求偶游戏（2021）

地球上几乎所有的动物都面临着一个挑战-
One challenge faces almost all animals on Earth -
寻找伴侣的需要
the need to find a partner.
这是一部在地球每个角落上演的戏剧
It's a drama that is played out in every corner of the planet.
对一些人来说 这是在一个巨大的规模上进行的
For some, it's conducted on an immense scale.
其他人需要表演
Others need to put on a show.
对许多人来说 这包括
And for many, it involves
激烈甚至致命的战斗
intense, even lethal, battles.
本系列将揭示非凡的策略
This series will reveal the extraordinary strategies
动物用来在交♥配♥游戏中取得成功的方法
that animals employ to succeed in the mating game.
胜利者将在最激烈的竞争中占有一席之地-
Those that win will have a stake in the greatest competition of all -
创造新一代
the creation of a new generation.
纳♥米♥比♥亚♥ 在非洲西南部
Namibia, in the South West Africa.
一种古老的景观 它塑造了当地居民的交♥配♥游戏
An ancient landscape that has shaped the mating game of its residents.
鸵鸟
Ostriches.
它们交♥配♥游戏的规则
The rules of their mating game
都经过了提炼和阐述
have been refined and elaborated
超过6000万年
over some 60 million years
现在已经非常成熟了
and are now very well established.
在繁殖季节 每只鸟群都由一只雄性主导
During their breeding season, each flock is dominated by a single male.
他的领地 以及随之而来的雌性 都是一项硬资产
His territory, and the females that come with it, is a hard one asset.
所以他的领导能力只会受到挑战
So his leadership is only challenged
是勇敢的还是鲁莽的
by the brave or the foolhardy.
这只年轻的雄鸟在群中的啄食顺序较低
This young male is low in the flock's pecking order.
他花了五年时间为这一刻做准备
He's spent five years preparing for this moment,
现在他需要繁殖
and now he needs to breed.
常驻的雌性似乎很感兴趣
The resident females seem interested.
他开始炫耀
He starts to show off.
他们的关注鼓励了他
And their attention encourages him.
但现任领导人不容忍♥竞争
But the current leader does not tolerate competition.
鸵鸟的一脚足以杀死狮子
The kick of an ostrich is powerful enough to kill a lion.
而这只年轻的雄性正冒着繁殖季节结束的风险
And the young male is risking an end to his breeding season
还没开始呢
before it's even started.
片刻之间
In a matter of moments,
那个年轻的挑战者被赶出了他的羊群
the young challenger has been cast out of his flock.
这是他竞选活动的一个灾难性的开始
It's a disastrous start to his campaign.
但它也带来了宝贵的教训
But it comes with a valuable lesson.
在这里 在公开场合 交♥配♥游戏是公开的 所有人都可以看到
Out here, in the open, the mating game is exposed for all to see.
年轻雄性现在面临着一个重大挑战
The young male now faces a major challenge.
在这些干燥的平原上鸵鸟并不多
There are not many ostriches on these dry plains
而且很难找到雌性
and females are hard to come by.
他可能需要几个月才能找到一个
It could take him several months to find one.
然而 他确实有办法把它们带给他
He does, however, have a way of bringing them to him.
他在喉咙里给袋子充气
He inflates a sack in his throat
产生的爆破声能传播数英里
and produces a boom that carries for miles.
而且它吸引了无人陪伴的雌性
And it attracts unaccompanied females.
但这是容易的一点
But that is the easy bit.
雌性鸵鸟非常挑剔
Female ostriches are very choosy.
拥有陆地动物中最大的眼睛
With the largest eyes of any land-living animal,
他们评估了他的每一个细节
they assess his every detail.
他小腿的粉红色
The pinkness of his shins.
他黑色羽毛的光泽
The shininess of his black feathers.
两者都表明了他的性品质
Both indicate his sexual quality.
但他还没有通过一个关键的考验
But he has yet to pass a crucial test.
雌鸟带领他追逐 测试他的耐力
The females lead him on a chase, testing his stamina.
它们可以以每小时40英里的速度运行
And they can run at speeds of 40mph.
他所要做的就是跟上
All he has to do is to keep up.
其中一只雌性放慢了速度
One of the females slows.
他又一次试图说服她
And once again, he tries to win her over.
但是 她又一次显得漠不关心
But, again, she seems indifferent.
现在 他只剩下一个把戏了
Now, he has only one trick left.
最后 他似乎得到了一些关注
At last, he seems to be getting some attention.
她轻轻地拍打着翅膀 这表明她被打动了
She flicks her wings - a sign that she is impressed.
所以 没有什么损失
So, with little to lose,
他小心翼翼地表演了最后的把戏
cautiously, he performs his final trick.
这并不完美
It's not perfect...
…但他展示了他的人生
..but he gives the performance of his life.
