TEDIndia 2009
Romulus Whitaker: The real danger lurking in the water
Romulus Whitaker：真正潛藏在水中的危險
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印度鱷和眼鏡王蛇是印度最為典型的兩種爬蟲類動物，它們正因為受到污染的河道而瀕臨危機。環保主義者Romulus Whitaker 向我們展現了這些奇妙動物的珍貴影片，敦促我們拯救那些維繫著這些動物以及我們自身生命的河流。
Romulus Whitaker - Herpetologist
Romulus Whitaker is a scientist and conservationist who slings around the globe to study and protect reptiles. Full bio
Romulus Whitaker is a scientist and conservationist who slings around the globe to study and protect reptiles. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:15
I want you to put off your preconceptions,
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我希望大家能放下成見，
00:18
your preconceived fears and thoughts about reptiles.
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放下那些對爬行動物先入為主的恐懼和想法。
00:23
Because that is the only way I'm going to get my story across to you.
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因為只有這樣我才能讓你們相信我要講的內容。
00:26
And by the way, if I come across as a sort of
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另外，如果我讓大家以為我是某類
00:29
rabid, hippie conservationist,
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狂熱的，嬉皮環保份子，
00:31
it's purely a figment of your imagination.
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那完全是你們想像出來的。
00:34
(Laughter)
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（觀眾笑聲）
00:39
Okay. We are actually the first species on Earth
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好。我們事實上是地球上的第一個物種
00:42
to be so prolific to actually threaten our own survival.
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其繁育程度確實在威脅到我們自己的生存。
00:47
And I know we've all seen images enough to make us numb,
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我也知道我們已經看到麻木了，
00:50
of the tragedies that we're perpetrating on the planet.
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那些我們正在這個星球上造成的種種悲劇的圖片。
00:55
We're kind of like greedy kids, using it all up, aren't we?
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我們就像貪婪的小孩，什麽都要用光光，是不是？
00:57
And today is a time for me to talk to you about water.
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今天我想跟大家聊聊水。
01:03
It's not only because we like to drink lots of it,
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這不僅因為我們喜歡喝水，
01:06
and its marvelous derivatives, beer, wine, etc.
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以及水的大量衍生物，啤酒，葡萄酒等等。
01:11
And, of course, watch it fall from the sky
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當然，還有看著水從天空降下
01:13
and flow in our wonderful rivers,
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流進我們那些美麗的河流，
01:16
but for several other reasons as well.
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但除此以外還有其他一些原因。
01:18
When I was a kid, growing up in New York,
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我小時候在紐約長大，
01:20
I was smitten by snakes, the same way most kids are
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我深深迷上了蛇這種動物，就像很多孩子
01:22
smitten by tops, marbles, cars, trains, cricket balls.
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迷戀陀螺，彈子，汽車，火車，板球一樣。
01:27
And my mother, brave lady,
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而我母親，一位大膽的女士
01:29
was partly to blame,
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也要為此負點責任，
01:31
taking me to the New York Natural History Museum,
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她帶我去紐約自然歷史博物館，
01:33
buying me books on snakes,
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給我買了一堆關於蛇的書，
01:35
and then starting this infamous career of mine,
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開啟了我這個不甚光彩的事業。
01:39
which has culminated in
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也因此促成
01:41
of course, arriving in India 60 years ago,
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60年前
01:45
brought by my mother, Doris Norden,
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我被我媽Doris Norden
01:47
and my stepfather, Rama Chattopadhyaya.
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和我的繼父Rama Chattopadhyaya帶到了印度。
01:49
It's been a roller coaster ride.
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這簡直就像是坐雲霄飛車。
01:53
Two animals, two iconic reptiles
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這兩種動物，這兩種典型的爬行動物
01:55
really captivated me very early on.
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確實從一開始就把我吸引住了。
01:58
One of them was the remarkable gharial.
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一個是不同尋常的印度鱷。
02:01
This crocodile, which grows to almost 20 feet long
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這種鱷魚可以長至20英尺長，
02:03
in the northern rivers,
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棲息在北部流域，
02:05
and this charismatic snake, the king cobra.
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而另一種是富有魅力的是：眼鏡王蛇。
02:10
What my purpose of the talk today really is,
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今天我的講座的目的就是
02:12
is to sort of indelibly scar your minds
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要永久性地在你們的腦子里留下
02:15
with these charismatic and majestic creatures.
