纪录片《我们的地球》 第314期 极端沙漠(5)（在线收听）

The rain may be long gone, but there is water here...

雨季也许早已过去，但沙漠里还是有水...

locked away within the tissues of specialist desert plants.

只是储存在沙生植物特化的组织当中。

Cacti are unique to American deserts.

仙人掌是美国沙漠中独一无二的植物。

They all hoard water,

它们肥硕的茎干，

storing it in swollen stems and protecting it behind a barricade of spines.

有储水功能，叶片特化成刺以防止水分散失。

They're so successful that they dominate these deserts.

这套策略成功地让它们主宰着这片沙漠。

But this forest of spikes can cause problems for the animals that live here.

但这片尖刺丛林也给居住在此的动物们带来了很多麻烦。

A Harris' Hawk. It has developed special techniques for hunting amongst the cacti.

一只栗翅鹰。它练就了在仙人掌林捕食的特殊技能。

Ground squirrels. Prey.

这是地松鼠。栗翅鹰的猎物。

At the first sign of danger, they bolt for the safety of the thorns.

当发现危险信号时，地松鼠们迅速躲进刺丛中避险。

But the hawks have a tactic to flush them out.

但栗翅鹰有法子逼它们出来

These are the only birds of prey that hunt in packs.

栗翅鹰是唯一成群捕食的猛禽。

Flying in formation, they try to drive their quarry into the open.

它们编队飞行，将猎物驱赶到开阔地带。

But this squirrel is staying put.

但这只地松鼠按兵不动。

So now the hawks continue the hunt... on foot.

栗翅鹰开始改变策略，转为地面追击。

They're closing in from all sides.

它们从四面八方逐渐逼近。

Soon, all escape routes are cut off. The squirrel is trapped.

很快封锁了所有的逃跑路线。地松鼠陷入绝境。