实现了这一点 他现在将继续下去并交♥配♥
With that achieved, he will now go on and mate
在这个季节结束之前还有几只雌性
with several more females before the season is over.
前提是，他能保持她们的兴趣
Provided, that is, he can maintain their interest.
他现在有一个最后的任务
He now has a final task.
他必须带走这个季节与他交♥配♥的每一只雌性
He must take every female with whom he mates this season
去他选择的巢穴地方
to his chosen nest site.
在那里 在接下来的两个月里孵化它们所有的卵
And there, incubate all their eggs for the next two months.
只有它们孵化出来 他才会知道
Only if they hatch will he know
他的交♥配♥游戏才真的成功了
that he has truly succeeded in his mating game.
草长得很茂盛
Where grass grows abundantly,
对许多人来说 交♥配♥更具竞争力
mating, for many, is rather more competitive.
这匹斑马种马已经花了好几年
This zebra stallion has spent several years
集♥合♥一群雌性——他的后宫
assembling a group of females - his harem.
他会尽一切努力留住他们
And he'll do anything he can to retain them all.
他的一些母马已经怀孕了
Some of his mares are already pregnant,
他带领他们不断寻找食物
and he leads them on the never-ending search for food.
每年三月 他们都会来到这里 来到塞伦盖蒂
Every March, they come here, to the Serengeti.
地球上现存的最广阔的天然草原之一
One of the most extensive natural grasslands left on Earth.
如此丰富的草场吸引了30000多只马群
Such rich grazing attracts herds 30,000 strong.
他的家人有充分的理由参加这个大型集♥会♥
His family has good reason to join this huge assembly.
数量是安全的
There is safety in numbers,
这里的捕食者正在等待它们
and predators here are awaiting them.
鬣狗
Hyenas.
小后宫是最危险的
Small harems are the most at risk.
马群将提供种马所需的安全
The herds will provide the safety that the stallion needs.
而现在 他的家庭尤其脆弱
And right now, his family is particularly vulnerable.
在这里 他的新生小马驹可以在生活中有一个良好的开端
Here, his newborn foals can get a good start in life.
出生后不久 他们的母亲就做好了再次交♥配♥的准备
Soon after birth, their mothers become ready to mate again.
但是 在一个大群体中会给种马带来一个问题
But being in a big herd causes a problem for the stallion.
单身雄性很容易察觉
Bachelor males are quick to detect
新接受的母马的气味
the scent of a newly-receptive mare.
他们会试图把一只和它的后宫分开
And they will try to separate one from the rest of its harem,
不管她愿不愿意
whether she is willing or not.
如果一匹种马没有赶走单身汉
If a stallion doesn't drive off the bachelors,
他的小组将在几分钟内解散
his group will be broken up in a matter of minutes.
但如果他想让家人团聚 他就必须战斗
But if he's going to keep his family together, he will have to fight.
一个好的位置咬到底，足以击退较弱的对手
A well-placed bite to the bottom is enough to see off weaker rivals.
但面对来自各方的挑战
But with challenges coming from all sides,
他有失去控制的危险
he's in danger of losing control.
他被逼到了极限 现在必须使用更大的暴♥力♥
Pushed to his very limits, he must now use greater violence.
胜利
Victory.
他的家人现在还在一起
His family is still together, for now.
但他的繁殖权并没有得到保证
But his right to breed isn't guaranteed.
他的雌性在这件事上仍有决定权
His females will still have the deciding say on that matter.
雄性之间争夺配偶的竞争
Competition between males for a mate
这在自然界中很普遍
is common throughout the natural world.
但雌性也可能在交♥配♥游戏中扮演决定性的角色
But females may also play a deciding part in the mating game.
其中一个在这方面非常有效
One such is so efficient at doing that
她的物种已经成为最成功的物种之一
that her species has become one of the most successful
在这个星球上
of any on the planet.
在这里 在非洲的草原上
Here, on the grasslands of Africa,
他们的粘土城♥堡♥是人们熟悉的景象
their castles of clay are a familiar sight.
每个人都由一位非凡的、全能的女王统治
Each one is ruled by an extraordinary, all-powerful queen.
她的领地可以延伸到地下数英里
Her domain can stretch for many miles underground
由她臣民的军队维持
and is maintained by armies of her subjects,
他们中的大多数人都默默地服从她的指示
most of whom implicitly obey her instructions
但从没见过她
but never even meet her.
这个社区的一切都在她的控制之下
Everything in this community is under her control.
她能活50年 比世界上任何其他昆虫都长
She can live for 50 years, longer than any other insect in the world.
见见白蚁女王
Meet the termite queen.
她忠诚的伙伴 国王
Her devoted partner, the king,
她一生都在她身边
has been at her side throughout her life.
他经常和她交♥配♥ 但他的角色仅限于此
He mates with her frequently, but his role is limited to that.
统治殖民地的是他的巨大女王
It is his gigantic queen who dominates the colony.