1  
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旁白：非洲...  
Narrator: Africa...  

2  
00:00:08,217 --> 00:00:11,927  
这片土地孕育着令人惊叹的野生动物多样性。  
Home to an astonishing diversity of wildlife.  

3  
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这是一片拥有无数地貌景观的大陆，  
It is a continent with a plethora of landscapes  

4  
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与万千生灵。  
And creatures.  

5  
00:00:24,150 --> 00:00:29,144  
其中包括一种微小而迷人的生物，  
Including a small, fascinating character  

6  
00:00:29,155 --> 00:00:31,071  
它与某些陆地上最庞大的动物  
That has formed relationships  

7  
00:00:31,198 --> 00:00:34,199  
建立了奇妙的共生关系。  
With some of the world's largest land animals.  

8  
00:00:40,157 --> 00:00:42,916  
在古埃及，它甚至被视为  
In ancient Egypt it was even considered  

9  
00:00:42,993 --> 00:00:47,087  
推动太阳横越天空的神明。  
To be a god that rolled the sun across the sky.  

10  
00:00:54,588 --> 00:00:57,172  
勤劳的蜣螂生活在一个充满挑战的世界，  
The industrious dung beetle lives in a world  

11  
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危机四伏。  
Fraught with challenges.  

12  
00:01:03,347 --> 00:01:08,067  
为觅食与繁衍，它们能搬动如山般的粪球。  
Moving virtual mountains in its quest to feed and breed.  

13  
00:01:14,358 --> 00:01:16,867  
作为土地更新的关键，  
Vital to the renewal of the land,  

14  
00:01:16,944 --> 00:01:19,828  
它们是自然界终极的回收者。  
It is nature's ultimate recycler.  

15  
00:02:04,658 --> 00:02:07,417  
非洲蜣螂的故事  
The African dung beetle story  

16  
00:02:07,494 --> 00:02:11,246  
始于广袤的热带草原。  
Starts on the great savanna plains.  

17  
00:02:14,260 --> 00:02:16,343  
得益于丰茂的草木，  
Animals thrive here thanks to an abundance  

18  
00:02:16,420 --> 00:02:21,890  
动物们在此繁衍生息，这些植物是许多食草动物的美食。  
Of grasses and trees, food for many hungry herbivores.  

19  
00:02:40,202 --> 00:02:43,954  
而这些食草动物又养育了顶级掠食者。  
These in turn feed the apex predators.  

20  
00:02:51,463 --> 00:02:56,708  
这是非洲草原上古老的生命循环，  
This is the age-old cycle of life on Africa's grasslands,  

21  
00:02:56,719 --> 00:03:01,630  
但故事远不止表面所见。  
But there is more to this story than meets the eye.  

22  
00:03:04,468 --> 00:03:07,644  
这个生态系统还依赖于一群鲜为人知的昆虫  
This ecosystem also depends on the tireless efforts  

23  
00:03:07,721 --> 00:03:12,482  
不倦的劳作：  
Of a tribe of little-known insects:  

24  
00:03:12,559 --> 00:03:14,985  
蜣螂。  
Dung beetles.  

25  
00:03:17,397 --> 00:03:21,066  
这些生物利用动物粪便的潜在能量，  
Creatures that harness the hidden power of animal waste  

26  
00:03:21,076 --> 00:03:23,243  
闭合了世界上最大食物链  
And close the nutrient loop  

27  
00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:27,247  
的营养循环。  
Of one of the world's greatest food chains.  

28  
00:03:27,324 --> 00:03:30,492  
它们不仅以粪便为食，  
They don't only eat dung,  

29  
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整个生命都与之息息相关。  
Their whole lives revolve around it.  

30  
00:03:41,338 --> 00:03:45,224  
蜣螂遍布除南极洲外的所有大陆。  
Dung beetles exist on every continent except Antarctica.  

31  
00:03:46,769 --> 00:03:50,178  
但作为大型哺乳动物最丰富的大陆，  
But as the continent richest in large mammals,  

32  
00:03:50,189 --> 00:03:53,023  
非洲是蜣螂的天堂。  
Africa is dung beetle heaven.  

33  
00:03:57,437 --> 00:04:00,280  
在这里，仅一堆粪便上  
Here, on a single dung heap  

34  
00:04:00,449 --> 00:04:05,452  
就曾记录到近16,000只蜣螂，涵盖多达150个不同物种。  
Almost 16,000 beetles from up to 150 different species  

35  
00:04:05,529 --> 00:04:06,995  
在此聚集。  
Have been recorded.  

36  
00:04:11,285 --> 00:04:15,295  
科学家估计，在非洲草原上，  
Scientists estimate that on the African savanna,  

37  
00:04:15,372 --> 00:04:18,382  
蜣螂每年每2.5英亩土地能清理并消耗约一吨  
Dung beetles clear up and consume about one ton  

38  
00:04:18,458 --> 00:04:22,427  
的粪便。  
Of dung per 2-1/2 acres every year.  

39  
00:04:24,807 --> 00:04:28,308  
这工作并不光鲜，但在自然界中，  
It's not glamorous, but in nature,  

40  
00:04:28,385 --> 00:04:31,270  
一种生物的废物正是另一种生物的宝藏。  
One creature's waste is another's bounty.  

41  
00:04:41,481 --> 00:04:45,734  
这支不知疲倦的大军确保驱动生命的能量  
This tireless army ensures that the energy driving life  

42  
00:04:45,744 --> 00:04:49,288  
最终被循环回生态系统。  
Is ultimately recycled back into the system.  

43  
00:04:59,499 --> 00:05:03,468  
非洲草原是许多标志性动物的家园。  
The African savanna is home to many iconic animals.  

44  
00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:13,061  
这里有着形态各异的植食动物...  
There are plant eaters here of all shapes and sizes...  

45  
00:05:17,359 --> 00:05:23,113  
从16英尺高、采食树冠的长颈鹿，  
From 16-foot-tall giraffes who browse the canopy  

46  
00:05:23,190 --> 00:05:26,325  
到啃食低矮植物的黑斑羚。  
To impala who graze the low level.  

47  
00:05:28,454 --> 00:05:31,621  
但植物中坚韧的纤维质纤维素  
But the tough, fibrous cellulose in plants  

48  
00:05:31,698 --> 00:05:33,415  
使它们难以消化。  
Makes them a challenge to digest.  

49  
00:05:38,464 --> 00:05:42,424  
动物们演化出不同的方法来应对这一难题。  
Animals have evolved different methods to tackle this problem.  

50  
00:05:45,220 --> 00:05:49,464  
犀牛和斑马依靠多种肠道菌群辅助消化，  
Rhino and zebra host an assortment of helpful gut flora,  

51  
00:05:49,475 --> 00:05:54,102  
而反刍动物则通过多阶段消化。  
While ruminants digest in multiple stages.  

52  
00:05:55,898 --> 00:05:58,640  
反刍动物，如捻角羚，  
Ruminant animals, like the kudu,  

53  
00:05:58,650 --> 00:06:01,643  
已进化出从枝叶食物中  
Have evolved to get the maximum amount of goodness  

54  
00:06:01,653 --> 00:06:03,362  
获取最大营养的能力。  
From their leafy food.  

55  
00:06:05,908 --> 00:06:08,492  
它们通过反刍实现这一点。  
They do this by chewing the cud.  

56  
00:06:14,249 --> 00:06:15,907  
与家牛和绵羊类似，  
Like domestic cattle and sheep,  

57  
00:06:15,918 --> 00:06:19,378  
几乎所有反刍动物都有四个胃室。  
Almost all ruminants have four-chambered stomachs.  

58  
00:06:22,591 --> 00:06:25,384  
食物被吞咽后，先在第一个胃室软化...  
After food is swallowed, it is softened in the first chamber...  