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關於這些神秘而又威嚴的動物的印記。
02:18
Because this is what you will take away from here,
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因為這就是我希望你們將從講座中得到的，
02:21
a reconnection with nature, I hope.
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與大自然重新建立聯繫，我希望。
02:26
The king cobra is quite remarkable for several reasons.
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眼鏡王蛇之所以這麼不平凡有幾個原因。
02:29
What you're seeing here is very recently shot images
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你在這裡看到的是最近拍攝的影像
02:32
in a forest nearby here,
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就在這附近的叢林里，
02:34
of a female king cobra making her nest.
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一條雌眼鏡王蛇正在做窩。
02:36
Here is a limbless animal, capable of gathering a huge mound of leaves,
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這種完全沒有四肢的動物，能夠聚攏起一個巨大的葉子小山，
02:40
and then laying her eggs inside,
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然後把卵產在裏面，
02:42
to withstand 5 to 10 [meters of rainfall],
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它能承受5到10米的降雨量，
02:46
in order that the eggs can incubate over the next 90 days,
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從而這些卵能夠在接下來的90天里孵化，
02:49
and hatch into little baby king cobras.
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生出小眼鏡王蛇。
02:51
So, she protects her eggs,
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於是，她就這樣保護自己的卵，
02:53
and after three months,
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3個月以後，
02:56
the babies finally do hatch out.
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小蛇終於破殼而出。
02:58
A majority of them will die, of course. There is very high mortality
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當然，它們中的大部份都會死掉。年幼爬行動物的死亡率很高
03:01
in little baby reptiles who are just 10 to 12 inches long.
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這時它們僅有10到12英寸長。
03:06
My first experience with king cobras was in '72
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我第一次接觸到眼鏡王蛇是在1972年，
03:08
at a magical place called Agumbe,
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在一個叫做Agumbe的神秘地方，
03:11
in Karnataka, this state.
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在Karnataka邦（印度地名）。
03:14
And it is a marvelous rain forest.
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那裡是一個令人驚異的雨林。
03:17
This first encounter
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第一次相遇
03:19
was kind of like the
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有些類似
03:21
Maasai boy who kills the lion to become a warrior.
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馬賽族（非洲部族）的男孩要殺死一頭獅子才能成為戰士。
03:25
It really changed my life totally.
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它的確徹底改變了我的一生。
03:27
And it brought me straight into the conservation fray.
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它一下就把我帶入環境保護的衝突中。
03:30
I ended up starting this research
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最後我在Agumbe建立了這個
03:32
and education station in Agumbe,
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研究和教育工作站，
03:34
which you are all of course invited to visit.
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歡迎你們大家都來參觀。
03:37
This is basically a base wherein
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基本上這就是一個基地
03:39
we are trying to gather and learn
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在這裡我們試圖聚在一起並學習
03:41
virtually everything about the biodiversity
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差不多關於這個極為複雜的雨林系統的
03:43
of this incredibly complex forest system,
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生物多樣性的一切
03:46
and try to hang on to what's there,
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並試圖維持這一切，
03:48
make sure the water sources are protected and kept clean,
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保證水源受到保護，保持清潔，
03:51
and of course, having a good time too.
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當然，我們自己也玩得很開心。
03:54
You can almost hear the drums
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你幾乎能聽到鼓聲
03:56
throbbing back in that little cottage where we stay when we're there.
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在這個小窩棚里迴蕩。我們就待在裡頭。
04:01
It was very important for us to get through to the people.
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讓當地人理解我們是非常重要的。
04:05
And through the children is usually the way to go.
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最常見的辦法是通過小孩子。
04:08
They are fascinated with snakes. They haven't got
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他們也對蛇很著迷。他們還沒有
04:10
that steely thing that you end up
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那種你們現在持有的雷打不動的看法
04:13
either fearing or hating or despising or loathing them in some way.
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不是害怕就是仇恨，不是鄙夷就是厭惡。
04:17
They are interested.
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他們覺得有趣。
04:19
And it really works to start with them.
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而且從他們開始這個方法確實有效。
04:21
This gives you an idea of the size of some of these snakes.
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這能讓你知道一些蛇有多大。
04:23
This is an average size king cobra, about 12 feet long.
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這是一條一般大小的眼鏡王蛇：大約12英尺長。
04:26
And it actually crawled into somebody's bathroom,
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它真的爬進某人家的浴室，
04:28
and was hanging around there for two or three days.
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還在那裡小住了兩三天。
04:30
The people of this part of India
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印度這一地區的人們
04:32
worship the king cobra.
