美洲大陆（2025）

但在特定年份
But in exceptional years
自然奇迹将会扭转乾坤
a miracle of nature changes everything.
智利北部的阿塔卡马沙漠 是地表上最干燥的荒漠
The Atacama Desert in northern Chile is the driest on Earth.
但每隔十年
But maybe once a decade
来自西方的风暴
a stormfront from the west
或许能累积足够能量绕过群山
can have enough power to reach around the mountains...
带来救赎般的地域性降雨
and bring salvation.
形成
Torrential rain...
自然界最罕见的奇观
summoning one of the rarest wonders in nature...
所谓的"野花大绽放"
what is known as a superbloom.
数十亿枚种子在沙中沉睡多时
Billions of seeds that have been sleeping in the sand
有些甚至超过十年
some for more than ten years
总算能绽放生机
can finally burst into life.
崭新世界也引来了沙漠外的奇异生物
This new world draws strange creatures from beyond the desert.
高山啮齿目 鼢足鼠
The coruro, a mountain rodent
鲜少在地表出没
seldom seen on the surface.
巨大的华丽蜾蠃 为幼虫带来食物
A giant caterpillar-hunting wasp brings food to her young.
和众动物相同
And like the rest
穴鸮家族带上毕生家当
a family of burrowing owls
来到限时数周的丰饶之地
packs a whole lifetime into these few weeks of plenty.
因为大绽放来得急
Because as fast as the superbloom emerges...
沙漠也同等迅速地复原
it's reclaimed by the desert
众生又得久候多时才能迎来降水
and life begins the long wait for water once more.
紧邻在北边的是乌尤尼盐沼
Just to the north is Salar de Uyuni
世上最大的盐盘
the largest salt flat on Earth.
当雨水在此落下
When the rains reach here...
便会短暂形成另一个自然奇观
another brief wonder of nature is created.
巨大的镜面咸水湖 面♥积♥更胜黄石公园
A giant mirror larger than Yellowstone...
座落在地表最晴朗的夜空下
set beneath the clearest skies on Earth.
在此能远眺太空深处 寻觅光年之外的答案
Here, we look into deep space for answers light years away...
同时绝美的宇宙景观 就在脚边展现
while an exquisite vision of the universe comes to our feet.
但这片美景同样不长久
But it, too, doesn't last long.
很快只会剩下结晶盐块
And soon, all that remains is a salt crust...
形成极度恶劣的生存环境
a world utterly hostile to life.
但对于某些生物 倒是安身之地
And yet, for some, it's home.
这是平咽蜥
A salt flat lizard.
一只年轻公蜥正在寻找领地
A young male on the lookout for a territory.
刻不容缓
There's no time to waste.
这里可是绿洲
An oasis?
非也
No.
这片水域盐分过剩
This water is full of salt.
牠无法饮用 但这些水蝇可以
He can't drink it, but these brine flies can
还能在体内将其转化成淡水
converting it into freshwater inside their bodies.
简直是绝佳套餐 有饮料喝
It's a perfect combo meal, a drink...
还有水蝇当配菜
with a side of flies.
但这只新手还得勤加练习
But for a rookie, this is going to take some practice.
两百只水蝇不过只含有一丁点水
Two hundred flies contain just a thimble of water.
牠可有得忙了
He's sure got his work cut out.
快成功了
Almost there.
完美
Nailed it!
生活美妙莫过于此
Could life get any better?
或许还能更好
Maybe it can...
是只母平咽蜥
It's a female salt flat lizard
使得空气中弥漫着强烈妩媚气息
wafting a powerful, seductive scent into the air.
年轻猎蝇手怎能抗拒
What young flycatcher could resist?
但情况不如表面看来美好
But all is not as it seems.
又来了一只公蜥
Another male.
母蜥只会和最强壮的公蜥交♥配♥
She will only mate with the strongest males
必须足以称霸这片珍贵水域
dominant enough to hold the precious waterfront territories.
牠想看看年轻猎蝇手有何能耐
And she wants to see what the young flycatcher is made of.
母蜥将牠推入火坑
She's set him up.
这是场试炼对决
It's trial by combat.
牠屈居下风
Overpowered
且浑然不知自己深陷更大的危机
and now in deeper trouble than he knows.