59  
00:06:27,587 --> 00:06:30,255  
再反刍重新咀嚼  
Regurgitated and chewed again  

60  
00:06:30,265 --> 00:06:32,391  
以进一步分解坚韧的叶片。  
To further break down the tough leaves.  

61  
00:06:34,594 --> 00:06:38,522  
随后食物进入捻角羚剩余的三个胃室  
It then passes on to the kudu's remaining three stomach chambers  

62  
00:06:38,598 --> 00:06:40,315  
进行消化。  
For digestion.  

63  
00:06:47,950 --> 00:06:50,450  
但即便拥有如此强大的消化系统，  
But despite this processing power,  

64  
00:06:50,527 --> 00:06:54,413  
仍有部分养分未被吸收就排出体外。  
Some nutrients pass through the gut unused.  

65  
00:07:04,550 --> 00:07:07,384  
这正是蜣螂登场之时，  
Which is where the dung beetle comes in,  

66  
00:07:07,461 --> 00:07:09,511  
它们耐心守候着自己的"宝藏"。  
Waiting patiently for his payload.  

67  
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非洲蜣螂尤其依赖  
African dung beetles are reliant, in particular,  

68  
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一种非常特别的动物：大象。  
On one very special animal: Elephants.  

69  
00:07:31,401 --> 00:07:34,494  
大象以母系家族群居，由成年雌象及其幼象组成，  
Elephants live in family groups of related adult females  

70  
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由最年长的雌象领导。  
And their youngsters, led by a matriarch.  

71  
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年轻的雄象成年后将成为  
Juvenile males will mature into bulls  

72  
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重达五吨的公象。  
Weighing as much as five tons.  

73  
00:07:50,587 --> 00:07:53,346  
如此庞大的动物需要大量能量，  
Such huge animals need a lot of energy  

74  
00:07:53,423 --> 00:07:56,591  
每天要花三分之二的时间进食。  
And spend two-thirds of the day feeding.  

75  
00:07:59,438 --> 00:08:01,763  
它们拥有完美的进食工具。  
And they've got all the right implements.  

76  
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灵巧的长鼻能精细地剥开花生壳，  
Dexterous trunks are delicate enough to shell a peanut,  

77  
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也能举起重达770磅的物体。  
But strong enough to lift up to 770 pounds.  

78  
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象牙用于刮下树皮  
Tusks are used to scrape bark from trees  

79  
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或挖掘地下的块茎。  
Or dig bulbs from beneath the ground.  

80  
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大象是所有食草动物中食谱最广的。  
Elephants have the most varied diet of any herbivore.  

81  
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它们巨大的臼齿来回研磨，  
Their massive molars grind back and forth,  

82  
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能粉碎最坚硬的植物材料。  
Breaking down even the toughest plant material.  

83  
00:09:03,502 --> 00:09:07,546  
尽管如此，它们的消化系统却出名的低效。  
But despite this, they have notoriously bad digestion.  

84  
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与捻角羚不同，大象只咀嚼食物一次，  
Unlike the kudu, the elephant chews its food only once  

85  
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而且和人类一样只有一个胃。  
And, like us, has only one stomach.  

86  
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食物需要长达46小时  
It takes up to 46 hours for food to pass  

87  
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才能通过大象的消化系统，  
Through the elephant's system,  

88  
00:09:25,774 --> 00:09:29,359  
且仅有不到一半的食物被充分消化。  
And less than half of what it eats is properly digested.  

89  
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这意味着大量浪费。  
This means a lot of waste.  

90  
00:09:35,534 --> 00:09:37,617  
一头成年公象每年可产生多达50吨  
An adult bull can produce up to 50 tons  

91  
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营养丰富的粪便。  
Of nutrient-rich dung in one year.  

92  
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而整个雌象群则会产生数百吨。  
While a whole herd of females makes hundreds of tons.  

93  
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对蜣螂而言，这是史诗级的盛宴。  
Food on an epic scale for the dung beetle.  

94  
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被新鲜粪便的化学信号吸引，  
Attracted to the fresh pile by chemical signals,  

95  
00:10:09,726 --> 00:10:11,610  
蜣螂蜂拥而至。  
The beetles rush in.  

96  
00:10:17,901 --> 00:10:21,661  
这或许不算美味，但对这些甲虫而言，  
It may not seem like a feast, but for these beetles  

97  
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这是进化造就的独特口味。  
It's a taste acquired through evolution.  

98  
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蜣螂清洁地球的历史源远流长。  
Dung beetles have a long history of cleaning up the planet.  

99  
00:10:48,765 --> 00:10:53,685  
它们属于古老的鞘翅目昆虫，  
They belong to an ancient order of insects, the coleoptera,  

100  
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即甲虫，占动物界  
Or beetles, which make up almost a quarter of all species  

101  
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近四分之一的物种。  
In the animal kingdom.  

102  
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据信甲虫有超过35万种，  
There are thought to be more than 350,000 different species,  

103  
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其多样性令人惊叹。  
And their diversity is staggering.  

104  
00:11:13,790 --> 00:11:17,467  
从因腹部敲击地面发出"笃笃"声而得名的"叩甲"，  
From the "tok-tokkies," named for the drumming sound they make  

105  
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到触角细长的天牛，  
By knocking their undersides on the ground,  

106  
00:11:21,807 --> 00:11:24,132  
再到马达加斯加  
To the long-horned beetles,  

107  
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用奇特关节颈战斗的  
Named for their elongated antennae,  

108  
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长颈象鼻虫，  
And the bizarre giraffe-necked weevil of Madagascar,  

109  
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甲虫形态千奇百怪。  
That uses its strange articulated neck for fighting.  

110  
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甲虫形态各异，  
Beetles come in all shapes and sizes,  

111  
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食性也各不相同。  
And they have varied eating habits.  

112  
00:11:48,166 --> 00:11:52,744  
瓢虫其实是肉食性甲虫。  
The ladybug is actually a predatory beetle.  

113  
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它会捕食最爱的蚜虫，  
It will hunt for its favorite meal, aphids,  

114  
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这些蚜虫常聚集在草叶上。  
Often found congregating on a piece of grass.  

115  
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另一位捕猎高手是绒步甲。  
Another accomplished hunter is the velvet ground beetle.  

116  
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修长的腿适合快速奔跑，强大的颚部  
With long legs for fast running and large, powerful mandibles,  

117  
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使其成为可怕的掠食者。  
It is a formidable predator.  

118  
00:12:19,948 --> 00:12:22,190  
有些甲虫主动捕猎，  
While some take on the challenge of hunting,  

119  
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有些则守株待兔。  
Others wait for food to fall from above.  

120  
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最早的食粪甲虫可能源自数百万年前  
The first dung eaters may have originated millions of years ago  

121  
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以腐烂植物为食的祖先。  
From ancestors who fed on decomposing plants.  

122  
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植物腐烂时会产生营养丰富的汁液。  
As plants rot, they produce a nutrient-rich, juicy substance.  

123  
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为利用这一资源，某些远古甲虫  
To utilize this resource, some ancient beetles  

124  
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进化出过滤式口器，  
Developed filtering mouthparts,  

125  
00:12:58,153 --> 00:13:02,822  
取代了祖先的咀嚼式颚部。  
Replacing the biting and chewing mandibles of their forefathers.  

126  
00:13:07,403 --> 00:13:10,079  
这些口器后来进一步适应  
These mandibles were later adapted  

127  
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用于提取动物粪便中的营养液体。  
To extract the nutrient-rich liquids from animal dung.  

128  
00:13:15,045 --> 00:13:19,255  
化石证据表明，早在侏罗纪时期  
Fossil evidence suggests beetles were tucking into dinosaur dung  

129  
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甲虫就以恐龙粪便为食。  
As early as the Jurassic period.  

130  
00:13:27,924 --> 00:13:29,849  
但哺乳动物的进化  
But it was the evolution of mammals  

131  
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及其产生的废物，为蜣螂的多样化  
And the waste they produced that created the opportunities  

132  
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创造了条件。  
For dung beetles to diversify.  