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崇拜眼鏡王蛇。
04:34
And they didn't kill it. They called us to catch it.
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他們不會殺死它，而是打電話叫我們來抓它。
04:36
Now we've caught more than 100 king cobras
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在過去的三年裡，
04:38
over the last three years,
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我們已經抓了一百多條眼鏡蛇
04:40
and relocated them in nearby forests.
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並把它們放生在周圍的叢林中。
04:43
But in order to find out the real secrets of these creatures
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但是爲了找到這些生物的真正的秘密，
04:46
[it was necessary] for us to actually insert
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我們有必要殖入
04:49
a small radio transmitter inside [each] snake.
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一個微型的無線電發射器在每條蛇裡。
04:52
Now we are able to follow them and find out their secrets,
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現在我們可以追蹤它們，並發現它們的秘密，
04:56
where the babies go after they hatch,
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孵化出來的小蛇們去了哪裡，
04:59
and remarkable things like this you're about to see.
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以及很多類似的你將看到的神奇的事。
05:03
This was just a few days ago in Agumbe.
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這是幾天前，在Agumbe，
05:05
I had the pleasure of being close to this large king cobra
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我很高興能如此靠近這條大眼鏡王蛇，
05:10
who had caught a venomous pit viper.
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它抓到一條劇毒的毒蛇。
05:12
And it does it in such a way that it doesn't get bitten itself.
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它的捕食方式很巧妙令它不會被咬到。
05:15
And king cobras feed only on snakes.
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而且眼鏡王蛇只吃蛇。
05:19
This [little snake] was kind of a tid-bit for it,
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這條小蛇對它來說還不夠塞牙縫，
05:21
what we'd call a "vadai" or a donut or something like that.
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只能算一塊小點心。
05:23
(Laughter)
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（觀眾笑聲）
05:26
Usually they eat something a bit larger.
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通常它們吃的蛇更大一些。
05:28
In this case a rather strange and inexplicable
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這裡發生的是一件更為奇特和無法解釋的行為
05:32
activity happened over the last breeding season,
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它發生在上一個交配季節
05:35
wherein a large male king cobra actually grabbed a female king cobra,
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一條很大的雄性眼鏡王蛇抓住了一條雌蛇，
05:39
didn't mate with it, actually killed it and swallowed it.
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它非但沒有進行交配，反而竟然殺死了它，吞了下去。
05:42
We're still trying to explain and come to terms with
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我們還在試圖解釋和理解
05:44
what is the evolutionary advantage of this.
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這樣做能帶來什麽進化上的優勢。
05:49
But they do also a lot of other remarkable things.
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但是還有另外一些奇異的事。
05:52
This is again, something [we were able to see] by virtue of the fact
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這個，是我們真真切切看到的，
05:54
that we had a radio transmitter in one of the snakes.
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我們在其中一條蛇身上植入了發射器，
05:57
This male snake, 12 feet long, met another male king cobra.
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這條雄蛇，有12英尺長，遇到了另一條雄蛇。
06:00
And they did this incredible ritual combat dance.
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然後它們就開始了這場令人難以置信的儀式性的戰鬥舞蹈。
06:04
It's very much like the rutting of mammals, including humans,
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這非常類似包括人類在內的哺乳動物的發情表現，
06:06
you know, sorting out our differences, but gentler, no biting allowed.
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就是展示自己的獨特之處，但是更為溫和，禁止撕咬。
06:10
It's just a wresting match,
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這就是一場角力，
06:12
but a remarkable activity.
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卻是非比尋常的行為。
06:14
Now, what are we doing with all this information?
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那麼，我們收集這些信息來幹什麼呢？
06:16
What's the point of all this?
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這樣做有什麽意義？
06:18
Well, the king cobra is literally
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眼鏡王蛇根本就是
06:20
a keystone species in these rainforests.
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這些雨林中的關鍵物種。
06:23
And our job is to convince the authorities
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我們的工作就是讓有關當局相信
06:27
that these forests have to be protected.
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這些雨林必須受到保護。
06:29
And this is one of the ways we do it,
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我們採取的方法之一
06:31
by learning as much as we can
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就是儘量多的瞭解
06:33
about something so remarkable and so iconic in the rainforests there,
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雨林中最不同尋常最有代表性的事物，
06:37
in order to help protect trees, animals
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從而有助於保護其他植物和動物
06:40
and of course the water sources.
