捕猎者与猎物之间的较量 The duels between hunters and hunted
是自然界中极具戏剧性的事件 are as dramatic as any event in the natural world.
没有比这更大的利益价值了 The stakes could not be higher.
对双方来说 这关乎生死 For both, it's a matter of life and death.
然而令人惊奇的是 往往是捕猎者会失败 Yet, surprisingly, it's the hunters that usually fail.
为了抓住任何生存的机会 To have any chance of survival,
掠食者们必须完美适应狩猎场 predators must be perfectly tuned to their own hunting arenas.
每一片栖息地 都会带来不同的挑战 Every habitat brings a different challenge.
本系列将会前所未有地 This series will reveal, as never before,
展现掠食者捕获猎物的非凡技巧 the extraordinary range of strategies predators use to catch their prey.
即使对于最高超的捕猎者 But even for the most skilful,
成功也不能完全保证 success is never guaranteed.
一只雌花豹正在潜行 A female leopard on the prowl.
少有掠食者如此骇人 Few predators instil more fear.
然而在开阔地带 Yet, out in the open,
它捕获猎物的机会很小 she has little chance of catching anything.
为了成功 它得靠近猎物几米以内 To succeed, she must get within a few metres of her prey.
而不被察觉 undetected.
它的策略是利用伪装 Her strategy is to use cover,
像是披着一件隐形斗篷 wearing it like a cloak of invisibility.
它是潜行高手 She's an expert in stealth.
黑斑羚是它最喜欢的猎物 Impala are her favourite prey.
这一只正好在捕猎距离以外 This one is just out of her range.
它需要靠近 到4米以内 She needs to get closer, within four metres.
它只能短时间冲刺 She only has a short burst of speed.
在进入突袭区域之前 它必须保持隐秘 She must stay hidden until she's in the strike zone.
看不见并不意味着没有察觉 But out of sight doesn't mean out of mind.
黑斑羚具有极为敏锐的听力和嗅觉 Impala have acute hearing and a superb sense of smell.
它唯一能看到的猎物就在开阔地 Now the only prey she can see is right out in the open.
花豹是所有大型猫科动物中 本领最多样的 But leopards are the most versatile of all the big cats,
非常善于在最不利的环境中寻找掩护 adept at finding cover in the most unpromising places.
它借助水沟的陡峭边缘作掩护 进行伏击 The steep walls of the gully are now her cover for an ambush.
这只雄赤羚足够近 但体型太大难以对付 The male puku is close enough, but he's too big to tackle.
花豹得悄悄溜过去 避免被发现 She needs to slip past him without being seen.
如果羚羊发现了它 掩护就失效了 If he spots her, he'll blow her cover.
慢慢来 Slowly does it.
为了这次成功 To succeed here,
它需要找到在边缘吃草的猎物 she needs to find prey grazing close to the edge.
更好的情况是 Or better still,
就在水沟里 in the gully itself.
失败了 Frustration.
如果一周内没有捕获 它就会饿死 Success would have staved off hunger for a week.
但只要附近有猎物 就有希望 But while there's prey around, there's hope.
露出头来偷窥 是有风险的 Peeking over the top is a risk,
但这是找到新目标的最快方法 but it's the quickest way to find a new target.
以40英里时速冲刺 A burst of speed of 40mph
不到6秒钟结束战斗 and it's all over in less than six seconds.
然而并非如此 Except.it isn't.
尽管瞎跑乱撞 Dazed and disorientated,
黑斑羚竟然奇迹般逃脱 the impala makes a miraculous escape.
这是一次完美的偷袭捕猎 It's been the perfect stealth hunt
但花豹没什么值得炫耀的 and she's nothing to show for it.
另一方面 花豹捕猎七次 有六次会失败 But then, six out of seven leopard hunts end in failure.
其捕猎策略完全依赖于寻找掩护 A leopard's hunting strategy depends on finding cover.