133  
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如今全球蜣螂种类已超7,000种  
Now there are more than 7,000 species  

134  
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这个惊人数字  
Of dung beetle worldwide--  

135  
00:13:44,366 --> 00:13:47,859  
尤其考虑到目前记录在册的  
A remarkable number, considering there are only  

136  
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哺乳动物仅有约5,000种  
Around 5,000 species of mammals recorded.  

137  
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它们并非只在昼间活动  
And they don't just operate during the day.  

138  
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许多草原食草动物彻夜进食  
Many savanna herbivores continue to feed throughout the night.  

139  
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夜间持续产生的新鲜粪便  
With fresh dung being produced after hours,  

140  
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使得多种蜣螂值起了夜班  
Many species of dung beetle operate the night shift.  

141  
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粪便从不短缺  
Dung is never in short supply,  

142  
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但蜣螂很少能独享  
But the beetles are seldom alone.  

143  
00:15:00,266 --> 00:15:03,776  
竞争异常激烈  
Competition is fierce.  

144  
00:15:06,356 --> 00:15:09,073  
史诗级战斗司空见惯  
Epic battles are common.  

145  
00:15:16,783 --> 00:15:17,957  
对小小蜣螂而言  
To a small beetle,  

146  
00:15:18,084 --> 00:15:21,961  
一堆粪便就是庞大的食物储备  
A pile of dung is a colossal supply of food.  

147  
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前提是它能守住战利品  
But only if it can hang on to it.  

148  
00:15:32,140 --> 00:15:36,935  
这种铜色蜣螂属于"滚球者"  
Species like this copper dung beetle are known as "rollers."  

149  
00:15:38,813 --> 00:15:40,813  
它们擅长将纤维状粪便  
They are experts at smoothing the fibrous dung  

150  
00:15:40,890 --> 00:15:47,979  
塑成完美圆球以便滚运  
Into a perfectly round ball so they can simply roll it away.  

151  
00:15:47,989 --> 00:15:49,030  
但必须动作迅速  
But they need to be quick.  

152  
00:15:53,161 --> 00:15:55,954  
毕竟盗贼环伺  
There are thieves about.  

153  
00:16:05,081 --> 00:16:09,417  
如同自然界多数较量，体型决定胜负  
Like most contests in nature, size matters.  

154  
00:16:09,427 --> 00:16:12,095  
大体型往往占据优势  
Larger animals often come out on top.  

155  
00:16:17,102 --> 00:16:21,729  
但甲虫角力中，庞大并非万能  
But being big isn't everything in beetle wrestling.  

156  
00:16:26,019 --> 00:16:29,195  
另一关键因素：体温  
Another factor can play a role: Temperature.  

157  
00:16:33,276 --> 00:16:35,118  
蜣螂属于变温动物  
Beetles are ectothermic;  

158  
00:16:35,194 --> 00:16:39,947  
体温随环境变化  
Their body temperatures are determined by their environment.  

159  
00:16:39,958 --> 00:16:44,535  
但许多蜣螂能通过飞行升温  
But many beetles can also warm themselves through flight.  

160  
00:16:44,546 --> 00:16:48,047  
体温越高，动作越敏捷  
Warmer equals quicker.  

161  
00:16:48,124 --> 00:16:52,760  
敏捷者更易赢得战斗  
And the quicker beetle is more likely to win the fight.  

162  
00:16:55,548 --> 00:16:59,308  
这两只势均力敌  
These two look evenly matched.  

163  
00:16:59,385 --> 00:17:03,021  
但挑战者始终被压制  
But the challenger is kept at bay.  

164  
00:17:09,896 --> 00:17:12,030  
它屡败屡战  
He keeps coming back.  

165  
00:17:22,083 --> 00:17:25,043  
突然防守方被掀翻  
Suddenly the defender is thrown off.  

166  
00:17:37,265 --> 00:17:40,091  
最终达成妥协  
Finally, a compromise.  

167  
00:17:40,101 --> 00:17:43,352  
粪球恰好裂成两半  
The ball splits conveniently in half,  

168  
00:17:43,429 --> 00:17:45,897  
双方各得其所  
Each contestant getting his share.  

169  
00:17:56,025 --> 00:17:58,534  
粪便之所以珍贵  
Dung is highly prized because, to a beetle,  

170  
00:17:58,611 --> 00:18:01,445  
因其不仅是食物  
It is more than just food.  

171  
00:18:01,456 --> 00:18:07,085  
更是它们构筑生命的基石  
It is the foundation on which they build their entire lives.  

172  
00:18:19,215 --> 00:18:21,298  
如同草原多数生物  
Like many of the savanna's creatures,  

173  
00:18:21,309 --> 00:18:24,143  
蜣螂过着季节性生活  
Dung beetles live seasonal lives,  

174  
00:18:24,220 --> 00:18:29,107  
遵循旱雨季交替的循环  
In sync with the continuous cycle of wet and dry periods.  

175  
00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:39,158  
经历寒冷旱季后，所有动物都饥肠辘辘  
After the cool, dry winter, all the animals are hungry.  

176  
00:18:39,327 --> 00:18:44,997  
无雨导致牧草干枯凋零  
With no rain, the grasses dry out and wither.  

177  
00:18:45,074 --> 00:18:47,658  
低温使蜣螂无法活动  
Unable to function in the low temperatures,  

178  
00:18:47,669 --> 00:18:51,254  
它们在此期间进入蛰伏状态  
The dung beetles spend this time in a state of torpor,  

179  
00:18:51,330 --> 00:18:53,131  
深藏地下  
Sheltering underground.  

180  
00:18:56,085 --> 00:18:58,010  
当夏季来临  
But as summer arrives,  

181  
00:18:58,087 --> 00:19:00,221  
甘霖也随之而至  
So too do the first rains.  

182  
00:19:12,110 --> 00:19:16,195  
催生出鲜嫩枝叶  
Bringing a flush of fresh leaves and grass.  

183  
00:19:19,367 --> 00:19:23,202  
这标志着食草动物的黄金时节开始  
This signals the start of the good times for the herbivores,  

184  
00:19:23,288 --> 00:19:26,205  
它们抓紧机会囤积脂肪  
Which relish the chance to fatten up.  

185  
00:19:32,297 --> 00:19:35,464  
象群享用着青翠牧草  
The elephant herds take advantage of green grasses,  

186  
00:19:35,541 --> 00:19:38,926  
减少摄取粗糙树皮  
Relying less on tough bark and wood.  

187  
00:19:42,390 --> 00:19:46,184  
更富营养的饮食意味着优质粪便  
And a more nutritious diet means top-quality dung.  

188  
00:19:53,735 --> 00:19:55,309  
随着气温回升  
With the rise in temperatures,  

189  
00:19:55,320 --> 00:19:58,229  
蜣螂苏醒加入饕餮盛宴  
The beetles emerge to join the feeding frenzy.  

190  
00:19:58,239 --> 00:20:00,323  
漫长冬眠过后  
After such a long slumber,  

191  
00:20:00,399 --> 00:20:06,204  
蜣螂必须快速觅食才能生存  
The beetles need to find food quickly if they are to survive.  

192  
00:20:21,262 --> 00:20:24,680  
新鲜粪便如同天赐甘露  
And the fresh dung is like manna from heaven.  

193  
00:20:24,757 --> 00:20:28,100  
但这不仅是食物  
But it's more than just dinner.  

194  
00:20:28,177 --> 00:20:31,270  
蜣螂依赖粪便还有更重要原因  
Dung beetles rely on it for another reason.  

195  
00:20:31,347 --> 00:20:34,357  
它们在粪中产卵筑巢  
They lay their eggs in it, creating nests,  

196  
00:20:34,433 --> 00:20:38,110  
称为育幼球  
Known as brood balls.  

