美洲大陆（2025）

留下逾两百座活火山
leaving a legacy of over 200 active volcanoes
数量为全美洲之最
more than anywhere else in the Americas.
过去四千万年来 山脉不断往上增高
For 40 million years, they've pushed higher and higher.
在部分地区 山顶更形成了怪异冰封之境
And in a few places, an eerie ice world has formed at the peaks
打造出独特的自然奇观
home to a true marvel of nature.
安第斯山脉海拔极高
The Andes is so high
世上九♥成♥九的热带冰川都在此现身
that 99% of the world's tropical glaciers are found here.
其中最大的位在秘鲁南部
The largest is in southern Peru.
该处无疑十分寒冷 但在海拔一万八千呎高处
It's certainly cold, but at an altitude of 18,000 feet
紫外线辐射也不容小觑
ultraviolet radiation is very intense.
太阳照耀时
So when the sun shines, the ground heats
地表温度会高达惊人的华氏111度
to a jaw-dropping 111 degrees Fahrenheit
瞬间将冰封世界变成桑拿
transforming ice world to sauna in the blink of an eye.
极难想象蛙类会在此出没
It's the last place to expect to find a frog.
四眼蛙
Marbled four-eyed frogs
栖息海拔高度为世上蛙类之最
live at the highest altitude of any frog on Earth.
每年母蛙都得在融冰池水中繁殖
Every year, females must breed in pools formed by glacial meltwater.
但牠们的栖地正在变迁
But their world is changing.
冰川正逐渐退回山顶
The glacier is retreating further up the mountains.
每年牠都爬得更高
Each year, she climbs higher
天气更加炎热
enduring hotter days
但同时
but also...
夜晚也更加寒冷
the colder nights.
这已成为一大问题
And that's become a real problem.
温度骤降
The temperature is dropping fast.
牠得找到栖身之处
She needs to find shelter.
随着肌肉冷却 四肢不再灵活
But as her muscles chill, they are starting to seize up.
越深入地下 牠就越安全
The deeper underground, the safer she'll be.
但万里无云也代表严寒即将到来
But a clear sky means extreme cold is on its way.
夜晚的寒冰 十分冷酷无情
On these nights, the ice is relentless.
冰冻范围深入地底
Its reach stretches far beneath the surface.
牠的生命旅途
Her journey...
看来走到了尽头
looks to be over.
牠冻成了冰块
She is frozen solid.
随着大地回暖
As the world warms up
地下也有奇异之事正在发生
something strange happens beneath the surface.
这些四眼蛙
These marbled four-eyed frogs
由于栖居安第斯山脉高处
living in the highest reaches of the Andes
早已演化出独特才能
have evolved a remarkable talent
几乎难以置信
almost beyond belief
也从未有影像纪录
and never filmed before.
牠们能冻成僵硬冰块
They can freeze solid
之后再次复生
and come back from the dead
每日周而复始
every single day.
世上只有这种蛙类有此能耐
The only frog in the world that can do this.
牠再度向前迈进
She drives forward once more.
每晚都骗过死神的青蛙
The frog that cheats death every night
已准备好继续踏上旅途
is ready to continue her journey
幸运的话 还能碰上新伴侣
and, with luck, meet a new mate.
虽然这只青蛙创造了奇迹
This frog may be a miracle worker
但牠的未来仍不明朗
but its future is not certain.
四眼蛙以及众多动物所仰赖的冰川
The glaciers on which it and so many other animals depend
正面临重大问题
are in trouble.
由于全球气温上升 其规模正在缩小
They're shrinking due to a global rise in temperature.
过去五十年来
Over the last 50 years
邻近的库里卡里斯冰川规模已减半
the neighboring Qori Kalis Glacier has halved in size.
依目前速度
At the current rate
再过三十年
it will disappear entirely
便会完全消失
in just 30 more years
这不仅对四眼蛙来说是一大灾祸
which could be a disaster not just for the four-eyed frogs
也危及到山中所有生物
but for all life in these mountains.
安第斯山脉高耸冰川的融水
As water from the sky-high glaciers of the Andes
随着陡峭斜坡倾泻而下
cascades down the steep slopes
多达十万条河流形成了独特网络
it creates a unique network of 100,000 rivers.
其水源不仅对野生动物十分重要
Water that is crucial both for wildlife
也供养了数百万人♥民♥
and for millions of people.