在完全无处藏身的地方 But how do you catch your prey
你将用什么方法捕获猎物呢 in a place where there's literally nowhere to hide?
这就是赞比亚野狗面临的挑战 That's the challenge facing Zambia's wild dogs.
这个组织严密的群体 包括一只成年雌性 This close-knit pack is made up of one adult female
还有去年出生的12只后代 and her 12 offspring from last year.
不同于花豹单独行动 Unlike the solitary leopard,
野狗依赖于群体生存 wild dogs depend for their survival on teamwork.
众野狗一起玩耍 Dogs that play together.
一起合作 work together.
每天早晨 种群出发穿越开阔平原 Each morning, the pack heads out across the open plain,
勘察猎物的迹象 prospecting for prey.
母亲决定行动方向 Mother decides which direction they go.
其余野狗紧紧跟随 The rest stay close.
它们将继续前进数英里 直到发现合适的猎物 They'll keep going for miles until they find the right kind of prey.
成年斑马体型太大 对付不了 Adult zebra are too big a challenge.
南非大羚羊也一样 And the same goes for tsessebe.
非洲侏羚更容易捕获 An oribi is an easier target.
但值得为之辛苦一番吗 But is it worth the effort,
特别是对这只蹦跳有力的羚羊 especially on an oribi that's as fit and bouncy as this one?
还是节省体力 去找更大的猎物 Better to save their energy for something bigger.
一头角马 A wildebeest.
正是它们要找的猎物 It's what they've been looking for.
野狗们需要迫使角马逃跑 The dogs need to make the wildebeest run.
它们的成功依赖于 将角马在长距离追逐中累垮 Their success will depend on wearing him down in a long chase.
在猎物逃跑时 野狗占据优势 While the prey's running, the dogs have the advantage.
但角马坚定不动 形式逆转 But when the wildebeest stand their ground, the tables are turned.
面对利角形成的一堵墙 Faced with a wall of horns,
猎狗群无力对抗 the pack is powerless.
但并非所有角马 都有停下来的勇气 But not all the wildebeest have had the courage to stop.
真正的战斗开始了 Now the real contest begins.
角马高达强壮 The wildebeest are big and strong.
但野狗具有耐力 But the dogs have stamina.
现在 捕猎者与猎物时速均为40英里 Right now, hunters and hunted are clocking 40mph.
野狗群能保持这种速度 继续跑几英里 The pack can keep this pace up for miles.
角马却不行 The wildebeest can't.
一头角马掉队了 One wildebeest peels off.
然后又有两头 Then another two.
经验不足的野狗群分了心 The split confuses the inexperienced pack,
朝不同方向跑去 sending them in different directions.
母野狗和一只年轻野狗继续追逐 The mother and one youngster continue on.
其它野狗停下来 认为找到了更容易的目标 The rest of the pack stop, believing they have an easier target.
这是个大错 It's a mistake.
如同双头野兽 每只雄角马保护另一只的后方 Like a beast with two heads, each bull protects the other's rear.
野狗们无计可施 And the dogs can do nothing.
在前面 追逐仍在继续 Ahead, the chase continues.
又有一只角马掉队 Another wildebeest peels off.
现在 母野狗眼前只有一头角马 Now the mother has just one in her sights.
没有其它野狗的帮助 这毫无价值 But it will mean nothing without the help of the rest of the pack.
这里的情况陷入僵局 The situation here has reached stalemate.
年轻野狗失去了宝贵的时间 The young dogs have lost valuable time.
它们必须努力赶上母亲 They must try and catch up with their mother.
回到最前线 母野狗开始体力不支 Back at the front, the mother is beginning to tire.
角马知道这一点 And the wildebeest knows it,
跳跃着以显示它依然强壮 不值得追赶 bouncing to show he's still strong and not worth chasing.
但年轻猎狗正在赶上 But fresh, young legs are catching up fast.
当一只野狗累了 When one dog tires,
总会有另一个队员 接过领队任务 there's always another member of the team to take up the lead.