197  
00:20:38,187 --> 00:20:42,281  
幼虫可在此享用充足储备  
Here the larvae can feed on a stash of food big enough  

198  
00:20:42,358 --> 00:20:46,244  
直至发育为成虫  
To last them until they emerge as fully grown beetles.  

199  
00:20:49,374 --> 00:20:54,627  
不同蜣螂采用多样繁殖策略  
Different beetles adopt a variety of breeding strategies,  

200  
00:20:54,704 --> 00:20:58,297  
大致分为三类：  
Roughly divided into three groups:  

201  
00:20:58,466 --> 00:21:00,299  
掘洞者...  
Tunnelers...  

202  
00:21:00,376 --> 00:21:03,636  
滚球者...  
Rollers...  

203  
00:21:03,713 --> 00:21:06,264  
以及定居者  
And dwellers.  

204  
00:21:08,217 --> 00:21:11,310  
定居者偏爱安逸生活  
The dwellers like an easy life and lay their eggs  

205  
00:21:11,396 --> 00:21:14,305  
直接将卵产在粪堆中央  
In the center of the dung heap itself.  

206  
00:21:14,315 --> 00:21:17,224  
但粪堆难以长久保存  
But dung heaps don't last long  

207  
00:21:17,235 --> 00:21:19,235  
毕竟掘洞者和滚球者环伺  
With tunnelers and rollers around.  

208  
00:21:21,489 --> 00:21:24,323  
因此定居者是南部非洲  
Meaning that dwellers are the rarest  

209  
00:21:24,409 --> 00:21:26,492  
最罕见的蜣螂  
Of southern African dung beetles.  

210  
00:21:29,831 --> 00:21:32,456  
掘洞者更为勤勉  
The tunnelers work harder.  

211  
00:21:36,421 --> 00:21:40,339  
它们在粪堆旁或下方挖掘巢穴  
They dig nesting burrows right beside or below the heap  

212  
00:21:40,466 --> 00:21:43,175  
储存精选粪便  
That they stock with the choicest dung,  

213  
00:21:43,252 --> 00:21:46,512  
为后代提供优越起点  
Giving their offspring a great start in life.  

214  
00:21:47,849 --> 00:21:49,765  
这是南部非洲蜣螂  
This is the most common strategy  

215  
00:21:49,842 --> 00:21:52,593  
最普遍的策略  
Among southern African dung beetles,  

216  
00:21:52,603 --> 00:21:55,354  
尤其沙质土壤区域  
Especially in areas with sandy soil,  

217  
00:21:55,431 --> 00:21:59,066  
挖掘通道更省力  
Where digging tunnels requires less energy.  

218  
00:22:00,570 --> 00:22:03,446  
但即便疏松沙土也需费力挖掘  
But even loose sand takes some shifting.  

219  
00:22:06,451 --> 00:22:09,860  
因此这类蜣螂进化出宽阔强壮的前肢  
So this beetle has broad, strong forelegs  

220  
00:22:09,871 --> 00:22:12,330  
专为挖掘而生  
Specially designed for the purpose.  

221  
00:22:18,713 --> 00:22:21,797  
滚球者始终选择艰难模式  
As ever, the rollers do it the hard way,  

222  
00:22:21,874 --> 00:22:24,792  
挑战搬运  
Undertaking the formidable challenge of moving  

223  
00:22:24,802 --> 00:22:28,346  
对它们而言如山般的粪球  
What must seem to a beetle like a mountain.  

224  
00:22:29,715 --> 00:22:32,725  
滚球者多于定居者  
There are more rollers than dwellers,  

225  
00:22:32,802 --> 00:22:35,353  
但少于掘洞者  
But fewer than the tunnelers.  

226  
00:22:41,486 --> 00:22:44,395  
这只蜣螂找到了完美材料  
This beetle has found the perfect material  

227  
00:22:44,405 --> 00:22:47,731  
培育幼虫  
To support her developing larvae.  

228  
00:22:47,742 --> 00:22:50,409  
它开始塑成育幼球  
She begins to shape it into a brood ball  

229  
00:22:50,486 --> 00:22:53,371  
准备运往合适地点掩埋  
So she can transport it to a suitable place for burial.  

230  
00:22:57,502 --> 00:23:02,171  
发达的前肢专为此而生  
With well-developed forelegs, perfectly designed for the task,  

231  
00:23:02,248 --> 00:23:05,383  
塑形速度快得惊人  
The shaping is surprisingly fast.  

232  
00:23:11,516 --> 00:23:15,559  
但滚动远比想象困难  
But the rolling is easier said than done.  

233  
00:23:32,870 --> 00:23:34,787  
紧实粪球笨重难移  
The dense ball is cumbersome,  

234  
00:23:34,864 --> 00:23:37,448  
需极大力量才能  
And it takes huge strength to maneuver it  

235  
00:23:37,458 --> 00:23:40,418  
越过沿途障碍  
Over the many obstacles en route.  

236  
00:23:42,630 --> 00:23:47,425  
有些滚球者能推动自身体重70倍的粪球  
Some rollers can push balls more than 70 times their own weight.  

237  
00:23:56,561 --> 00:23:58,561  
此刻方显  
At times like these,  

238  
00:23:58,637 --> 00:24:02,273  
蜣螂坚韧本色  
Dung beetles show they're determined characters.  

239  
00:24:10,566 --> 00:24:12,908  
它的努力不会白费  
Her efforts will not be in vain.  

240  
00:24:12,985 --> 00:24:15,494  
将粪球移出粪堆活动区  
Removing the ball from the activity at the heap  

241  
00:24:15,621 --> 00:24:18,622  
是最佳保护方式  
Is the best way to ensure its safety.  

242  
00:24:30,669 --> 00:24:35,473  
它找到了掩埋珍宝的理想地点  
She has found the ideal location to bury her precious cargo.  

243  
00:24:40,596 --> 00:24:44,356  
入土后它将在营养球内产卵  
Once it is underground, she will lay her eggs  

244  
00:24:44,433 --> 00:24:46,016  
Inside the nutritious ball,  

245  
00:24:46,027 --> 00:24:49,487  
为后代提供完美起点  
Providing a perfect start for her offspring.  

246  
00:24:56,537 --> 00:25:01,290  
蜣螂不仅依靠蛮力  
Dung beetles don't rely on brute force alone.  

247  
00:25:01,367 --> 00:25:03,626  
它们进化出其他精巧技术  
They have evolved other ingenious techniques  

248  
00:25:03,702 --> 00:25:06,962  
处理粪便  
For dung management.  

249  
00:25:07,089 --> 00:25:09,715  
体操动作大有助益  
Gymnastic moves can help.  

250  
00:25:12,553 --> 00:25:16,555  
前肢推进后肢滚球  
Using their front legs to push and their back legs to roll,  

251  
00:25:16,632 --> 00:25:19,683  
移动速度令人惊叹  
They can move at an impressive pace.  

252  
00:25:25,733 --> 00:25:29,818  
此速度可规避劫匪  
This speed is crucial to avoid hijackers,  

253  
00:25:29,895 --> 00:25:32,571  
直线逃离竞争  
And the quickest path away from competition  

254  
00:25:32,782 --> 00:25:34,615  
是最佳路线  
Is in a straight line.  

255  
00:25:36,902 --> 00:25:41,789  
它们有个聪明小技巧保持方向  
They have a clever little trick to help them stay on track.  

256  
00:25:43,709 --> 00:25:46,335  
导航"舞蹈"让蜣螂  
The navigation "dance" gives the beetle  

257  
00:25:46,412 --> 00:25:49,838  
获得制高点及360度  
A raised vantage point and a 360-degree view  

258  
00:25:49,915 --> 00:25:52,299  
全景视野  
Of its surroundings.  

259  
00:26:00,685 --> 00:26:06,021  
借此通过太阳方位定位  
This allows it to orient itself using the position of the sun  

260  
00:26:06,098 --> 00:26:08,691  
始终保持同一方向  
And head consistently in the same direction  

261  
00:26:08,767 --> 00:26:11,569  
远离粪堆  
Away from the dung pile.  