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當然還有水資源。
06:42
You've all heard, perhaps, of Project Tiger
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可能你們都聽說過老虎計劃
06:44
which started back in the early '70s,
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它始於70年代早期，
06:47
which was, in fact, a very dynamic time for conservation.
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事實上那是自然保護事業最動盪的時期。
06:51
We were piloted, I could say,
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可以這麼說，我們被
06:54
by a highly autocratic stateswoman,
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一位相當獨裁的女政治家所掌控，
06:56
but who also had an incredible passion for environment.
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但她同時對自然環境也有著驚人的熱情。
07:00
And this is the time when Project Tiger emerged.
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而這就是老虎計劃出現的時機。
07:03
And, just like Project Tiger,
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正如老虎計劃一樣，
07:06
our activities with the king cobra
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我們針對眼鏡王蛇的行動
07:08
is to look at a species of animal
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也是要針對一種動物，
07:10
so that we protect its habitat and everything within it.
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從而可以保護它的棲息地以及裡頭的一切。
07:13
So, the tiger is the icon.
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因此，老虎就是一個象徵。
07:15
And now the king cobra is a new one.
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而現在眼鏡王蛇是一個新的象徵。
07:19
All the major rivers in south India
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南印度的所有主要河流
07:21
are sourced in the Western Ghats,
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都發源於西高止山脈，
07:23
the chain of hills running along the west coast of India.
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這一山脈綿延在印度西海岸。
07:27
It pours out millions of gallons every hour,
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它的流量達每小時數百萬加侖，
07:30
and supplies drinking water to at least 300 million people,
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為至少3億人提供飲用水，
07:34
and washes many, many babies,
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讓很多很多小寶貝在裏面洗澡，
07:37
and of course feeds many, many animals,
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當然也養育了很多很多動物，
07:40
both domestic and wild,
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既有家養的，也有野生的，
07:42
produces thousands of tons of rice.
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種植出數千噸的稻米。
07:44
And what do we do? How do we respond to this?
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而我們在做什麽？我們如何回報這一切呢？
07:46
Well, basically, we dam it, we pollute it,
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嗯，基本上，我們築水壩，污染水源，
07:48
we pour in pesticides, weedicides, fungicides.
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傾倒殺蟲劑，除草劑和殺菌劑。
07:51
You drink it in peril of your life.
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喝了它你就有生命危險。
07:54
And the thing is, it's not just big industry.
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而問題在於做破壞的並不是大型企業，
07:57
It's not misguided river engineers
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也不是不明智的水利工程師，
07:59
who are doing all this; it's us.
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而是我們大家都在破壞。
08:01
It seems that our citizens find the best way to dispose of garbage
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看起來我們這些市民發現丟垃圾的最佳方式，
08:05
are in water sources.
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就是扔進水裡。
08:07
Okay. Now we're going north, very far north.
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好吧。現在我們向北走，走到很北的地方。
08:10
North central India, the Chambal River
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印度的中北部，Chambal河
08:12
is where we have our base.
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就是我們的基地所在地。
08:14
This is the home of the gharial, this incredible crocodile.
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這裡是印度鱷的故鄉，這是一種不可思議的鱷魚。
08:18
It is an animal which has been on the Earth
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這種動物已經在地球上
08:21
for just about 100 million years.
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生活了上億年。
08:24
It survived even during the time that the dinosaurs died off.
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即便恐龍都滅絕了但是它都生存了下來。
08:28
It has remarkable features.
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它有很多獨特之處。
08:30
Even though it grows to 20 feet long,
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即便它長到20英尺長，
08:32
since it eats only fish it's not dangerous to human beings.
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它也對人無害，因為它只吃魚。
08:35
It does have big teeth, however,
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但是它的確長著一嘴大牙，
08:37
and it's kind of hard to convince people
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而且似乎很難讓人相信
08:39
if an animal has big teeth, that it's a harmless creature.
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一個長著這麼大牙齒的動物能夠對人無害。
08:42
But we, actually, back in the early '70s,
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但是，回到70年代早期，我們確實
08:46
did surveys,
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做過調查，
08:48
and found that gharial were extremely rare.
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發現印度鱷十分稀少。
08:52
In fact, if you see the map,
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事實上，如果從地圖上看，
08:54
the range of their original habitat
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它們最開始的棲息範圍
08:56
was all the way from the Indus in Pakistan
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從巴基斯坦的印第安座（印度西北部河流）
08:59
to the Irrawaddy in Burma.
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一直到緬甸的伊洛瓦底江。
09:01
And now it's just limited to a couple of spots
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而現在，它只剩下幾個點
09:03
in Nepal and India.
