Keith Bellows: Celebrating the camel

翻訳: Ritsuko Maruta 校正: Masaki Yanagishita

[SHIT]

糞

This is arguably the back end of the design of animals.

これは間違いなく動物の最終工程のデザインでしょう

(Laughter)

（笑）

But the reason I put this up here is because

この言葉を書いた理由はこうです

when I was in Africa last year, my wife and I were driving around,

昨年妻とアフリカでドライブをしました

we had this wonderful guide,

素晴らしいガイド付きです

who showed us something that surprised both of us,

私たちが驚いたのは

and it was very revealing in terms of the fascination

普段知る事のない魅力的な

that comes with the design of animals.

動物のカタチについてです

It turns out that in about the 1880s, the missionaries came to Africa

1880年頃 宣教師がアフリカにやって来て

to spread the word of Christianity,

キリスト教の教えと

to teach English to the natives.

英語を現地人に教えました

And they brought blackboards and chalk.

彼らは黒板とチョークを持参しました

And I'd like you to imagine that that's a blackboard,

例えばこれが黒板だとすると

and I just used some chalk on there.

このようにチョークで何かを書く

And they brought quite a bit of this stuff.

彼らは ずいぶんたくさん持って行きました

But over the years, the blackboards were fine,

数年経ち 黒板には問題ありませんが

but they ran out of chalk.

チョークがなくなりました

And this is a real crisis for them.

彼らにとっては重大な事です

And that's where the hyena comes in.

ここでハイエナの出番です

The hyena is probably the most perfectly designed

ハイエナは世界で 最も完璧に設計された

scavenging animal in the world.

腐肉食の動物でしょう

It strip-mines carcasses, and it has amazing teeth,

死骸をほじくる 頑丈な歯を持ちます

because it enables the hyena to essentially eat bones.

この歯で骨までも食べるのです

Now, the end product of that action is up on the board here.

その食べた結果が黒板の上に使われるのです

What the missionaries would do is, they'd walk around

宣教師は歩き回り ハイエナの

and they'd pick up hyena shit.

糞を集めたのです

And the incredible thing about hyena shit is, it makes great chalk.

何とハイエナの糞で良いチョークが作れるからです

(Laughter)

（笑）

That's not what I'm here to talk about,

本題はこの事ではなく

but it is a fascinating aspect of animal design.

魅力的な動物のカタチです

What I'm here to talk about is the camel.

今日はラクダの話をします

When I started talking to Richard

リチャードと

about what I was going to speak about,

スピーチの題材を相談しました

I had recently come back from Jordan,

最近ヨルダンに行ってきたのですが

where I had an amazing experience with a camel.

そこでラクダについての驚くべき経験をしました

(Laughter)

(笑)

And we were in the desert.

砂漠にいたのですが…

Richard Wurman: That's the end! Keith Bellows: Yeah, yeah.

（リチャード） それで話は終わりだろ （キース） 分かってる

We were in the desert, in Wadi Rum, in a small Jeep.

ワディ・ラムの砂漠をジープで走っていました

There were four of us, two Bedouin drivers.

遊牧民の運転手２名と計４人で

You can just imagine, this expanse is an ocean of sand,

広大な砂の海を走る所を想像してください

105 degrees, one water bottle.

気温40度 水のボトルは一本

And we were driving in what they told us was their very, very best Jeep.

ドライブ中に彼らは言いました

Didn't look like it to me.

このジープは頑丈だと 私にはそう見えませんでしたが

And as we started to go through the desert,

砂漠を走り始めると

the Jeep broke down.

ジープが故障したんです

The guys got out, they put the hood up,

ガイドが降りてボンネットを開け

they started working under the hood, got it going again.

修理をして直しました

About a hundred yards, it broke down.

しかし90メートル走った所でまた故障

This went on about 6-7 times, we were getting more and more alarmed,

これを６、７回繰り返しました どんどん不安になる中

we were also getting deeper and deeper into the desert.

砂漠の奥へと進んで行ったのです

And eventually, our worst nightmare happened:

そして ついに最悪の事態になりました

they flooded the engine.

オーバーフローです

And they said, "Ah, no problem! We just get out and walk."

彼らは「問題ない歩いて行ける」と

And we said, "We get out and walk?"

驚きました

One water bottle, remember, guys, four people.

４人で水はたったの一本です

And they said, "Yeah, yeah, we'll walk. We'll find some camels."

彼らは「大丈夫ラクダを見つけるよ」と

We got out and walked, and sure enough,

我々は車を降りて歩きました

about half a mile, we came over the crest of this hill,

800メートル歩き 丘の頂上に着くと

and there was a huge gathering of Bedouin with their camels.

大勢の遊牧民とラクダがいました

The guy went up and started dickering,

ガイドが彼らと取引をし

and 10 dollars later, we had four camels.

