野性南美洲（2000）

Its red face reminds them of a gin-swilling white man
曝晒过度的白人
who's been out too long in the sun.
其实红脸是性的讯号♥
In fact the red face is a sexual signal
是力量跟健康的象征
a sign of potency and good health.
秃猴是少数
Uakaris are one of the few monkeys
整年住在河岸森林的一种猴子
that live in this riverine forest all year round
它们吃树叶以及还没成熟的果实
surviving on leaves and unripe fruit.
强壮的双颚
With their strong jaws
可以咬开其他动物没办法吃的坚硬食物
they can tackle food that would be too tough for other animals.
季节性的泛滥淹没了森林里的一切
The seasonal flooding of the forest leaves nothing untouched.
住在这里生物只能适应...或是搬走
Everything that lives here has to adapt... or move on.
惊人的是，人类全年居住在此
Remarkably people stay here right through the year.
人类的房♥子建在支撑物或是浮排上
Their houses are built on stilts or rafts
可以随着洪水上升漂浮
to raise them above the flood
鸡笼也是一样
as are their chicken coups.
帮植物浇水很容易
Watering the plants may be easy
但是漂浮的平台是惟一可以种植蔬菜的地方
but a floating platform is now the only place to grow vegetables.
这是艰苦的时刻
This is a challenging time.
多数的人都靠鱼维生
Most people depend on fish
但是干季的鱼群已经散入了森林里
but the shoals of the dry season are scattered through the forest
所以不容易捕捉
and so harder to catch.
所有掠食者的生活都不好过
All sorts of predator are having a hard time.
就连可怕的猎人，如食人鱼，都只能靠捡剩菜过日子
Even fearsome hunters like piranhas are reduced to scavenging for scraps.
亚马逊的鱼类当中
Of all the Amazon's fish
它们是最恶名昭彰的一种
these have the most notorious reputation.
要是1只鸡不小心掉进水里
They could strip a chicken to the bone in seconds
只要几秒钟就被吃得只剩骨头
if it were careless enough to fall in.
住在水上的确有些好处
Living on the water does have some advantages
至少小孩会这么想
at least for children
不过大多数的人都不会希望
though most of us wouldn't
游泳池里有食人鱼
want piranhas in our swimming pool.
事实上
In fact
食人鱼没有传说的那么可怕
their ferocious reputation is undeserved.
只有在干季的时节
Only in the dry season
当它们全被挤在没有出口的池子里
when they're concentrated in landlocked pools
才真的很危险
are they truly dangerous
所以现在可以放心的游泳
So for now it's safe to swim.
人类可以在水上生活
People can live without dry land
住一阵子是不成问题的，但水獭就不行了
at least for a while but otters can't.
它们需要干燥的巢穴睡觉和养育小水獭
They need a dry den to sleep in and rear their young.
它们现在深入泛滥森林
They're now deep in the flooded forest
远离开阔的河流
well away from the open river
猎捕躲在林间的鱼
hunting fish hidden in the trees.
干季的轻松日子虽然过去了
The easy times of the dry season may have gone
不过水獭可是一流的掠食者
but otters are supreme predators.
它们的蹼足跟像桨一样的尾巴
Their webbed feet and paddle-like tails
它们的力量跟灵敏度可以猎捕到最难捉的鱼
their strength and agility make them a match for even the most elusive fish.
鱼群碰上一只水獭都逃不过了
If fish are hard pressed to escape an otter hunting alone
那么水獭成群出击更是不留活口
they're even less able to get away when they hunt as a pack.
它们通常全家出门打猎
Often the whole family fishes together
把猎物逼得挤在一起
driving their prey into a tight shoal
或是靠到岸边去
or trapping them against a bank.
成群捕捉猎物的收获
The rewards of communal fishing
是水獭家庭生活最重要的好处之一
are one of the most important benefits of family life.
接下来的几个月
Over the months to come
洪水会慢慢从森林里排掉
the floodwater will slowly drain from the forest.
河流会再度回到原来的水道
The rivers will once again be confined to their channels
水獭会回到干季的巢穴
and the otters will return to their dry season dens.
大水獭是河流的健康指标
Giant otters are an indicator of a healthy river.
只有鱼儿丰富的地方
Only where they have a plentiful supply of fish
加上平静的生活..它们才能生存
and can live undisturbed do they survive.
世界仅存的一些自然野地受到许多威胁
There are many threats to the world's last wild places
然而亚马逊河的险阻..救了它自己
but the sheer scale of the Amazon could be its salvation.
它强大到无法用筑水坝或改变河道来控制
It's far too mighty to control dam, or divert.
年度大水泛滥让这个地方
The massive yearly flood makes it a hostile home
除了少数人以外都不适合居住
for all but a few people
也就是说，这片水乡泽国，未来将持续保持原有的自然美
and means this watery wilderness may always remain untamed.