Africa's Deadliest|非洲致命动物

by Marcus Maurice

The land where civilization began is home to many deadly animals.

In the deepest, darkest corners of Africa, National Geographic Channel (NGC) goes face to face with deadly predators. Equipped with super senses, cunning strategies, lightning-fast reactions, and remarkable physiological adaptations that have been perfected over millennia, the killing machines in the jungles of Africa are some of nature's best hunters.

Cheetahs are a prime example of this. In the 16th century, kings and emperors kept cheetahs as pets and also used them for hunting. These dangerous animals were easily tamed and formed strong bonds with their trainers. As a matter of fact, the cheetahs that made the best pets were the adults because they already knew how to hunt. While searching for game with their handlers, cheetahs would ride with their eyes covered on the backs of horses or in carts. When prey was spotted, the blindfolds would be taken off and the cheetahs would be unleashed. After the kills, the trainers would reward their cheetahs with fresh meats from wooden spoons.

Little-known facts about cheetahs and many other menacing animals come to light in Africa's Deadliest, a series on NGC this month. In Africa, numbers are everything, and size doesn't count as much when there is an army on your side. This means that wild dogs working together in a pack can take out animals 10 times their size. The same is true of buffalo herds, especially when they turn the tables on attacking lions and end up devouring them. On Africa's Deadliest, learn how strength in numbers can tip the scales of survival.

非洲致命动物

这片文明起源之地是许多致命动物的栖息地。

　　在非洲最深邃、最黑暗的角落，国家地理频道要正面对上那些致命的猎食者。具备着超强感官能力、狡猾的策略、闪电般快速的反应能力，及淬炼数千年的卓越生理适应力，这些非洲丛林的刽子手堪称是自然界最优秀的猎人。

　　猎豹就是上述最好的例子。在 16 世纪时，国王和皇帝会豢养猎豹当做宠物以及用牠们来打猎。这种危险的动物其实很容易驯服，而且会和训练师之间形成非常紧密的关系。事实上，最适合拿来当做宠物的是成年猎豹，因为牠们已经知道如何打猎。当跟着驯养者寻找猎物时，猎豹会被蒙上眼睛坐在马背或是马车上。发现猎物时，就会把猎豹的眼罩拿掉并将牠放开。在猎杀过后，训练师会用木制的汤匙喂牠新鲜的肉当做奖励。

　　这些关于猎豹及其他具威胁性动物鲜为人知的真相，将在本月份国家地理频道的《非洲致命动物》系列中，一一呈现在观众眼前。在非洲，当你有一大群同类时，数量决定一切，体型反而不是那么重要。也就是说，当一大群野狗聚集在一起，牠们是有能力杀掉体型大牠 10 倍的动物。相同的情形也可套用在一群水牛身上，尤其是当牠们反败为胜，最后把发动攻击的狮子生吞活剥之时。在《非洲致命动物》系列中，来看看团队力量如何能在生存游戏中逆转胜。

猎豹又称印度豹，牠就像是大自然设计出来的短跑机器：流线的外形体态轻盈，脊椎骨十分柔软，长长的尾巴可保持奔跑时的平衡，并且让猎豹可以急速转弯。种种设计令猎豹成为陆地上跑得最快的动物，最快时速 110 公里，并可在 2 秒钟内由静止加速至时速 70 公里。奔跑时猎豹同时只有一足触地，其间有时还会四肢离地，真正是飞也似的速度。

可是猎豹有 1个致命弱点，就是急跑时身体来不及散热。所以猎豹以超过 100 公里的时速奔驰时只能维持 4 至 5 分钟，之后身体便自动『关掉引擎』以免因过热而死。

人类很早便跟猎豹有密切接触。早在 3,000 多年前的古埃及便有法老王饲养猎豹打猎，但饲养的猎豹繁殖率一向偏低。像印度蒙兀儿帝国（Mogul）的阿克巴大帝（Akbar）便曾设立 1 个有数千头猎豹的动物园，但据记载只有 1头猎豹成功繁殖，彷佛是猎豹对失去自由的无声抗议。（数据源：http://wildnature.go2c.info/view.php?doc=/wildlife/cheetah）