10ドルで４頭のラクダを手に入れました

They went down like elevators; we got on them.

エレベーターのように体をかがめたラクダに乗りました

They went back up, and the Bedouin, each Bedouin, four of them,

４人の遊牧民はそれぞれ

got behind each of the camels with a little whip.

ラクダの後ろでムチを打ちました

And they started slashing away at the back of the camels,

背中にムチを打つ事でラクダを出発させるのです

and they started galloping.

ラクダは全速力で走り始めました

And if you've ever been on a camel, it is a very, very uncomfortable ride.

ラクダの背中に乗った事ありますか？ とても 乗り心地が悪いものです

There's also one other aspect about these camels.

このラクダには特徴がありまして

About every 10 steps, they lean back

10歩 歩くごとに後ろを振り返って

and try to take a chunk out of your leg.

乗り手の足を噛もうとするんです

(Laughter)

（笑）

So we kept on going,

進めば進むほど

and this camel kept on trying to take a chunk out of my leg.

足を噛もうとするんです

And eventually, three miles later, we arrived at our destination,

５キロ進んだ所で目的地に着き

where a Jeep was supposed to meet us.

そこにジープがある予定でした

And the camels come down again like elevators,

ラクダはエレベーターのように体をかがめて

we sort of clumsily get off,

私たちはぎこちなく降りました

and they, obviously, try to take another chunk out of my leg.

また足を噛もうとするんです

And I've developed a very wonderful relationship

私はラクダとこの時までに素晴らしい関係を

with this creature by this point,

築く事ができました

and I've realized that this is a mean son of a bitch.

気付きました この生き物はイジワルだと

And much meaner, by the way, than the Bedouin who greeted me

私を歓迎するや 自分の26人の娘の

and tried to sell me one of his 26 daughters

１人をアメリカに連れて行けと 押し付けようとした

to take back to the States.

遊牧民よりずっとイジワルです

So as we talked, Richard and I,

リチャードに言いました

I said, "You know, maybe I should bring a camel.

「ラクダを連れてこよう

It's the best designed animal in the world."

世界的にも優れた特徴を持つ動物だよ」と

He went, "Nah. I don't think we want to be bringing a camel."

彼は「ラクダを連れてくるのはどんなもんか」と

And you should be really glad we decided not to bring the camel.

連れて来なくて本当に良かったと思っています

So I did the next best thing.

折衷案として

I went to the Washington Zoo.

ワシントン動物園に行きました

Richard said, "I want you to get up close and personal with this camel.

リチャードは「ラクダの近くに行って 仲良くなって

I want you to inspect its mouth, look at its teeth.

口の中や歯の様子を観察し

Go underneath it. Go above it. Go around it.

下にもぐったり 上に乗って ラクダの全体を見て

Pull its tail up; take a look in there.

シッポを持ち上げて そこを見て

I want you to get as close to that camel as you possibly can."

出来る限りラクダの近くに行って欲しい」と

So, I got a National Geographic film crew.

ナショナル・ジオグラフィックのスタッフを引き連れ

We went down there, and I took one look at this camel.

動物園に行きました

It is a 2,000 pound creature who is in rut.

900キロもある発情期のラクダです

(Laughter)

（笑）

Now, if you've ever seen a 2,000 pound camel in rut,

900キロの発情期のラクダを見たことあります？

it is a scary, scary thing to behold.

眺めるだけで恐ろしいですよ

And if Richard thought I was getting in the ring with that camel,

リチャードは私がラクダの柵の中に入ると思ったでしょうが

someone was smoking Bedouin high grade.

正気の沙汰ではありませんよ

(Laughter)

（笑）

So we got as close to it as possible,

とにかく出来るだけ接近しました

and I'm going to share this.

一緒にビデオを見てみましょう

Chris, if you want to roll this film.

クリス流してくれるかい？

Then I'm going to show you

その後でさらに

a little bit more about the design of camels.

ラクダの特徴をお話します

Do you want to roll the film?

準備はいいですか？

(Adventure music)

（音楽）

(Video) Hello. This is Keith Bellows

（ビデオ） こちらキース・ベローズ

with the TED National Geographic Camel Investigation Unit.

TED の ナショナル・ジオグラフィック ラクダ調査部

I'm here to look at the ultimate desert machine.

究極の砂漠動物を調査します

(Music continues)

（音楽）

Keith Bellows: And you'll note I started chewing gum

ガムを噛んでいるのは

because I was around this camel all day.

一日中ラクダの周りに居たからです

(Video) That's it, OK. No!

（ビデオ）よし それだ　だめ

See, now he's getting a little overexcited.

（飼育員）ずいぶん興奮している

So we'll need to be very careful around him. Don't let him get you.

注意が必要です 襲われないように

Now, you can see copious amounts of saliva in there.