现在野狗数量足够多 能将角马扑倒 The dogs now have the numbers to bring the wildebeest down.
每咬一口 颌骨都有撕裂的危险 Each bite risks a broken jaw,
但只有咬腿部 才能使角马停下 but going for the legs is the only way to stop it.
而且必须赶在 角马回到前方几百米远的 And they must do so before it reaches the safety of the herd,
安全的大部队之前 a few hundred metres ahead.
经过20分钟追逐 公角马体力将尽 After a 20-minute chase, the bull's energy is near spent.
这次 它无法回到大群体中避难 This time there will be no sanctuary within the herd.
野狗的耐力得到了回报 The dogs' stamina has been rewarded.
现在 它们必须将猎物拖倒在地 All they must do now is to bring their quarry to the ground.
群体合作 Working as a pack
野狗捕获比自身体型大十倍的猎物 allows wild dogs to take on prey ten times heavier
成为可能 than any one of them.
狗多肉少不够吃 But many mouths need a lot of food.
数量众多的代价就是 The price they pay for these numbers
它们知道 不论明天还是以后哪一天 is knowing they'll have to attempt the same thing again tomorrow.
捕猎还得继续 and every day.
在非洲开阔平原上 团队合作加上耐力 Teamwork and stamina on Africa's open plains
被证明是成功的最佳组合 have proved to be a winning combination.
但在浓密丛林中的复杂世界 But in the dense and complex world of the jungle,
捕猎变成无尽的捉迷藏游戏 hunting is a never-ending game of hide and seek.
在这里 静止不动并融入环境 Here, it pays to sit still.
十分有效 and blend in.
因为你不知道谁在暗中观察 because you just never know who's watching.
国王变色龙 The Parson's chameleon is an expert
是玩藏猫猫的专家 in the see-and-not-be-seen game.
它让双眼做所有工作 It lets its eyes do all the work.
同时身体其它部分缓慢移动 while the rest of its body moves in slow motion,
避免惊吓潜在的目标 so as not to scare possible targets.
问题是 它只能看见移动的猎物 The problem is that it can only see prey if it moves.
比如这只竹节虫 So is this a stick insect.
还是一根树枝 or a stick?
啊哈 Ah-hah.
该拿出秘密武器了 Time to unleash its secret weapon.
比身体还长的舌头 a tongue longer than its body.
国王变色龙的近亲 Nasutum变色龙 The Parson's close cousin, the nasutum chameleon,
拥有同样的武器 但更小型 has the same weapon, but in miniature.
大小如火柴棍 它得更加靠近猎物 As small as a matchstick, he needs to get much closer to its prey.
尽管双眼和自己的胃一样大 But even with eyes as big as its stomach,
这显然不是它期望的美餐 this isn't the meal deal he was hoping for.
在丛林中 作为微型掠食者 In the jungle, it's hard finding the right-sized prey
寻找合适大小的猎物 十分困难 when you're a tiny predator.
大好的机会 Promising opportunities
也可能以失望告终 can quickly turn to disappointment.
在浓密的绿色世界中 发现任何种类的猎物 Spotting any kind of prey in this dense, green world
都不容易 is hard.
如果确实发现了什么 你肯定不想让它逃掉 If you do find something, you want to make sure it doesn't escape.
螳螂的武器 The praying mantis has arms
攻击速度比人类眨眼快十倍 that can strike ten times faster than a blink of the eye.
它是已知唯一具有3D视觉的昆虫 And it's the only insect known to see in 3D.
十分善于判断攻击距离 Perfect for judging strike distances.
和变色龙一样 But like the chameleon,
它的困难是发现静止的猎物 her problem is seeing prey when it freezes.
它需要动作来确定 是不是食物 She needs some movement to be sure it's food.
仅仅是最轻微的生命迹象 Just the tiniest sign of life.
好 这就行了 Yep, that's done it.