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分佈在尼泊爾和印度。
09:05
So, in fact at this point
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事實上，目前
09:08
there are only 200 breeding gharial left in the wild.
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在野生環境下只剩下200條還在繁殖的印度鱷。
09:12
So, starting in the mid-'70s
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因此，從70年代中期開始，
09:14
when conservation was at the fore,
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當時環境保護運動正方興未艾，
09:17
we were actually able to start projects which were
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我們所啟動的計劃基本上能夠
09:20
basically government supported
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獲得政府的支持
09:22
to collect eggs from the wild from the few remaining nests
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可以從野外幾個僅存的巢穴里收集蛋，
09:25
and release 5,000 baby gharial
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並將5000條印度鱷寶寶放歸
09:27
back to the wild.
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回到野外。
09:29
And pretty soon we were seeing sights like this.
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很快我們就能看到這樣的景象。
09:32
I mean, just incredible to see bunches of gharial
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我覺得這是令人驚訝的，能看到一群印度鱷
09:35
basking on the river again.
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再次出現在河裡曬著太陽。
09:37
But complacency does have a tendency to breed contempt.
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但是滿足以後難免衍生出大意。
09:41
And, sure enough, with all the other pressures on the river,
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可以肯定的是，河流還承受著很多其他壓力，
09:44
like sand mining, for example,
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例如挖沙子，
09:47
very, very heavy cultivation all the way down to the river's edge,
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沿河區域一路而下的密集種植業，
09:51
not allowing the animals to breed anymore,
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不能允許動物再有更多的繁衍，
09:53
we're looking at
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我們現在看到
09:56
even more problems building up for the gharial,
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有更多的問題正威脅著印度鱷
09:59
despite the early good intentions.
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儘管一開始都帶著良善的意圖。
10:01
Their nests hatching along the riverside
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它們沿著河岸建築巢穴
10:05
producing hundreds of hatchlings. It's just an amazing sight.
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孵化出上百條小鱷魚。這真令人大開眼界。
10:08
This was actually just taken last year.
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這些都是去年拍攝的。
10:10
But then the monsoon arrives,
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但是，當雨季來臨，
10:14
and unfortunately downriver there is always a dam or
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很不幸的是在河的下游，總是有一個水壩
10:16
there is always a barrage,
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或是一個河堰，
10:18
and, shoop, they get washed down to their doom.
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然後，它們就都被沖下去完蛋了。
10:22
Luckily there is still a lot of interest.
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所幸還有很多人對它們有興趣。
10:24
My pals in the Crocodile Specialist Group of the IUCN,
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我的同事來自IUCN（國際自然與自然資源保護聯合會）鱷魚專家小組
10:27
the [Madras Crocodile Bank], an NGO,
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馬德拉斯鱷魚銀行，一個非政府組織，
10:29
the World Wildlife Fund,
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世界野生動物基金會，
10:31
the Wildlife Institute of India, State Forest Departments,
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印度野生動物學會，國家林業部，
10:34
and the Ministry of Environment, we all work together on stuff.
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以及政府的環境部，我們都在共同努力合作。
10:37
But it's possibly, and definitely not enough.
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但是可能這還是遠遠不夠。
10:41
For example, in the winter of 2007 and 2008,
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例如在2007和2008年冬天，
10:46
there was this incredible die-off of gharial, in the Chambal River.
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在Chambal河里的印度鱷相繼死亡。
10:50
Suddenly dozens of gharial appearing on the river, dead.
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幾十隻印度鱷突然出現在河上，死的。
10:52
Why? How could it happen?
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爲什麽？這是怎麼發生的？
10:54
This is a relatively clean river.
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這是一條相對來說還算清潔的河。
10:56
The Chambal, if you look at it, has clear water.
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如果你去過，就知道Chambal的水還很清澈。
10:59
People scoop water out of the Chambal and drink it,
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人們從Chambal河裡取水飲用，
11:01
something you wouldn't do in most north Indian rivers.
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在大多數的印度北部河流你可不敢這麼做。
11:04
So, in order to try to find out the answer to this,
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因此，爲了找到這個問題的答案，
11:07
we got veterinarians from all over the world
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我們從世界各地請來獸醫
11:09
working with Indian vets to try to figure out what was happening.
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和印度獸醫一起試圖搞清楚發生了什麽問題。
11:12
I was there for a lot of the necropsies on the riverside.
