼面临一个问题
But he's got a problem.
公乌贼的数量比母乌贼多四倍
Males outnumber females four to one.
所以它必须不断打退对手 保住母乌贼
So keeping her to himself is a constant battle.
这个体型较大的对手 不容易被吓跑
This larger rival is more difficult to intimidate.
乌贼能以变化剧烈的
Cuttlefish can make very dramatic changes
皮肤图案表达情绪
to their skin pattern in order to signal their moods.
在侧身显现的鲜艳色彩和条纹
Flushes of bright colour and stripes that pulse along his side,
警告对手不要靠近
tell the rival to keep off.
多数对手在这时已经撤退 这个却不愿离开
Most rivals back down at this stage, but not this one.
虽然公乌贼的闪亮讯号♥ 越来越强烈
Although the male's flashing signals get more and more emphatic,
到最后它别无选择 只好出手打斗
in the end, he has no choice but to fight.
打赢的公乌贼 可以回去守护母乌贼
Victory! And the male can return to guard his female.
乌贼是一流沟通者
Cuttlefish are great communicators,
但这种绝技有黑暗面
but there is a flip side -
它们也能成为诈欺高手
they can also be masters of deception.
这只公乌贼太娇小 无法打斗争取交♥配♥机会
This male is too small to fight for a mate, but he has another plan -
但它另有一个狡猾计划
and it's sneaky.
它小心接近这对乌贼
He approaches the couple cautiously,
收起触手举在面前
holding his tentacles tucked up at the front,
模仿想要交♥配♥的母乌贼
mimicking a female that wants to mate.
为了完成伪装
To complete his disguise,
它还改变体色 让自己更像女生
he changes colour to appear even more like a female.
站岗的公乌贼似乎上当了
The guarding male seems convinced,
或许它自以为鸿运当头
maybe he thinks his luck is in -
多了一只母乌贼让它征服
another female to add to his conquests.
这只奸诈的装扮公乌贼 小心翼翼
The sly, cross-dressing male
接近母乌贼
edges closer and closer to the female, holding his nerve.
只要不被想交♥配♥的公乌贼抱住
As long as he avoids being grabbed in a mating embrace,
它的诡计就能得逞
the sneak is safe.
母乌贼已经猜出对方身分不明
At what point the female guesses his true identity is unclear,
但它并不挑剔
but she isn't choosy,
在大公乌贼的触手下
and surreptitiously mates with him
它们开始偷偷交♥配♥
right under the larger male's tentacles.
母乌贼准备产卵
It's time for the female to lay her eggs.
它用两只公乌贼的精♥子♥
Using the sperm from both males,
逐一让产下的卵受精
she fertilises her eggs one by one
然后把受精卵薪在一个 隐密缝隙处的岩石上
and glues them to a rock in a hidden crevice.
如果幸运 它将拥有两个父亲的孩子
With luck, she will now have a mix of offspring.
有些可能成为强壮公乌贼
Some may become masterful males,
有些则是个性奸诈
and others, little sneaks.
它可以说是毫无疏漏
She'll have all the bases covered.
这是卑诗省沿岸
The coastal waters of British Columbia.
这只四公尺长的 北太平洋巨型章鱼住在这里
Home to this four-metre-long Pacific Giant Octopus.
它是可怕的掠食动物
She is a formidable predator,
但现在它不打算猎食
but at the moment hunting isn't on her mind.
这只母章鱼刚完成第一次交♥配♥
She has just mated for the first time.
现在要寻找安全庇护所
And now she's searching for a safe refuge.
它谨慎的选择
She makes her choice carefully.
未来几个月的家
This is going to be her home for many months to come.
这是它的育婴室
It's her nursery den.
这里的天花板吊着一百万颗卵
100,000 eggs hang from its ceiling,
它要用性命守护孩子
and she's guarding them with her life.
少了它的保护
Without her to protect them,
这些卵会被掠食动物吃光或染病
they would be eaten by predators, or become diseased.
它用触手抚摸未孵化的孩子
She caresses them with her tentacles,
确保这些卵不会长海藻 也不会被鱼吃掉
ensuring that algae don't grow on them, and that fish don't eat them.
它持续让海水在卵周围流动
She constantly keeps the water moving around them,
让卵能获得充足氧气
so they're well-supplied with oxygen.
它照顾未孵化的孩子六个月
She cares for them for six months,
在这段期间什么都不吃
and during all this time, she doesn't eat a thing.
现在当卵开始孵化 它也即将死去
And now, as they are hatching, she is dying.
小章鱼在某个晚上破卵而出
One night, as the baby octopus emerge,
它最后一次对孩子喷水
she jets water over them for the last time,
帮助它们出生
helping them on their way.
这将是它死前的最后动作
This will be her final act.
它只会生产这一次
This is the only time she will reproduce,
为了给孩子最佳存活机会 它牺牲了生命
and to give her young their best chance, she sacrifices her life.
大海中体型最大
Out of the depths comes one of the largest
也最凶恶的海星，从深海出现
and most aggressive starfish in the ocean.
这只向日葵海星
Pycnopodia,
跟垃圾桶盖一样大
a giant sunstar the size of a dustbin lid.
它是猎人
It's a hunter.
每根触手都布满超敏感的管足
Each arm is covered by super-sensitive tube feet,
能靠触觉和嗅觉侦测到猎物
that can detect prey by touch and smell.
但海星也偏好腐肉
But the sunstar is also partial to carrion,
它发现巨型章鱼妈妈的尸体
and it detects the carcass of the giant octopus mother.
它用触手上的迷你吸盘
The miniature suckers on its feet clamp on to the corpse,
紧抓尸体拖出洞穴
and drag it out of the cave.
其他食腐动物赶来共享大餐
Other scavengers rush to join the feast.
虽然身为骇人掠食动物