快如闪电的攻击 赋予它捕食昆虫的优势 The lightning strike has given her the edge over her insect prey,
但不能为此自鸣得意 but it doesn't pay to be complacent.
在丛林武装竞赛中 In the jungle arms race,
大多数情况下 总有一方拥有更强力的武器 only too often there's someone else with a more powerful weapon.
有一种掠食者可能具有 And there's one predator that has, perhaps,
最独特的方法 来应对丛林的挑战 the most ingenious answer of all to the jungle's challenge.
它生活在马达加斯加河岸边的雨林中 It lives along rivers in the rainforests of Madagascar.
它捕食的昆虫 同样沿丛林通道飞行 The insects it hunts fly down the same jungle corridors.
但有个问题 But there's a problem.
这是结网蜘蛛 It's a web-building spider.
那么 它怎么才能过河捕猎呢 So how does it get over the river to hunt?
这是达尔文树皮蜘蛛 It's called Darwin's bark spider
雌蜘蛛拥有非凡的策略 and the female has a remarkable strategy.
如同真正的蜘蛛女侠 Like a real-life Spider-Woman,
它喷出一根长长的细丝 she sprays strands of silk in one long, continuous flow.
就像船帆一样 The threads fan out like a sail
借助吹过水面的气流而飘动 and drift on air currents blowing across the water.
每过几秒钟 它就会把蛛丝捆起来 Every few seconds, she crimps the strands together
防止散得太开 to stop them spreading too widely.
接下来 就交给微风了 The breeze will do the rest,
将蛛丝吹成一根线 形成25米长的桥 blowing the threads into a single line and a 25-metre bridge.
它现在必须加固桥梁 它要在上面结网 Now she must reinforce her bridge, because her web will hang from it.
但是 线的另一头却有东西在振动 But there's something bouncing the line at the other end.
另一只达尔文树皮蜘蛛 想要抢夺劳动成果 Another Darwin's spider is trying to take advantage of her hard work.
它必须应对眼前的入侵者 She must deal with the intruder head on.
将线切断虽然会带来不便 The cut line is an inconvenience,
但只能这样 but no more than that.
借助每条腿末端的细钩 它将蛛丝收集起来 With hooks on the tips of each leg, she gathers in the thread.
它接着会吃掉蛛丝 因此不会浪费 It won't go to waste, as she'll eat it later.
所有蛛丝都卷起来后 它再次吐丝 When it's all reeled in, she sprays again.
流出25米长的过桥线 Out streams another 25-metre bridging line.
不过拇指甲盖大小的蜘蛛 How a spider, no bigger than a thumbnail,
竟能快速产生这么多蛛丝 can produce so much silk so quickly
科学家们困惑不已 has baffled scientists.
而且这不是普通的丝 And it's no ordinary silk.
这是地球上最强韧的天然纤维 It's the toughest natural fibre on the planet,
比钢丝更结实 tougher than steel.
它必须足够结实 才能跨越宽阔的河流 And it needs to be tough to span the wide river.
桥梁张紧了 With the bridge taut
固定锚也已经就位 and the ground anchor in place,
是时候建造陷阱了 it's time to construct her trap.
这些蜘蛛能够建造世界上最大的圆形网 These spiders can build the world's largest orb webs,
宽度达2米 up to two metres wide.
从喷射第一根架桥丝线几小时后 A few hours from the first spray of bridging line,
完工了 the job is done.
现在 它的策略简单明了 Now her strategy is simple.
静坐等待 sit and wait.
它吐出蛛丝 发动最后一击 And there's one final bout of silk production.
把猎物缠起来 以后再享用 shrink-wrapping her food for later.
并非所有河流都能给掠食者 Not all rivers provide their predators
提供稳定的食物供应 with a steady supply of prey.
在坦桑尼亚的格鲁美地河 On the Grumeti River in Tanzania,
生存着地球上最耐心的掠食者 lives the planet's most patient predator.