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我在河岸上做了大量的屍體檢查。
11:16
And we actually looked through
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我們仔細檢查了
11:18
all their organs and tried to figure out what was going on.
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所有的器官，試圖搞清楚問題所在。
11:21
And it came down to something called gout,
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最後我們發現是痛風，
11:24
which, as a result of kidney breakdown
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它是由腎衰竭造成的，
11:27
is actually uric acid crystals throughout the body,
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使得尿酸結晶遍佈全身，
11:30
and worse in the joints,
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在關節中尤其嚴重，
11:33
which made the gharial unable to swim.
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從而使得印度鱷無法游泳。
11:36
And it's a horribly painful death.
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最後在可怕的疼痛中死去。
11:38
Just downriver from the Chambal is the
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Chambal的下游
11:40
filthy Yamuna river, the sacred Yamuna river.
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就是骯髒的Yamuna河，也是神聖的Yamuna河
11:43
And I hate to be so ironic and sarcastic about it
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我並不願意這麼諷刺挖苦，
11:47
but it's the truth. It's just one of the filthiest cesspools you can imagine.
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但這是事實，它就是一個你能想像得出的最污穢的化糞池。
11:50
It flows down through Delhi, Mathura, Agra,
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它流經德里，馬圖拉，阿格拉，
11:54
and gets just about every bit of effluent you can imagine.
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帶著你能想像到的每一滴污水。
11:57
So, it seemed that the toxin that was killing the gharial
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所以看來殺死印度鱷的毒素
12:01
was something in the food chain,
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是食物鏈中的某種東西，
12:03
something in the fish they were eating.
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在它們吃的魚里。
12:05
And, you know, once a toxin is in the food chain
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要知道，一旦毒素進入到食物鏈
12:07
everything is affected, including us.
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所有東西都會受到影響，包括我們。
12:10
Because these rivers are the lifeblood of people all along their course.
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因為這些河流就是沿河人們的生命線。
12:14
In order to try to answer some of these questions,
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爲了解決這裡的一些問題，
12:16
we again turn to technology,
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我們再次回到技術領域，
12:18
to biological technology, in this case,
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在這裡是生物技術，
12:21
again, telemetry, putting radios on 10 gharial,
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我們再次運用遙感測量，將無線電發射器放在10條鱷魚身上；
12:25
and actually following their movements. They're being watched
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從而時時追蹤它們的活動。它們被監視著
12:27
everyday as we speak, to try to find out
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時時刻刻，甚至在當下，從而試圖找出
12:29
what this mysterious toxin is.
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這種神秘的毒素到底是什麼。
12:32
The Chambal river is an absolutely incredible place.
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Chambal河絕對是一個你無法想像的地方。
12:36
It's a place that's famous to a lot of you who know
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它應該頗具盛名，如果你們瞭解
12:39
about the bandits, the dacoits
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印度緬甸一代的強盜匪幫
12:42
who used to work up there. And there still are quite a few around.
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他們曾經在這一帶活動。而且直至今天都還有一些在這裡。
12:45
But Poolan Devi was one [of them]. Which actually Shekhar Kapur
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但其中有個叫Poolan Devi的（印度女強盜后為政客），Shekhar Kapur（印度電影人）以她為題材
12:48
made an incredible movie, "The Bandit Queen," which I urge you to see.
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拍攝了一部非常棒的電影《強盜女王》，我強烈推薦大家去看。
12:51
You'll get to see the incredible [Chambal] landscape as well.
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在電影里你同時也會看到美麗的Chambal河風光。
12:54
But, again, heavy fishing pressures.
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但是，這裡也面臨著沉重的捕撈業壓力。
12:58
This is one of the last repositories of the
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這裡棲息著最後的
13:01
Ganges river dolphin,
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恒河江豚，
13:03
various species of turtles,
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很多種烏龜，
13:05
thousands of migratory birds,
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上千種候鳥，
13:07
and fishing is causing problems like this.
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而捕魚業帶來了類似這樣的問題。
13:10
And now [these] new elements of human intolerance
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新的問題在於來自人
13:15
for river creatures like the gharial
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對河中生物如印度鱷的排斥，
13:18
means that if they don't drown in the net,
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這意味著，如果鱷魚沒在網中淹死，
13:21
then they simply cut their beaks off.
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那麼漁民就會把它們的顎切下來。
13:23
Animals like the Ganges river dolphin
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像恒河江豚這樣的動物
13:25
which is just down to a few left,
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目前只有很少幾只殘餘，
13:27
and it is also critically endangered.
