评论
打印
Beyond Antarctica's rich coastal fringes, lies a vast frozen interior.
在南极洲富饶的海岸边缘之外，有一片广大的冰冻腹地。
This is certainly one of the most inhospitable places for life on earth.
这里绝对是地球上最不宜居的地方之一。
Its icecap, three miles thick in places, holds almost two-thirds of the earth's fresh water.
某些位置的冰帽厚达三英里，存有地球上将近三分之二的淡水。
The accumulation of snowfalls over millions of years has bedded vast mountain ranges longer than the Himalayas.
数百万年来所累积的降雪掩盖了广大的山脉，长度胜过喜马拉雅山。
All that can be seen of them is the tips of their peaks.
能够被看见的只有山峰的尖端。
Smoking vents standing 20 metres tall hint at the volcanicity that lies beneath the ice sheet.
高达二十米的喷烟裂口，暗示着藏在冰原之下的火山作用。
The recent discovery of more than 20 previously unknown volcanoes reveals that Antarctica is one of the most volcanic places on earth.
近期发现二十多个先前所不知的火山，说明南极洲是地球上火山最多的地方之一。
Almost 4,000 metres high, mount erebus is one of just seven volcanoes on earth with a permanent lava lake.
高度近四千米，伊里布斯峰是地球上唯七之一具有永久熔岩湖的火山。
Less than 1% of this frozen interior is free of ice.
这片冰冻腹地只有不到1%的面积无冰。
But isolated outcrops of rock offer sanctuaries for one of the few animals willing to brave temperatures of minus 30 degrees celsius.
然而零星的岩石露头，为少数愿意承受零下三十摄氏度低温的动物提供了庇护。
The snow petrel.
雪海燕。
They fly 100 miles inland in order to breed away from predators.
它们往内陆飞行一百英里进行繁衍以避开掠食者。
This male gets to work clearing a shallow scrape,
这只雄鸟正在努力清出一个浅坑，
which he will then line with feathers to give his chick a little protection from the bitter cold.
接着它会铺上羽毛，为它的幼鸟在酷寒之中提供些许保护。
But crevices are in short supply. And rivals are ever ready to fight for them.
可是岩缝本就不多。随时会有竞争对手来抢夺。
When aerial combat fails, snow petrels deploy another weapon. Vomit.
当空战无效，雪海燕就会动用另一种武器。呕吐。
It could be lethal. If the putrid stomach oil freezes, his flight feathers could stick together.
这有可能致命。假使恶臭的胃油冻结，它的飞行羽毛就可能黏住。
Fortunately, he knows how to clean them... with a snow bath.
幸好它知道该如何清理...洗一个雪澡。
Now to get on with the task of breeding.
接着就可以继续进行繁衍任务。