尼罗鳄 A Nile crocodile.
体长5米 Five metres long,
重700公斤 700 kilos
而且饥肠辘辘 and very hungry.
它上一顿大餐接近一年前 His last square meal was nearly a year ago.
河里的其它居民并不是食物 The river's other residents aren't food.
只会让它分心 just a distraction.
它正在等待更大的猎物 He is waiting for something bigger
就在视野之外 from over the horizon.
但在这条大鳄鱼独居的河流之外 But beyond the big croc's isolated river,
仍然没有它赖以为生的 there's still no sign of the migratory herds
迁徙兽群的迹象 he depends on for survival.
其它体型较小的鳄鱼也在等着 Other, smaller crocs are waiting, too.
但它们的餐券 却依赖大家伙的捕猎机巧 but their meal ticket depends on the hunting skills of the big guy.
迁徙兽群可能一星期才来 或者一个月 The herds could be here in a week, or a month.
在罕见的年份 根本就没有兽群 In rare years, not at all.
在那之前 鳄鱼必须节约能量 Until then, the crocs must conserve their energy.
最终 它们期盼已久的声音出现了 Finally, the sound they've all been waiting for.
迁徙兽群来了 The herds have arrived.
现在 鳄鱼们各就各位 It's time for the crocs to get into position.
它们都注视着这条大鳄鱼 All eyes will be on the big guy.
只有它具有足够的力量 拖倒一头成年角马 Only he has the power to tackle a full-grown wildebeest.
一年的等待快要结束了 The year-long wait is almost over.
迁徙了数月时间 角马口渴难耐 After months on the march, the wildebeest are desperate to drink.
但经验告诉成年角马 必须小心谨慎 But experience has taught the adults to be cautious.
小角马无法抗拒水的诱惑力 The water is just too inviting for a calf,
并不知道危险存在 unaware of the dangers within.
但每一头角马必须抓住机会 But every wildebeest must take its chances.
希望自己的反应速度 and hope that its reflexes are faster
比隐藏在浑水中的鳄鱼更快 than what many know lurks in the murky waters.
一头无害的河马 Just a harmless hippo.
那不是河马 That was no hippo.
这让角马的处境更加危险 It's put the wildebeest more on edge.
但在这里 干渴却战胜了恐惧 But here, fear always gives way to thirst.
捕获角马只是时间问题 Catching the wildebeest is all about timing.
大鳄鱼的技巧退步了 The big croc's technique is rusty.
距离上次捕猎 已经过了一整年 It's been a whole year since his last hunt
而且它缺少练习 and he's out of practice.
但这并不是故事的结尾 只是中场休息 But this isn't the end of the drama, just an intermission.
接下来两个星期 For the next two weeks,
一波波角马会穿过格鲁美地河 waves of wildebeest will pass through the Grumeti.
大鳄鱼该使用不同的战术了 Time for the big croc to try a different tactic.
漂浮圆木 The floating log.
它希望在发动袭击前 角马不会注意到它 He's hoping the wildebeest won't notice him until it's too late.
小鳄鱼一拥而上 Now the smaller crocs move in.
大鳄鱼需要它们的帮助 来撕扯猎物 The big croc will need their help to tear off chunks.
鳄鱼无法咀嚼 它们会一起旋转身体 Crocs can't chew, so they have to spin together
将猎物遗体撕碎 to tear pieces off the carcass.
每只鳄鱼都分到了肉 Everyone gets their share.
都归功于那条大鳄鱼 and it's all thanks to the big guy.
直到角马明年回来 它才能再次进食 He won't feed again until the wildebeest return next year.
全球范围内 数以百万的动物持续迁徙 Across the globe, millions of animals are continuously on the move
寻找季节性食物 in search of seasonal food.
不仅被捕猎的动物会迁徙 But it's not just prey animals that must migrate.
一些掠食者也会旅行 Some predators have to journey, too.
