BBC | 《南太平洋》-奇妙岛屿 18

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The cats were removed from Stephens Island,

这些猫后来被清出斯蒂芬斯岛了

but it was too late for the wren.

但对鹧鹩来说为时已晚

Now only known from a few cat-chewed museum specimens,

现在对鹧鹩的了解仅限于少数几个被猫咬过的样本

evolving to be flightless had proven fatal.

由此证明它们在演化过程中失去飞行能力这一点是致命的

So it seems there is a trade-off.

所以，似乎是有得有失

The freedom of island life allows a species to relax its guard,

岛屿生活的自由会让物种放松警惕

but that can leave it defenceless.

但也有可能令其失去防御能力

on the main islands of New Zealand,

在新西兰主要的岛屿上

similar dramas have played out time and time again.

类似剧情一再上演

Forests dominated by giant kauri trees once covered the North Island.

以巨型贝壳杉为主的森林曾经覆盖着北岛

The fragments that remain look much like they have for millennia,

留存下来的碎片看起来千年未变

but looks can be deceiving.

但外表是会骗人的

A few centuries ago,

几百年前

this forest echoed with the calls of strange and wonderful birds.

这片森林里回荡着奇妙鸟类的鸣叫声

Most famous was the giant moa,

其中最有名的是巨型恐鸟

which looked a bit like an ostrich,

看起来有点像鸵鸟

but taller than an elephant.

但长得比大象还高

And there are many more birds

还有更多鸟类

whose haunting songs now exist here only in memory.

它那萦绕心头的声音现在只存在于记忆中。

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