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Further south, near the continent, the sea ice is still sound.
再往南，邻近洲大陆，海中的冰依旧坚硬。
Here, where the ice remains for most of the summer, emperor penguins make their home.
帝企鹅定居在连夏天也不融化的结冰处。
These have been feeding out at sea, and are now ready to make their way back to the colony to feed their chicks
它们已在海中大饱口福，现在，可以回到群体中喂食。
Instead of heading straight for the ice edge, the penguins hesitate some distance from it.
企鹅们在远处旁徨，不敢直接由冰的边缘上岸。
They're nervous. They dive down and investigate the ice edge.
它们很紧张。它们潜入水下观察冰缘。
And for good reason, Leopard seals patrol this border. Leopard seals are the Antarctic's equivalent of polar bears.
合情合理的，豹纹海豹负责巡逻边境。豹纹海豹正如同南极的北极熊。
They are the top predators. But they hunt most successfully in the water, so by and large, the animals they prey on are safer out on the ice.
它们是最厉害的掠食者。但它们最适合在水中狩猎，所以它们捕食的对象在冰上较为安全。
They have a lazy grace that belies their ferocious nature.
它们慵懒的姿态掩饰了凶猛的天性。
Confident that the coast is clear, the emperor penguins head for the ice.
确认岸边安全后，帝企鹅向冰缘前进。
But they certainly don't linger. Now they have a long walk back to the colony.
它们决不逗留。回到群体还有一段长路要走。
Emperor penguin colonies are some way back from the ice edge.
帝企鹅群体离冰缘有段距离。
In winter, they may be as much as a hundred miles from it, but as the summer progresses and the ice melts, the edge comes ever closer to the colony.
冬季时可能长达百里，但夏天融冰后，冰缘便渐渐靠近群体。
So by the time the chicks are fledged and ready to take their first swim, the water is close by.
当小企鹅翅膀成熟可以游泳时，海水便已近在眼前。
This colony is in the lee of a headland, and that prevents the ice from being broken up by ocean currents.
此群体在海角的保护下，因此冰层不会受水流的影响而破裂。
The returning adults are so full of food that they can barely walk.
回程的企鹅因储存过多的食物而举步维艰。
But with no predator to threaten them now, they can take their time.
由于没有掠食者的威胁，它们可以慢慢来。
Somehow, in this melee of sixty thousand or so penguins, a parent has to find its chick.
在约6千只的企鹅中，父母亲必须找出它们的小企鹅。
It returns to the place where it last left its chick in the hope that it might still be close by.
它回到原来留下小企鹅的地方，期盼它仍在原地。
But chicks tend to wander, so the adult has to call to it.
但小企鹅会四处闲晃，父母亲必须试着召唤。
The chick responds -- and they slowly home in on one another.
小企鹅作出回应，也慢慢地一个个回家。
The plaintive entreaties of the chick stimulates the adult to regurgitate a mouthful of fish.
小企鹅可怜的哀求声刺激母亲吐出满口的鱼。
With the return of one parent, the other is free to go to sea to feed for itself.
母亲回来后，父亲便能往海上出发去觅食。
Aware of the leopard seal's presence, the penguins press together at the ice edge, unwilling to be the first to risk diving in.
意识到豹纹海豹的存在，企鹅们成群挤在冰缘处，谁也不愿率先冒险潜水。
Occasionally, the seal comes out onto the ice and attempts to grab one.
有时海豹会出现在冰上，企图捕捉企鹅。
But its most successful strategy by far is to lie in wait. It hides behind a corner of ice.
但最成功的方法还是守株待兔。它躲在某块冰的角落。
The emperors gain confidence and make a dash for it. The first wave of penguins escape. Once in open water, they will be safe.
企鹅们信心满满地跃入海中。首群企鹅逃过一劫。它们只要在水中就是安全的。
But the seal is alerted by the noise, and through the mass of bubbles, it makes its attack. Almost invariably, it makes a kill.
但海豹被吵杂声警醒，在一片气泡中，它决定出击。无可避免的造成了伤亡。
Encouraged by the absence of the seal, the remaining penguins make a break for the open sea.
海豹的离席，鼓舞了其他企鹅跃入海中。
In time, their chicks will fledge.
不久后，小企鹅便会成熟。
And when the Antarctic autumn is near its end, these adults will walk across the newly formed ice, to endure yet another winter on the frozen sea.
而当南极的秋天结束，这些成年的企鹅会穿越新成形的冰，到冰冻的海上度过另一个寒冬。