东方红脚隼 是世界上最伟大的长途旅行者之一 Amur falcons are one of the world's greatest long-distance travellers.
在西伯利亚的繁殖地 猎物捕捉殆尽 As their prey dries up in their breeding grounds in Siberia,
它们就踏上了到南非的史诗迁徙 they embark on an epic migration to Southern Africa,
途经十四个国家 两块大陆和一片大洋 crossing 14 countries, two continents and one ocean.
只有这里 印度东北部的偏远山谷 Only here, in this remote valley in northeast India,
它们加入迁徙大军 do they join forces.
一百万只隼 A million falcons
这是地球上 捕食鸟类最大的群体集合 and the greatest gathering of birds of prey on the planet.
这座山谷是迁徙途中 重要的休息站 This valley is a vital pit stop on the falcons' migration.
直到获得足够的脂肪贮备 The tiny raptors can go no further
这些小型猛禽才能继续迁徙 until they build up their fat reserves.
它们到达的时机 恰到好处 and they've timed their arrival here perfectly.
每年有几周时间 带翅白蚁 For just a few weeks each year, winged termites, alates,
数以百万地离开安全的土堆 leave the safety of their mounds in millions.
东方红脚隼正需要富含高热量的白蚁 High in calories, these alates are exactly what the falcons need
为跨洋飞行提供能量 to fuel their oceanic crossing,
这是捕食鸟中最长的迁徙 the longest made by any bird of prey.
为了在迁徙中尽可能生存下来 To have any chance of surviving their journey,
它们必须在两周内将体重加倍 they must nearly double their weight in just two weeks.
它们到达南非之后 Those that make it to South Africa
4个月以后 还要沿着原迁徙路线返回 will have to do the whole trip back again in four months' time.
对东方红脚隼来说 For Amur falcons,
生存意味着 生命中每一年都要飞行14000英里 survival means flying 14,000 miles every year of their lives.
对于某些掠食者 最大的挑战 For some predators, it's not the distance they have to travel
不是旅行的距离 that's their greatest challenge,
而是猎物的体型 but the size of their prey.
没有比海洋中这只动物更大的挑战了 And few challenges come bigger than the one in this ocean.
每年 雌性座头鲸 Each year, female humpback whales
都要从南极洲的觅食地 前往澳洲 journey from their feeding grounds in Antarctica to Australia
生产幼鲸 to have their calves.
这片安静温暖的水域 是绝佳的育儿所 These calm, warm waters are a perfect nursery.
是很不错 很有一个问题 Perfect, but for one thing.
虎鲸 又称杀人鲸 Orcas, killer whales.
它们在座头鲸开始迁徙时出现 They appear just as the migration begins.
它们的目标是幼鲸 And they're on the hunt for calves.
具有极高的智力 虎鲸是海洋中最成功的掠食者 Highly intelligent, orca are the ocean's most successful predator.
它们捕猎时的速度 高达每小时30英里 When hunting, they can travel at 30mph.
是母座头鲸和幼鲸的两倍 twice as fast as a mother and calf.
捕猎者悄无声息地靠近 The hunters close in silently.
直到这时 母座头鲸才发现它们被盯上了 It's only now that the mother realises they've been followed.
虎鲸拥有数量优势 The orca have the advantage of numbers,
但它们仍需谨慎 but they need to be cautious.
母座头鲸的武器 是宽达5米的尾鳍 The mother's rear is protected by a five-metre-wide tail
能将虎鲸割穿 that could slice through them.
它两侧的武装 是覆盖着藤壶的双鳍 Her flanks are defended by a pair of long, barnacle-covered flippers.
幼鲸在中间 And in the middle is the calf,
高高地骑在母亲背上 虎鲸够不到 riding high on its mother's back and out of reach.
为了将母鲸和幼鲸分开 To separate mother from calf,
虎鲸必须用尽计谋 the orca must use all their intelligence.
它们轮流进攻 They take it in turns
尝试用波浪 把幼鲸从母亲背上冲下来 to try and wave wash the baby away from its mother.