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同樣也極度瀕危。
13:29
So, who is next? Us?
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那麼接下來輪到誰？我們？
13:31
Because we are all dependent on these water sources.
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因為我們都依靠這些水源為生。
13:34
So, we all know about the Narmada river,
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我們都知道Narmada河，
13:36
the tragedies of dams, the tragedies of huge projects
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那些水壩，那些大型工程帶來的悲劇，
13:39
which displace people and wreck river systems
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它們迫使人們遷移，破壞了江河系統，
13:42
without providing livelihoods.
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卻并沒有帶來任何生機。
13:44
And development just basically going berserk,
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而發展開始變得粗暴，
13:47
for a double figure growth index, basically.
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為的是維持兩位數的發展指數。
13:50
So, we're not sure where this story is going to end,
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所以我們也不敢肯定事情會以怎樣的結局告終，
13:55
whether it's got a happy or sad ending.
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皆大歡喜還是悲劇收場。
13:57
And climate change is certainly going
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而氣候變化肯定正在發生，
13:59
to turn all of our theories and predictions on their heads.
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它將推翻我們所有的理論和預測。
14:02
We're still working hard at it.
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我們還在努力。
14:04
We've got a lot of a good team of people working up there.
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我們有一個很好的團隊齊心協力。
14:07
And the thing is, you know, the decision makers,
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而問題在於，你知道，那些決策者們，
14:10
the folks in power,
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那些當權派，
14:12
they're up in their bungalows and so on in Delhi,
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他們都住洋房別墅，在德里，
14:14
in the city capitals. They are all supplied with plenty of water. It's cool.
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在大城市。他們都有充足的水源供應。這很好。
14:17
But out on the rivers there are still millions of people
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但是在河流兩岸，還有數以百萬計的人們
14:20
who are in really bad shape.
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他們的生活令人堪憂。
14:23
And it's a bleak future for them.
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而且前途渺茫。
14:25
So, we have our Ganges and Yamuna cleanup project.
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所以，我們有清潔恒河和Yamuna河的計劃，
14:28
We've spent hundreds of millions of dollars on it,
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我們已經花了數百萬美元，
14:30
and nothing to show for it. Incredible.
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然而什麽效果也沒有。真是不可思議。
14:33
So, people talk about political will.
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於是，人們常說政治意志。
14:36
During the die-off of the gharial we did galvanize a lot of action.
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在印度鱷大量死亡的時候，我們的確激起了大量的行動。
14:39
Government cut through all the red tape,
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政府給我們一路綠燈，
14:41
we got foreign vets on it. It was great.
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我們得到外國獸醫的援助。這很棒。
14:43
So, we can do it.
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所以，我們是能做到的。
14:45
But if you stroll down to the Yamuna
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但是如果你去到Yamuna河，
14:47
or to the Gomati in Lucknow,
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或是勒客瑙（印度北部）的Gomati河，
14:49
or to the Adyar river in Chennai,
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欽乃的Adyar河，
14:52
or the Mula-Mutha river in Pune,
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普納的Mula-muta河，
14:55
just see what we're capable of doing to a river. It's sad.
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去看看我們對一條河的所作所為。太讓人傷心了。
14:59
But I think the final note really is
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但我認為最終的基調仍然是
15:02
that we can do it.
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我們能做到。
15:05
The corporates, the artists, the wildlife nuts,
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社團，藝術家，野生動物狂熱份子，
15:08
the good old everyday folks
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那些普普通通的老百姓們，
15:10
can actually bring these rivers back.
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能夠拯救這些河流。
15:13
And the final word is
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最後我想說的是
15:15
that there is a king cobra looking over our shoulders.
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有一條眼鏡王蛇正在身後注視著我們。
15:19
And there is a gharial looking at us from the river.
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有一條印度鱷正從河裡盯著我們。
15:22
And these are powerful water totems.
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這些都是強大的水圖騰。
15:24
And they are going to disturb our dreams until we do the right thing.
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它們將讓我們晚上不得安睡，直到我們做出正確的行動。
15:28
Namaste.
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此致敬禮（印度的合十禮）
15:30
(Applause)
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15:36
Chris Anderson: Thanks, Rom. Thanks a lot.
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Chris Anderson:謝謝Rom。非常感謝。
15:39
You know, most people are terrified of snakes.
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要知道，大部份人都怕蛇。
15:42
And there might be quite a few people here who would be
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這裡沒准就有一些人
15:44
very glad to see the last king cobra bite the dust.