262  
00:26:15,783 --> 00:26:18,576  
但障碍物会扰乱方向感  
But obstacles can be disorienting.  

263  
00:26:22,615 --> 00:26:26,542  
于是它爬上粪球快速跳起导航舞  
So it's up onto the ball for a quick dance to get its bearings.  

264  
00:26:41,809 --> 00:26:44,134  
令人惊叹的是，许多夜行滚球者  
Amazingly, many nocturnal rollers  

265  
00:26:44,145 --> 00:26:47,062  
在黑暗中也会跳同样的舞蹈  
Will perform the same dance in the darkness,  

266  
00:26:47,139 --> 00:26:49,648  
通过银河导航  
Navigating by the milky way  

267  
00:26:49,725 --> 00:26:51,475  
替代太阳方位  
In lieu of the sun.  

268  
00:26:51,485 --> 00:26:53,727  
除人类和候鸟外  
Apart from humans and migratory birds,  

269  
00:26:53,738 --> 00:26:56,655  
它们是已知唯一  
They are the only terrestrial animals known  

270  
00:26:56,732 --> 00:27:00,618  
利用星辰辨路的陆地动物  
To use the stars for finding their way.  

271  
00:27:08,744 --> 00:27:11,578  
炎热时节，非洲草原气温  
On hot days, temperatures on the African savanna  

272  
00:27:11,589 --> 00:27:14,632  
可飙升至38摄氏度以上  
Can soar over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.  

273  
00:27:16,594 --> 00:27:20,387  
多数动物会躲阴凉处避暑  
Many animals seek shade to escape the worst of the heat.  

274  
00:27:23,809 --> 00:27:26,843  
但勤劳的蜣螂从不懈怠  
But not the ever-industrious dung beetle,  

275  
00:27:26,854 --> 00:27:30,397  
在最炎热的正午仍持续工作  
Who keeps working through the hottest part of the day.  

276  
00:27:32,184 --> 00:27:36,487  
滚烫沙粒灼烧着蜣螂的足部  
The sand is baking, burning the beetle's feet.  

277  
00:27:37,698 --> 00:27:40,699  
幸运的是粪球温度  
Luckily the ball is several degrees cooler  

278  
00:27:40,868 --> 00:27:44,745  
比灼热地面低得多，成为临时避暑岛  
Than the scorched ground and provides an island of respite.  

279  
00:27:46,791 --> 00:27:49,875  
蜣螂足部仅需10秒就能降温  
It takes just ten seconds for the beetle's feet to cool  

280  
00:27:49,952 --> 00:27:54,505  
约24摄氏度，得以继续前行  
By around 44 degrees Fahrenheit so it can keep going.  

281  
00:28:15,894 --> 00:28:18,779  
但某些种类单靠此法仍不足够  
But for some species, this technique is not enough.  

282  
00:28:22,651 --> 00:28:24,743  
为对抗过热危险  
They have had to make a drastic sacrifice  

283  
00:28:24,912 --> 00:28:28,455  
它们做出了重大牺牲  
To counteract the dangers of overheating.  

284  
00:28:29,834 --> 00:28:32,751  
这种强壮滚球者是少数  
This powerful roller is one of the few dung beetles  

285  
00:28:32,878 --> 00:28:35,587  
不会飞的蜣螂  
That can't fly.  

286  
00:28:35,664 --> 00:28:38,757  
栖息于南非南海岸的  
It lives in Addo Elephant National Park  

287  
00:28:38,834 --> 00:28:41,635  
阿多大象国家公园  
On South Africa's southern coast.  

288  
00:28:43,839 --> 00:28:45,005  
以公园内  
It feeds on the dung  

289  
00:28:45,015 --> 00:28:48,475  
繁盛象群的粪便为食  
Of the park's booming elephant population.  

290  
00:28:49,770 --> 00:28:53,647  
但筑巢时只认准水牛粪便  
But when it comes to nesting, only buffalo dung will do.  

291  
00:29:01,106 --> 00:29:05,534  
水牛是非洲最大植食动物之一  
The buffalo is one of the largest herbivores in Africa.  

292  
00:29:05,611 --> 00:29:07,619  
以暴躁脾气闻名  
Renowned for its short temper,  

293  
00:29:07,696 --> 00:29:11,707  
其重要生态角色却少有人知  
It is less well known for its significant ecological role.  

294  
00:29:22,887 --> 00:29:25,804  
不同于某些挑剔的食草动物  
Unlike some more selective grazers,  

295  
00:29:25,881 --> 00:29:28,766  
它更看重数量而非质量  
It prefers quantity over quality.  

296  
00:29:34,890 --> 00:29:38,308  
灵巧长舌卷取丛生高草  
A prehensile tongue gathers bunches of long grass,  

297  
00:29:38,319 --> 00:29:41,820  
被整排门齿齐根切断  
Cropped by a wide row of incisors.  

298  
00:29:47,077 --> 00:29:48,660  
此举开辟出新草场  
This opens areas of grassland,  

299  
00:29:48,737 --> 00:29:52,322  
为挑剔的食客提供  
Creating access to younger, sweeter shoots  

300  
00:29:52,333 --> 00:29:54,792  
鲜嫩多汁的新芽  
For more selective feeders.  

301  
00:29:57,329 --> 00:30:00,247  
作为反刍动物的水牛  
The buffalo is a ruminant and only digests  

302  
00:30:00,257 --> 00:30:03,842  
仅消化约三分之二的食物  
Around two-thirds of what it eats.  

303  
00:30:03,928 --> 00:30:07,846  
加之食谱中缺乏木质材料  
This, combined with the lack of woody material in its diet,  

304  
00:30:07,973 --> 00:30:11,850  
使得水牛粪比象粪更细腻易塑  
Means that buffalo dung is smoother and easier to mold  

305  
00:30:12,019 --> 00:30:15,020  
成为阿多无翅蜣螂  
Than elephant, making it excellent nesting material  

306  
00:30:15,097 --> 00:30:17,815  
绝佳的筑巢材料  
For the Addo flightless beetle.  

307  
00:30:19,026 --> 00:30:22,694  
但寻找粪堆对这只滚球者挑战巨大  
But finding dung is a big challenge for this roller,  

308  
00:30:22,771 --> 00:30:27,282  
因它是极少数不会飞的蜣螂  
Because it is one of the only species that cannot fly.  

309  
00:30:27,359 --> 00:30:29,284  
对此等微小生物而言  
And for such a little creature,  

310  
00:30:29,361 --> 00:30:32,579  
徒步跋涉异常艰辛  
Covering ground on foot is arduous.  

311  
00:30:34,041 --> 00:30:38,201  
但放弃飞行能力并非没有回报  
But it hasn't lost the ability to fly for nothing.  

312  
00:30:38,212 --> 00:30:42,214  
阿多地区气候干旱，每滴水分  
Addo's climate is arid, and every drop of moisture counts  

313  
00:30:42,291 --> 00:30:44,883  
对栖息者都弥足珍贵  
For those that live here.  

314  
00:30:45,052 --> 00:30:48,879  
这只蜣螂做出了进化权衡  
This dung beetle has made an evolutionary trade-off,  

315  
00:30:48,889 --> 00:30:54,384  
以飞行能力换取抗脱水特性  
Exchanging flight for defense against dehydration.  

316  
00:30:54,395 --> 00:30:57,387  
蜣螂与其他动物一样呼吸氧气  
Beetles, like other animals, breathe oxygen,  

317  
00:30:57,398 --> 00:31:00,974  
代谢产生二氧化碳  
Producing carbon dioxide as waste.  

318  
00:31:00,985 --> 00:31:04,060  
必须排出废气的同时  
This must be expelled, and in the process,  

319  
00:31:04,071 --> 00:31:06,062  
宝贵水分随之流失  
Precious moisture is lost.  