这片水域四面八方
Every inch of the water's edge
都有成对的平咽蜥掌控着
is controlled by paired-up power couples...
牠们可不愿分享
who won't share.
眼下撤退才是上策
Retreat is his only option.
牠还未准备好挑战大型公蜥
He's not ready to take on the big males right now.
但牠活了下来 也学到了宝贵的教训
But he is alive and has learned valuable lessons.
应该吧
Well, maybe.
前往这趟美洲之旅的最高点
Reaching the highest point in our whole Americas journey
来到一万九千呎高处
we ascend to over 19,000 feet
盐盘摇身变成了咸水湖
where the salt flats become salt lakes
每座湖泊独一无二的有毒湖水中
each one a unique, toxic cocktail
混杂金属 矿物质 以及各种微生物
of metals, minerals, and microorganisms.
其中最非凡的便是科罗拉达湖
The most extraordinary of all is Laguna Colorada
每天早晨冰霜都得在这片险恶之地
a hellscape where morning ice has a daily battle
和世上最强的紫外线辐射抗衡
with the strongest UV radiation on Earth
辐射量比死谷高出两倍以上
more than double that of Death Valley.
但年复一年
And yet, every year
整座山脉最惊奇的盛宴皆会在此上演
it's home to the most spectacular event in the Andes.
安第斯山脉高处的剧毒红色湖水
The Toxic Red Lake of the High Andes.
必须格外坚忍♥不拔才能在此生存
It takes a special kind of toughness to survive here.
但这座湖泊每年一度
But once a year, this lake becomes the setting
举♥行♥全安第斯山脉最盛大的宴会
for the greatest party in the Andes.
但会场并非来者不拒
Although not everyone is invited.
目前这片极端之境 仅招待着秘鲁火烈鸟
Right now, this world of extremes plays host to James's flamingos.
牠们从山脉各处来此聚集 多达数千只
They gather here from across the Andes in the thousands
以求寻得伴侣
hoping to find a mate.
公母火烈鸟外表看似无异
Males and females might appear almost identical
但牠们自己知晓个中差别
but they know the difference.
牠们都想展现最佳状态 外表越粉越好
They all want to look their best, and the pinker the better.
至于牠们有何成功秘诀
The secrets to their success?
外皮坚硬的长腿 用来涉入腐蚀性极强的湖水
Tough skinned long legs letting them wade through the caustic lake.
还有独特嘴喙能过滤毒水中的微生物
And a unique bill that filters out microscopic life from the toxic water.
这种食物会让羽毛更加粉红
Eating this food turns their feathers pinker
使外表更加艳丽
making them more desirable.
但情况将变得复杂
But life is about to get more complicated
这片湖变成了火烈鸟集散地
as the Laguna becomes flamingo central.
智利火烈鸟和安第斯火烈鸟 也来共襄盛举
Chilean and Andean flamingos are flying in too.
两者体型都更大 只是优雅程度逊色不少
Both much bigger but a lot less graceful.
火烈鸟总数已来到四万只
Crowds begin to build to 40,000 strong.
在各方心照不宣之下 舞蹈对决就此展开
And then, on an unseen cue, a dance-off begins.
体型小的秘鲁火烈鸟 参赛资格岌岌可危
The smaller James's are in danger of being pushed out
比赛甚至尚未开始
before it even begins.
身长超过4呎
Over four feet tall
智利火烈鸟能在深水处卖♥♥弄舞技
the Chileans can strut in the deep water...
同时 难以捉摸的安第斯火烈鸟
while the enigmatic Andeans
跳伦巴舞还自带烟雾效果
rumba by the smoke machine.
但秘鲁火烈鸟也总算找回节奏
But at last, the James's get their groove on too.
在世界之巅大跳探戈
A tango at the top of the world.
这场求偶舞会将持续数周
These courtship dances last for weeks.
陆续促成爱侣
One by one, lovers unite
直到每只火烈鸟都有了伴
as eventually they find a mate.
但在那之前 舞蹈永不止息
But until then, the dance continues.
绝世好秀就在全美洲最伟大山脉上演
The greatest show in the greatest mountain range in the Americas.
待续
谢谢观赏