再过一个月 幼鲸会变得足够强壮以反抗攻击 In a month, the calf would be strong enough to withstand the onslaught.
现在却不行 Not now.
接着形式逆转 But then the tables are turned.
一只雄座头鲸来了 用双鳍将虎鲸赶走 A male humpback arrives, driving the orca away with its flippers.
另一只雄座头鲸出现 形势对虎鲸更加不利 And the situation worsens when a second male appears.
虎鲸群面对着3头重达40吨座头鲸 Now the pod face the power of three 40-tonne whales,
护送队的巨大体型 开始起作用 and the escorts make their weight count.
这些气泡如同烟幕弹 The bubbles are like a smokescreen,
封闭了虎鲸的视觉和声呐 blocking the orcas' vision and sonar.
被看不见的尾鳍和侧鳍打一下 There's a real danger of being injured
是很危险的 by an unseen fluke or flipper.
有护送队在母座头鲸两侧保护 With the escorts defending both sides of the mother,
虎鲸无计可施 the killer whales have been outmanoeuvred.
虎鲸开始撤退 护送队乘胜追击 As the orca retreat, the escorts drive home their advantage,
将捕猎者赶得更远 pushing the hunters further away.
这是个错误的决定 It's an error of judgment.
母鲸和幼鲸毫无防护 With mother and calf unprotected,
座头鲸来不及逃跑 虎鲸又杀了回来 the orca double back before the humpbacks can react.
虎鲸将幼鲸与母亲分开 The killer whales separate the calf from its mother.
它们将幼鲸按在水里 They push the calf underwater
使它窒息而亡 and drown it.
机智的捕猎者转败为胜 The intelligent hunters have turned defeat into victory.
虎鲸的猎物很大 鲨鱼也过来分一杯羹 The orcas' prize is so large that sharks are quick to take advantage.
依靠智谋 耐力和团队合作 Through intelligence, stamina and teamwork,
虎鲸战胜了海洋中最大的挑战 the orca have mastered the ocean's greatest challenge.
然而就算是它们 也是胜败各半 Yet even they fail as often as they succeed.
大多数掠食者 失败是家常便饭 Most predators fail most of the time.
这让它们成为地球上 It's what makes them the hardest-working animals
最辛劳的动物 on the planet.
有家庭要养活时 压力就更大了 The pressure is even greater when they have other mouths to feed.
已经8个月大了 At eight months old,
这些幼崽还要完全依靠母亲 these cubs are still totally dependent on their mother.
几乎每一天 它都得捕获一只大猎物来养家 To support them she must kill something large, like a gazelle,
比如一头瞪羚 nearly every day.
这些幼崽说明 But these youngsters are proof
它已经克服了栖息地中的挑战 that she has overcome the challenge of their habitat.
很少有母猎豹 会离4只幼崽这么远 Few cheetah mothers get this far with four cubs.
幼崽们想要独立生存 If the cubs are to survive without her,
就必须仔细观察母亲 they must watch their mother carefully
学习在开阔平原的捕猎技术 and learn the strategies for hunting on the open plains.
还有很多要学习的 There's a lot to take in.
它们得学会 They'll need to learn
它们的最高速度只能持续几秒钟 that their top speed can only be sustained for a few seconds.
它们要掌握应对猎物突然转弯的技巧 They'll have to master how to match the twisting turns of the prey,
才能追上并扑倒猎物 so they get close enough to trip it.
它们很快就会懂得 犯错的余地很小 And they will soon learn the margin for error is tiny.
它们的生存 困难重重 The odds are against them.
90%的猎豹幼崽 90% of cheetah cubs
无法活到一周岁大 never make it to their second birthday.
即使有经验丰富的母亲 Even with this experienced mother,
这一家猎豹的将来 还远远未知 the future for this family is far from certain.
所有掠食者能做的就是坚持不懈 All any predator can do is to keep on trying.