320  
00:31:06,073 --> 00:31:08,231  
但这种蜣螂进化出  
But this beetle has developed  

321  
00:31:08,242 --> 00:31:11,994  
惊人的节水方案  
A remarkable water-saving solution.  

322  
00:31:12,070 --> 00:31:16,331  
翅鞘下的空腔本该容纳翅膀  
The empty space under its shell, where the wings should be,  

323  
00:31:16,408 --> 00:31:21,169  
现成为专门的二氧化碳储存舱  
Forms a specialized storage tank for carbon dioxide,  

324  
00:31:21,246 --> 00:31:27,083  
实现每半小时才"呼气"一次  
Which means it only has to "exhale" once every half hour.  

325  
00:31:27,094 --> 00:31:31,838  
高效系统防止了危险的水分流失  
An efficient system, preventing dangerous water loss.  

326  
00:31:31,849 --> 00:31:35,767  
干旱环境中，保水能力  
The arid environment means conserving moisture is critical  

327  
00:31:35,844 --> 00:31:38,270  
比飞行更重要  
To the beetles' survival.  

328  
00:31:38,347 --> 00:31:40,856  
关乎生存  
More so than flight.  

329  
00:31:40,933 --> 00:31:42,941  
周边食草动物众多  
With so many herbivores around,  

330  
00:31:43,018 --> 00:31:46,904  
步行范围内总有充足粪源  
There's always plenty of dung within walking distance.  

331  
00:31:49,274 --> 00:31:51,775  
从身体构造到行为模式  
From their design to their behavior,  

332  
00:31:51,785 --> 00:31:56,079  
这些非凡蜣螂的一生都由粪便主宰  
Life for these remarkable beetles is dictated by dung.  

333  
00:32:02,212 --> 00:32:06,757  
夏初时节，许多动物开始准备交配  
In early summer, many animals are preparing for mating.  

334  
00:32:08,460 --> 00:32:11,970  
雨季带来丰盛的新鲜食物  
The rains have brought an abundance of new food,  

335  
00:32:12,047 --> 00:32:16,975  
为新世代提供最佳生存机会  
Giving the best chance of survival for a new generation.  

336  
00:32:17,144 --> 00:32:20,896  
此刻草原化作竞技场  
Now the savanna becomes a battleground for many,  

337  
00:32:20,973 --> 00:32:23,106  
雄性必须证明自身实力  
As males must prove their virility.  

338  
00:32:26,061 --> 00:32:28,862  
角马进入发情期  
For wildebeest, the rut has begun.  

339  
00:32:29,990 --> 00:32:33,200  
黑斑羚雄性也展开角斗  
Male impala also lock horns.  

340  
00:32:36,905 --> 00:32:40,040  
热烈求偶往往促成交配  
Ardent courtship often leads to mating.  

341  
00:32:42,211 --> 00:32:45,712  
连蜣螂也加入这场盛会  
Even the dung beetles are getting in on the act.  

342  
00:32:52,012 --> 00:32:55,505  
但并非所有种类都如此大胆  
Not all species are as bold, though, and for most,  

343  
00:32:55,516 --> 00:32:59,977  
多数交配发生在地下巢穴中  
Mating will happen below ground in the nesting tunnel.  

344  
00:33:01,105 --> 00:33:03,021  
在此之前  
Before this can happen,  

345  
00:33:03,190 --> 00:33:07,442  
必须将粪球滚离并掩埋  
The dung ball must be rolled away and buried.  

346  
00:33:07,519 --> 00:33:10,779  
某些种类如这些蜘蛛蜣螂  
In some species, like these spider dung beetles,  

347  
00:33:10,856 --> 00:33:13,281  
雌雄会通力合作  
Both the male and female work together  

348  
00:33:13,358 --> 00:33:15,117  
完成任务  
To get the task completed.  

349  
00:33:18,030 --> 00:33:20,038  
当这对伴侣将粪球  
And having wrestled the ball cross-country  

350  
00:33:20,207 --> 00:33:24,001  
艰难运至合适地点，便开始掩埋工作  
To an appropriate spot, the pair gets to work burying it.  

351  
00:33:26,296 --> 00:33:28,046  
雄性完成职责后  
Once the male's job is done,  

352  
00:33:28,215 --> 00:33:32,009  
雌性将受精卵安全产入其中  
The female lays her fertilized egg safely inside it.  

353  
00:33:34,212 --> 00:33:38,807  
粪球看似奇怪的育儿所  
A ball of dung may seem like an odd place to start a family,  

354  
00:33:38,884 --> 00:33:41,143  
实则是完美的可食用摇篮  
But it makes a perfect edible nursery.  

355  
00:33:50,070 --> 00:33:54,072  
部分蜣螂父母会为后代  
Some dung beetle parents give their unborn youngsters  

356  
00:33:54,149 --> 00:33:58,076  
预先消化粪便  
A head start with dung digestion.  

357  
00:33:58,162 --> 00:34:01,079  
蜣螂也会产生排泄物  
Like everyone else, dung beetles produce waste,  

358  
00:34:01,290 --> 00:34:06,918  
其粪便含有强效消化菌群  
And theirs contains a strong cocktail of digestive bacteria,  

359  
00:34:06,995 --> 00:34:11,048  
正是幼虫成长所需  
Just what their offspring will need to start out in life.  

360  
00:34:13,168 --> 00:34:17,095  
雌虫产卵前在粪球排便  
These microorganisms are passed on when the female defecates  

361  
00:34:17,222 --> 00:34:21,933  
将这些微生物传给后代  
On the dung ball, before laying her egg inside it.  

362  
00:34:24,188 --> 00:34:26,354  
受精卵安置完毕后  
Once the fertilized eggs are provisioned,  

363  
00:34:26,431 --> 00:34:28,356  
不同种类的  
The level of parental care involved  

364  
00:34:28,433 --> 00:34:32,069  
育幼程度差异巨大  
Varies greatly between species.  

365  
00:34:33,197 --> 00:34:36,022  
夜行三角蜣螂  
The nocturnal three-horned dung beetle  

366  
00:34:36,033 --> 00:34:39,034  
与三叉蜣螂都是  
And the trident dung beetle are both tunnelers  

367  
00:34:39,111 --> 00:34:41,912  
长角的掘洞者  
With horn-wielding males.  

368  
00:34:44,208 --> 00:34:47,117  
但雌性三角蜣螂  
But while the female three-horned dung beetle  

369  
00:34:47,127 --> 00:34:49,544  
完全不会照顾后代  
Provides no brood care whatsoever,  

370  
00:34:49,621 --> 00:34:53,289  
雌性三叉蜣螂却会留守巢穴  
The female trident dung beetle stays in the nest  

371  
00:34:53,300 --> 00:34:56,218  
直至子女羽化为成虫  
Until her progeny emerge as adults.  

372  
00:35:21,153 --> 00:35:22,577  
对某些蜣螂而言  
For some dung beetles,  

373  
00:35:22,654 --> 00:35:26,123  
育幼是最后的使命  
Parenting is the last job they will ever do.  

374  
00:35:28,243 --> 00:35:30,168  
它们仅存活一季  
They live for a single season,  

375  
00:35:30,295 --> 00:35:33,246  
刚够完成一次繁殖  
Just long enough to reproduce once.  

376  
00:35:36,260 --> 00:35:39,261  
有些却能存活三年之久  
But others survive for up to three years.  

377  
00:35:44,092 --> 00:35:47,102  
要延年益寿，必须注重自我养护  
To live long and prosper, they must look after themselves  

378  
00:35:47,179 --> 00:35:51,064  
并为冬眠储备能量  
And feed up in preparation for hibernation.  

379  
00:35:55,604 --> 00:35:59,197  
蜣螂的行为虽出于利己  
The dung beetles' activities may be driven by self-interest,  

380  
00:35:59,366 --> 00:36:03,285  
其意义远超个体生命延续  
But they do far more than simply continuing their life cycle.  