大量のツバが見えるでしょう

I always called myself the unstable stable boy.

私の事は 不安定な馬小屋ボーイと呼んでくれ

Their nose, you can see his nose is flared right now.

今鼻が広がっているでしょう？

When they're in rut, they're similar to seals

発情期には鼻がオットセイのようになって

in the way, like, a seal has to open its nose to breathe.

息をする時には鼻が開くんです

And they're similar. They have to consciously open their nose.

意識的に鼻を開けて呼吸する仕組みです

KB: Ears?

（キース） 耳は？

SK: They are small. But they have excellent hearing.

（飼育係） 耳は小さいですが 聴力に優れています

But not big; for instance, in zebras, they have a huge ear

例えばシマウマの耳は大きくて

that's very mobile, so they can actually turn them both around.

動くので後ろにまで回す事ができるのです

And they use them in the same way we use our binocular vision.

双眼鏡のような働きで

They use that to pinpoint sound.

正確に音の方向をつかみます

The desert's extremely windy as well as being very cold.

砂漠は風が強いだけでなくとても寒いです

So not only do they have the very long eyelashes,

長い睫毛があるだけでなく

but there's the secondary --

第二の睫毛の様なものがあって

I guess you'd call it the [unclear] or whatever.

・・みたいな

It's this hair that's above the eyes, and below it, it's longer.

目の上下にある長い毛がある

Most people think that the humps store water.

コブには水が入っていると思われがちですが

They don't. They store fat.

実は脂肪です

Now, I'm not a chemist, but basically what happens

私は化学者ではないけど 説明すると

is the fat is oxidized by their breathing.

呼吸が脂肪を酸化させるので

And that will turn it into actually usable water.

体に役立つ水になるんです

Like a lot of predators, they walk on their toes.

多くの補食動物のようにつま先で歩きます

But there's a big fat pad in there that squishes out.

大きな脂肪のパッドがあって 押しつぶすのです

They're like sun shoes, but, you know, with sand.

サンダルの役目をしているのです

Hooves? They don't have traditional hooves,

典型的な蹄(ひづめ)はありませんが

but they do have one, like, big nail.

大きな爪の様なものがあります

(Audience laughter)

(笑)

You can't really see too clear. The fur's kind of grown over.

毛に覆われていて よく見えませんね

But they use their tails a lot, especially in rut.

発情期にはシッポをよく使います

He will urinate and spin his tail to spread the urine around

シッポを回しながら尿をします 尿を飛び散らすのです

and make him more attractive.

魅力的に見せるそうです

I don't know why that would be, but it works for them.

何故かは分かりませんがラクダの習性です

So, what the hell.

何なんですかね

(Audience laughter)

(笑)

Now, they will also defecate in certain areas.

あとは特定の場所で排便をします

Generally, they poop wherever they want to,

通常はどこでもしますが

but during their rut, they will defecate in perimeter areas.

発情期には排便の場所があるのです

I don't know if you've read or heard about the sub-sonic sounds from elephants,

ゾウの可聴音以下の声を聞いた事ありますか？

you know what I mean, like, "Br-r-r!"

ブルルっと鳴く音です

These big, big rumbling sounds. He will do the same thing.

ラクダもゴロゴロと大きい音を出します

You can actually see, right here, it will vibrate.

振動をおこすくらいです

We weigh our animals.

動物の体重を計ります

Unfortunately, he's a very aggressive animal,

このラクダは非常に攻撃的で

so he's actually destroyed some of the scales.

体重計をいくつか壊しました

We had these big things that I weigh the bison on, for instance.

バイソンなどの大きな動物を計った事もあります

I'm guessing that he's at least 1,600 pounds.

バイソンは少なくとも720キロくらいでしょう

But I would put him closer to 2,000.

でもこのラクダは900キロはあると思う

He's basically a walking mulch pile.

ラクダは基本的に歩く「おがくずの山」です

We're kind of like buds, but I'm also a male as well.

俺たちは友達でもあり男同士でもあります

KB: He sees you as competition? Senior Keeper: Yeah, exactly.

（キース） ライバル視される？　 （飼育係） そうなんだ

And it makes him very dangerous at this time of year.

この時期は危険になる

Don't even think about it. Don't think about it!

おとなしくしろよ おとなしく！

But now, we're going to meet. Out!

別のラクダを… こら! 出なさい!

Out! Out!

出るんだ!

No.

こら

Out!

出ろ！

(Music)

(音楽)

(Applause)

（拍手）

KB: What I didn't show you was, you got that swinging thing going?

ある部分をビデオではカットしてあるんです

Well, and you're glad I didn't show you this.

見せなくて良かったのかも知れませんが

One of the other things about the camel's beautiful design

ラクダの面白い特徴として

is that its penis points backwards.

