纪录片《美丽中国》 第34期 神奇高原（6）（在线收听）

Living in herds of up to 200 in the remoter corners of the Tibetan plateau,

居住在西藏高原偏远角落的野牦牛 群居的数量甚至可能达到200只

wild yaks travel large distances,grazing on the alpine tundra.

他们走过遥远的距离来到高山上的冻土地带寻觅食物

Strong and secure over mountain passes and rivers,

依靠着山口和河流牦牛在这里强大而安全

The yak is in its element at altitude

它们于这个海拔的环境是如此地连为一体

so much so that it gets sick if it goes below 3,000 metres.

以至于如果他们到达海拔3000米以下身体就会变得虚弱。

Standing two metres tall at the shoulder and weighing more

牦牛身高2米体重超过800千克

than 800 kilos,the wild yak is both formidable and aggressive.

不仅自身强大还很好斗

But without this fearsome creature it's unlikely that humans would have survived up here.

但若没有这种看起来吓人的生物人类就不可能在这里生存。

Once domesticated,the yak is an amazing animal,

一旦被驯服牦牛会让人惊异万分，

providing the Tibetans with transport,

它为藏民提供运输

food,wool for clothes and tents,

食物做衣物和帐篷的毛

and manure for fuel.

还有可以做燃料的粪便

It's held in such high regard

牦牛很受如此器重以至于

that its fur is even used to decorate the sacred prayer flag poles,

人们用它的皮来装饰神圣的经幡番杆

and yak butter is used as an offering to the gods.

它的脂肪也被用作敬奉神的贡品

The yak has even led the Tibetans to buried treasure.

牦牛甚至还帮助藏民找到了地上的宝藏