381  
00:36:07,124 --> 00:36:10,125  
它们的粪便管理  
Their waste management has a dramatic impact  

382  
00:36:10,202 --> 00:36:13,036  
深刻影响着地貌生态  
On the landscape and the lives of all the animals  

383  
00:36:13,046 --> 00:36:15,130  
及所有栖息者  
That live here.  

384  
00:36:22,389 --> 00:36:24,389  
尤其对象群而言  
Not least the elephants.  

385  
00:36:29,304 --> 00:36:33,231  
旱季它们主要依赖树木为食  
In the dry season, they rely heavily on trees for food  

386  
00:36:33,442 --> 00:36:36,726  
进食时吞下大量种子  
And while feeding, swallow many seeds.  

387  
00:36:36,737 --> 00:36:40,063  
这些种子尤为幸运  
These seeds are the lucky ones,  

388  
00:36:40,073 --> 00:36:42,482  
比直接从树上掉落  
More likely to germinate than those which fall  

389  
00:36:42,492 --> 00:36:44,242  
更易发芽  
Straight from the tree.  

390  
00:36:44,328 --> 00:36:49,331  
多数种子完好无损通过大象消化系统  
Most pass through the elephant's system unharmed.  

391  
00:36:49,407 --> 00:36:53,251  
当勤劳的蜣螂在地下埋粪时  
And as the industrious beetles bury dung below ground,  

392  
00:36:53,328 --> 00:36:56,246  
它们无意间播种了粪堆中  
They unwittingly plant as many as 95%  

393  
00:36:56,256 --> 00:36:58,089  
多达95%的种子  
Of the seeds in a dung pile.  

394  
00:37:00,669 --> 00:37:03,678  
粪便还含有氮等养分  
The dung also contains nutrients like nitrogen,  

395  
00:37:03,755 --> 00:37:06,097  
是肥沃土壤的关键  
Essential for productive soil.  

396  
00:37:07,592 --> 00:37:10,977  
堪称完美堆肥  
It's the perfect compost.  

397  
00:37:12,189 --> 00:37:14,514  
多亏蜣螂 那些本会枯萎的种子  
Thanks to the beetles, seeds that might otherwise  

398  
00:37:14,524 --> 00:37:19,361  
被种在肥沃透气的土壤中  
Have shriveled end up planted in rich, well-aerated soil...  

399  
00:37:22,199 --> 00:37:24,699  
让它们最有可能长成新树林  
Giving them the best chance of growing into a new generation  

400  
00:37:24,776 --> 00:37:28,245  
最终反哺象群  
Of trees that will ultimately feed the elephants.  

401  
00:37:30,499 --> 00:37:33,291  
在这场哺乳动物、植物与昆虫的共生关系中  
In this partnership between mammals, plants and insects,  

402  
00:37:33,502 --> 00:37:36,544  
小小蜣螂无意间回报了  
The little beetles are unwittingly repaying a favor  

403  
00:37:36,621 --> 00:37:40,298  
它们最大的粪便提供者  
To their biggest dung providers.  

404  
00:37:40,467 --> 00:37:44,261  
完美诠释了自然界的生命循环  
It's a perfect example of nature's cycle of life.  

405  
00:37:49,217 --> 00:37:53,720  
蜣螂不仅是废物处理师和园丁  
Dung beetles are not only waste managers and gardeners,  

406  
00:37:53,730 --> 00:37:56,398  
还是害虫防治专家  
They are also pest controllers.  

407  
00:38:01,321 --> 00:38:03,813  
雨季带来成群的吸血昆虫  
The rainy season brings swarms of biting insects,  

408  
00:38:03,824 --> 00:38:07,567  
包括非洲水牛蝇  
Including the African buffalo fly,  

409  
00:38:07,577 --> 00:38:09,327  
让许多草原大型植食动物  
Which makes life miserable  

410  
00:38:09,496 --> 00:38:12,038  
苦不堪言  
For many of the savanna's large herbivores.  

411  
00:38:21,499 --> 00:38:26,252  
虽然牛椋鸟能对付蜱虫等固定寄生虫  
While ox peckers help with stationary pests like ticks,  

412  
00:38:26,263 --> 00:38:28,588  
飞虫更难应对  
Flying insects are more difficult to deal with.  

413  
00:38:28,598 --> 00:38:33,351  
但得益于蜣螂与微小螨类的共生关系  
But thanks to the dung beetle's relationship with a tiny mite,  

414  
00:38:33,437 --> 00:38:37,314  
恼人的水牛蝇得以控制  
The problematic buffalo flies are brought under control.  

415  
00:38:39,484 --> 00:38:42,360  
螨虫搭乘蜣螂便车抵达粪堆  
The mites piggyback on the beetles to access dung piles,  

416  
00:38:42,529 --> 00:38:45,521  
捕食昆虫卵和幼虫  
Where they prey on the eggs and larvae of insects,  

417  
00:38:45,532 --> 00:38:48,241  
比如非洲水牛蝇  
Like the African buffalo fly.  

418  
00:38:50,445 --> 00:38:53,371  
蜣螂能将蝇类幼虫存活率  
Dung beetles can reduce the survival rate of fly larvae  

419  
00:38:53,448 --> 00:38:57,334  
从40%降至6%  
From 40% to just six percent.  

420  
00:38:59,880 --> 00:39:02,380  
这些甲虫在生态系统中  
These beetles do vital jobs in the ecosystem  

421  
00:39:02,549 --> 00:39:05,800  
承担着害虫防治和废物清理等重任  
Like managing pests and clearing waste,  

422  
00:39:05,877 --> 00:39:08,136  
但它们并非孤军奋战  
But they don't do it alone.  

423  
00:39:11,808 --> 00:39:14,392  
另一群勤劳的昆虫  
Another group of hard-working insects  

424  
00:39:14,561 --> 00:39:18,355  
也扮演重要角色：白蚁  
Also have a role to play: Termites.  

425  
00:39:20,567 --> 00:39:22,150  
在寒冷的冬季  
During the cold winter months,  

426  
00:39:22,227 --> 00:39:24,402  
当蜣螂冬眠时  
When the dung beetles are in hibernation,  

427  
00:39:24,479 --> 00:39:27,364  
白蚁会接管它们的生态位  
The termites will take over their niche.  

428  
00:39:31,578 --> 00:39:34,404  
不同于蜣螂的粪便分散方式  
Instead of spreading the dung, like the beetles,  

429  
00:39:34,414 --> 00:39:37,490  
白蚁将粪便运回巢穴  
Termites bring it back to their colonies,  

430  
00:39:37,501 --> 00:39:41,419  
集中储存养分  
Concentrating the nutrients in one place.  

431  
00:39:41,496 --> 00:39:43,746  
因此最营养的牧草  
This means that the most nutritious grasses  

432  
00:39:43,757 --> 00:39:47,384  
往往生长在白蚁丘周围  
Are often found around termite mounds.  

433  
00:39:51,256 --> 00:39:54,349  
犀牛最先享用  
Rhino are the first to take advantage  

434  
00:39:54,426 --> 00:39:56,559  
这些丰美草场  
Of these lush grazing lawns.  

435  
00:40:07,522 --> 00:40:09,280  
白蚁并非唯一  
Termites aren't the only animals  

436  
00:40:09,357 --> 00:40:12,325  
与蜣螂共享粪便资源的动物  
That share the dung beetle's taste for waste.  

437  
00:40:13,954 --> 00:40:17,705  
令人惊讶的是 不仅昆虫如此  
Surprisingly, it's not just insects;  

438  
00:40:17,782 --> 00:40:20,625  
哺乳动物也进化出这种习性  
Mammals have developed this habit too.  