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很樂意看到最後的眼鏡王蛇乾脆滅絕。
15:47
Do you have those conversations with people?
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你和這樣的人交談過嗎？
15:50
How do you really get them to care?
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你怎麼能讓這些人真正關心這一切？
15:52
Romulus Whitaker: I take the sort of humble approach,
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Romulus Whitaker:我採取的方式
15:57
I guess you could say. I don't say that snakes are huggable exactly.
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你會覺得有些謙卑。我不會說蛇蛇很可愛，要多抱抱它們。
16:01
It's not like the teddy bear.
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這可不是泰迪小熊。
16:04
But I sort of -- there is an innocence in these animals.
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但是我覺得，這些動物是無辜的。
16:08
And when the average person looks at a cobra
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當普通人看見一條眼鏡蛇
16:10
going "Ssssss!" like that, they say, "My god,
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開始像這樣發出絲絲聲時，他們會說「天啊，
16:12
look at that angry, dangerous creature."
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這是個憤怒又危險的動物。」
16:14
I look at it as a creature who is totally frightened
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而在我看來，這個動物被什麽東西嚇壞了
16:17
of something so dangerous as a human being.
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比如像人這樣危險的東西。
16:20
And that is the truth. And that's what I try to get out.
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而這是事實。這就是我想說的。
16:23
(Applause)
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16:27
CA: Now, incredible footage you showed of the viper being killed.
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CA：你剛才播放的精彩片段就是關於毒蛇被捕食的。
16:29
You were saying that that hasn't been filmed before.
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你說這樣的場景是第一次被拍攝到。
16:32
RW: Yes, this is actually the first time anyone of us knew about it, for one thing.
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RM:是的。這的確是首次我們發現這個事實。
16:35
As I said, it's just like a little snack for him, you know?
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正像我說的，對它來說就是塞塞牙縫，你知道嗎？
16:38
Usually they eat larger snakes like rat snakes,
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通常它們都會吃更大的蛇，如吃老鼠的蛇類，
16:40
or even cobras.
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甚至眼鏡蛇。
16:42
But this guy who we're following right now is in the deep jungle.
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但是我們正在追蹤的這個傢伙是在叢林深處。
16:45
Whereas other king cobras
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而其他的眼鏡王蛇
16:47
very often come into the human interface,
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非常頻繁地進入人類的領地，
16:49
you know, the plantations, to find big rat snakes and stuff.
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諸如種植園，去尋找大鼠蛇之類的食物。
16:52
This guy specializes in pit vipers.
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而這個傢伙則專吃毒蛇。
16:55
And the guy who is working there with them,
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而那個和它們一起工作的傢伙，
16:57
he's from Maharashtra, he said, "I think he's after the nusha."
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他來自馬哈拉施特拉邦（印度中部），他說，「我認為他對nusha上癮了。」
17:00
(Laughter)
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（觀眾笑聲）
17:02
Now, the nusha means the high.
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nusha意味著嗨了。
17:04
Whenever he eats the pit viper he gets this little venom rush.
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每次它吃下一條毒蛇都像嗑藥一樣爽一下。
17:07
(Laughter)
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17:09
CA: Thanks Rom. Thank you.
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CA:謝謝ROM。謝謝你。
17:11
(Applause)
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Romulus Whitaker - HerpetologistRomulus Whitaker is a scientist and conservationist who slings around the globe to study and protect reptiles.
Why you should listen
Romulus Whitaker's boyhood fascination with the snakes near his home in Bombay has developed into a career of getting up close with some of the world's most venomous creatures. In 1972, Whitaker founded India's first snake park, in Madras, with support from the World Wildlife Fund. Later he founded the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust Centre for Herpetology to re-establish three species of crocodiles that were nearing extinction. The bank now houses 3,000 crocodiles of 15 species. Currently, Whitaker is focusing on the Gharial crocodile, whose species has less than 250 members left in Indian waters.
At age 65, he shows no sign of slowing down. “The Dragon Chronicles,” filmed in 2008 for PBS's series Nature, shows Whitaker cave-diving in ice-cold water for Slovenian olms, climbing trees in pursuit of flying lizards in the Western Ghats, and Komodo dragon-wrestling in Indonesia. Awarded the 2005 Whitley prize, Whitaker used the £30,000 purse to start the Agumbe Rainforest Research Station, the first to be built along the whole 1,000km length of the Western Ghats. He uses the research station to study king cobras in their natural habitat.
Romulus Whitaker | Speaker | TED.com