其中多数河流都寒冷如冰
Most of these rivers are ice-cold.
在阿根廷的这条却几近沸腾
But this one in Argentina is near boiling
由深在地下的地热活动加温
superheated by geothermal activity deep underground.
正常生物怎会在这片危险水域定居
What in their right mind would live in these dangerous waters?
安第斯山脉的高山河流当中
In the mountain rivers of the Andes
仅有一种动物能驾驭湍急水流
only one animal can master turbulent waters
不论是几乎沸腾 或是将近冰点
that range from boiling point to near freezing...
湍鸭
a torrent duck.
牠们可不是普通鸭子 而是鸭中之霸
Not just any duck, but a super duck.
牠可说是全副武装
He comes fully equipped
配有耐热羽毛 布满鳞甲的足部
with heat-resistant feathers, armor-plated leg skin
和与生俱来的护目镜 瞬膜
and built-in protective goggles, a third eyelid.
有了这些特殊配备
This specialist gear means
就能日日挺过极端温差 从水面上的负13度低温
he can survive a daily temperature range of minus 13 degrees above water
乃至水下的122度
to plus 122 degrees underwater
只为享用豪华自助餐
all to reach a sumptuous buffet.
这片高温水域 是苍蝇育幼的绝佳环境
These superheated waters are a hothouse for growing fly larvae
数以千计的幼虫
in the thousands.
对鸭子来说
Delicious and nutritious.
是营养佳肴
For a duck.
尤其如果需要养家活口
Especially one with a family.
这些超级鸭宝宝
These baby super ducks must find their own food
从出生起就必须独自觅食
from day one.
幸好牠们天生就善于在绝境中游泳
Luckily, they are equipped for extreme swimming too.
尾羽会提早发育 作为划桨
Tail feathers develop early to act as a rudder
巨大脚掌则提供推进力
and huge feet provide propulsion.
毛绒羽翼会困住空气 让幼鸭保温并维持浮力
Downy feathers trap air to keep them insulated and afloat.
牠们已具备超级英雄的派头
They already have superhero swagger.
但浮力太大也有一大缺陷
But their buoyant down has, well, a downside.
碰到深水区域
Where the water is deep
就只能对美味幼虫干瞪眼
those delicious bugs are out of reach.
牠们得到更浅的水域觅食
They need to find shallower feeding grounds.
但随着一家子往下游处移♥动♥
But as the family heads downstream
情势也变得凶险
things get dangerous.
父母率先飞下
The parents lead the way.
幼鸭还不会飞 只能游过去
The ducklings can't yet fly.
跳进致命的滚烫河水中
They will have to swim for it in these deadly, scalding waters.
只有三分之一幼鸭能顺利存活长大
Only a third survive to adulthood.
入水处的抉择
Where they make their jump...
将决定生死
decides their fate...
这只幼鸭即将知晓自身命运
as this chick's about to find out.
父母试图掌握每只幼鸭去向
The parents try to keep tabs on each of the chicks
但在汹涌河水中
but in these raging waters...
未必能够如愿
that's not always possible.
幼鸭勉强爬出水面
As the chick scrambles out
牠必须尽快另觅路线 才能一家团圆
he must quickly look for another route to get back to his family.
现在 只能放手一搏了
Now, it's all or nothing.
充满空气的羽毛带牠重回水面
His air-filled feathers pull him to the surface.
有自身超能力加持
Saved by their superpowers
一家总算抵达浅水觅食处
the whole family has reached the shallow feeding ground.
虫子大餐终于能尽情享用
A bug buffet now within reach for all.
只要具备足够能耐
If you've got what it takes
这条诞生自冰与火的狂野河流
this wild river, born of fire and ice
便能成为美妙仙境
can be a kind of paradise.
供鸭子安居
For a duck.
向南迈进
Traveling south
来到安第斯山脉最宽阔之处
the Andes spread to their widest point.
此处的高峰
Here, the highest peaks block moisture
阻挡了来自亚马逊和太平洋的水气
from both the Amazon and the Pacific
打造出 独一无二的荒漠
which helps create a desert like no other.
阿塔卡马沙漠
The Atacama.
地表最干燥之处
The driest place on Earth.
美国航♥天♥局相中此地荒芜环境
So arid that NASA uses it
用来测试在火星上运作的设备
to test equipment destined for Mars.