439  
00:40:24,881 --> 00:40:27,382  
就像蜣螂幼虫  
Just like the dung beetle larvae,  

440  
00:40:27,459 --> 00:40:29,467  
这匹斑马幼驹也需要  
This zebra foal also needs help  

441  
00:40:29,636 --> 00:40:32,303  
激活消化系统  
Kick-starting its digestive system.  

442  
00:40:39,312 --> 00:40:40,728  
幼驹约11个月大时  
The foal will be weaned  

443  
00:40:40,805 --> 00:40:44,482  
断母乳改食草  
From its mother's nutritious milk at around 11 months,  

444  
00:40:44,651 --> 00:40:49,237  
After which it will subsist on a diet of grass.  

445  
00:40:49,314 --> 00:40:51,322  
为获取消化纤维素  
To gain the gut bacteria it will need  

446  
00:40:51,399 --> 00:40:53,741  
所需的肠道菌群  
To digest the cellulose-rich material,  

447  
00:40:53,818 --> 00:40:58,496  
斑马幼驹在出生14周内  
The zebra foal will eat small quantities of its mother's dung  

448  
00:40:58,573 --> 00:41:01,499  
会少量食用母粪  
In the first 14 weeks of life.  

449  
00:41:01,626 --> 00:41:05,753  
许多非反刍植食动物皆如此  
The same is true of many non-ruminant herbivores,  

450  
00:41:05,830 --> 00:41:08,498  
包括犀牛和大象  
Including rhino and elephant.  

451  
00:41:08,508 --> 00:41:12,418  
这种食粪行为称为"食粪癖"  
The practice of eating dung, known as coprophagy,  

452  
00:41:12,429 --> 00:41:15,472  
在动物界相当普遍  
Is fairly common in the animal kingdom.  

453  
00:41:20,604 --> 00:41:26,399  
有些动物甚至依赖粪便获取必需矿物质  
Some animals even rely on dung for essential minerals.  

454  
00:41:28,770 --> 00:41:34,524  
豹纹陆龟走到哪都背着盔甲  
The leopard tortoise carries his armor with him wherever he goes.  

455  
00:41:34,534 --> 00:41:38,444  
但坚硬龟壳生长需大量钙质  
But his hard shell needs a lot of calcium to grow,  

456  
00:41:38,455 --> 00:41:41,706  
素食无法满足需求  
And he doesn't get enough in his vegetarian diet.  

457  
00:41:44,619 --> 00:41:46,794  
为弥补不足 它转向  
To make up for this lack, he turns to this:  

458  
00:41:46,871 --> 00:41:49,547  
鬣狗粪便  
Hyena dung.  

459  
00:41:51,468 --> 00:41:54,627  
鬣狗咬合力惊人能粉碎骨头  
The hyena's jaws are so strong they can crush bone,  

460  
00:41:54,638 --> 00:41:58,881  
粪便因而富含钙质  
Resulting in high calcium levels in their dung,  

461  
00:41:58,892 --> 00:42:00,600  
呈现白色  
Which turns it white.  

462  
00:42:04,397 --> 00:42:06,481  
得益于这种膳食补充  
Thanks to this dietary supplement,  

463  
00:42:06,558 --> 00:42:08,483  
豹纹陆龟能生长出  
The leopard tortoise can grow  

464  
00:42:08,560 --> 00:42:10,059  
钙质丰富的盔甲外壳  
His armor-plated, calcium-rich shell,  

465  
00:42:10,070 --> 00:42:15,532  
在保护下可存活百年  
And under its protection he may live up to 100 years.  

466  
00:42:29,664 --> 00:42:32,507  
陆龟并非唯一  
And the tortoise isn't the only creature  

467  
00:42:32,584 --> 00:42:35,927  
从粪便获取矿物质的生物  
To turn to dung for its minerals.  

468  
00:42:38,723 --> 00:42:42,600  
即使优雅如蓝灰蝶  
Even the daintiest insects, like this rayed blue butterfly,  

469  
00:42:42,769 --> 00:42:45,603  
也会取食非洲食肉动物粪便  
Will feed on the dung of Africa's carnivores  

470  
00:42:45,680 --> 00:42:49,482  
摄取丰富的钠元素  
To take advantage of its rich sodium content.  

471  
00:42:56,524 --> 00:42:58,449  
在自然回收系统中  
In nature's recycling system,  

472  
00:42:58,526 --> 00:43:01,619  
粪便并非唯一资源  
Dung isn't the only commodity.  

473  
00:43:02,789 --> 00:43:07,458  
当某些生命依赖其他生物的死亡时  
Where the life of some relies on the death of others,  

474  
00:43:07,535 --> 00:43:10,587  
尸体虽骇人却常见  
A carcass is a gruesome but common sight.  

475  
00:43:15,710 --> 00:43:18,636  
这头角马喂饱了整个狮群  
This wildebeest fed a whole pride of lions.  

476  
00:43:18,805 --> 00:43:21,964  
如今昆虫们正享用  
Now the insects are dining on the leftovers  

477  
00:43:21,975 --> 00:43:24,809  
非洲著名食腐动物  
From Africa's more famous scavengers,  

478  
00:43:24,886 --> 00:43:27,520  
如鬣狗和秃鹫的残羹  
Like hyena and vultures.  

479  
00:43:39,734 --> 00:43:42,660  
许多物种如粪金龟和葬甲  
Many species, like dung and carrion beetles,  

480  
00:43:42,737 --> 00:43:45,663  
以植食动物尸体为食  
Will feed on the carcasses of herbivores,  

481  
00:43:45,832 --> 00:43:48,833  
将骸骨清理得干干净净  
Cleaning the bones from head to toe.  

482  
00:43:57,510 --> 00:44:00,586  
蜣螂填补了骇人生态位  
The beetles are filling a grizzly niche,  

483  
00:44:00,597 --> 00:44:05,591  
利用其他动物不屑的资源  
Making use of resources that few other animals will touch,  

484  
00:44:05,602 --> 00:44:08,594  
回收角马尸体的  
Recycling the last scraps of energy  

485  
00:44:08,605 --> 00:44:10,855  
最后能量  
From the wildebeest's body.  

486  
00:44:14,694 --> 00:44:18,112  
正是这种养分循环  
It is this cycle of nutrients that allows life to flourish  

487  
00:44:18,189 --> 00:44:20,865  
让非洲草原生机勃勃  
On the African savanna.  

488  
00:44:29,867 --> 00:44:34,587  
雨季过后新生命喷涌而出  
After the rains comes a glut of new life.  

489  
00:44:36,624 --> 00:44:40,635  
恰逢夏季资源丰沛时  
Timed to take advantage of the summer plenty.  

490  
00:44:45,800 --> 00:44:49,885  
新一代蜣螂也破土而出  
And there's a new generation of dung beetles too,  

491  
00:44:49,896 --> 00:44:53,731  
接手维系自然系统的脏活  
Emerging to take on the dirty work in a natural system  

492  
00:44:53,900 --> 00:44:57,485  
缺它们不可  
That couldn't function without them.  

493  
00:45:00,648 --> 00:45:03,574  
地球上甲虫种类  
There are more species of beetle in the world  

494  
00:45:03,651 --> 00:45:07,578  
超越所有动物...  
Than any other animal...  

495  
00:45:07,655 --> 00:45:12,709  
而少有能像卑微蜣螂般重要  
And few play a role as important as the humble dung beetle.  

496  
00:45:16,089 --> 00:45:20,800  
非洲巨型植食动物的微型拍档  
The tiny counterparts to Africa's giant plant eaters.  

497  
00:45:24,013 --> 00:45:25,763  
维系着这颗星球上  
Bringing balance to a system  

498  
00:45:25,840 --> 00:45:28,725  
最独特的生命系统  
That supports life like no other.  

499  
00:45:39,103 --> 00:45:45,491  
这些标志性昆虫堪称非洲的无名英雄  
These iconic insects are truly the unsung heroes of Africa.  

500  
00:46:03,878 --> 00:46:05,762  
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