ペニスが後ろを向いているんです

That way the camel can dip its tail in the stream,

排尿時 尿をしっぽに垂らして

and just whacker the entire area around him.

広範囲に散らすのです

And that's how he really marks his territory.

こうして自分の縄張りを広めるんです

Now, what you also didn't see was that --

そしてもう一つお見せしなかったのですが

and you may have noticed in the pen beside him

隣にラクダがもう一頭いました

and, by the way, the camel's name is Suki.

これまで紹介したラクダがスキで

In the pen beside him is Jasmine.

隣にいたのがジャスミンです

Jasmine has been his mate for some time.

ジャスミンはスキのお相手を時々します

But on this particular occasion, it was very, very clear

ですが この時は明らかに

that as horny as Suki was, Jasmine was having none of it.

スキが求めてもジャスミンは応じませんでした

And so we started thinking.

私たちは考えました

Well, if poor old Suki is in search of a mate,

かわいそうなスキは

what would Suki do to find the perfect mate?

文句なしの相手をどうやって見つけるのかと

I'm going to show you another film.

別のビデオをお見せします

But before I do, I just want to mention

その前に 言いたいのは

that this animal truly is a sort of the SUV of the sand,

ラクダはまるで砂丘のSUVです

the ship of the desert.

砂漠の船のようで

It's so vital to the inhabitants of the areas

ラクダの暮らす地域の住人にとって 大事な存在です

in which the camel is found, largely Mongolia and Sahara,

主にモンゴルやサハラです

that there are 160 words in Arabic to describe the camel.

アラビア語ではラクダを表現する言葉が 160もあるんです

And if this is a creature that was designed by committee,

ラクダが人間の手で設計されたとしたら

it's certainly been like no committee I've ever been on.

尊敬に値しますね

So here's what Suki would do in search of a mate.

それではスキのお相手探しを見てみましょう

Can you roll it, please?

準備はいいですか？

Camel seeking camel

恋人探しのラクダ

Lusty beast desires attractive and sincere mate.

たくましい動物は魅力的で誠実な相手を求めます

I'm seven feet, 2,000 lbs., with brown hair and eyes, long legs --

身長２メートル 体重900キロ 毛と目は茶色 長い脚

and I'm very well ... hung.

モノも立派

I'm TED Camel.

僕はテッド・ラクダだ

The perfect desert machine.

完全なる砂漠のマシーン

I'm smartly designed.

優れた特徴

Eyelashes that keep out sand

睫毛は砂が目に入らないように 第３の睫毛は

and a third eyelash that works like a windshield wiper.

ワイパーの役目

A distinguished nose --

大きな鼻

with nostrils lined to filter out sand and dust

鼻孔が砂やホコリを入れないようにして

and a groove that catches moisture.

更に湿度を保つ

Amazingly full lips --

厚い唇で

that allow me to eat practically anything that grows.

生えているものを何でも食べられる

Callouses on my knees that let me kneel comfortably.

膝のコブは かがむ時にクッションになる

Leathery chest pads that beat the heat.

胸のパッドが熱から守る

Short fur that keeps my skin cool.

短い毛は肌が熱くなるのを避ける

Long legs that allow heat to escape.

長い脚で熱を逃がす

And my hump?

コブ？

Ogden Nash once wrote:

詩人オグデン・ナッシュは言った

"The camel has a single hump; the dromedary two,

ラクダのコブは一つ ヒトコブラクダは二つ

or else the other way around. I'm never sure. Are you?"

もしくは逆かも知れない 確信を持った事はない あなたは？

Here's a hint:

ヒント

Bactarian.

フタコブラクダは B

Dromedary.

ヒトコブラクダは D

My hump contains up to 80 lbs. of fat, but doesn't store H2O.

僕のコブは36キロの脂肪を蓄えるけど水は蓄えない

I'm built to last.

持久力がある

I'm the go-to animal when the oasis is dry.

僕はオアシスが乾いてる時に頼りになる

I usually won't sweat until my body reaches 105 ºF,

体温が40.5度になるまで 汗をかかない

enough to fry an egg.

体重の40％を

I'm able to lose 40% of my weight without dying.

死なずに落とせる

(Most animals would if they lost half that much.)

（ほとんどの動物は20％で死ぬ）

I'll drink 5 to 7 gallons of water a day.

一日に19〜26リットルの水を飲む

But go without for more than a month.

でも一ヵ月水なしでも生きていられる

I'm powerful.

パワフルなんだ

Able to pack up to 400 lbs. of cargo.

180キロの荷物を運べて

Outrun a horse --

馬より速い

And cover 26 miles on a good day.

一日に42キロも移動する

Camelot.

ケネディ時代に

Jackie O. once said that traveling by camel

ジャクリーン・ケネディはラクダと比べたら

made riding an elephant seem like taking a jet plane.

ゾウの旅は ジェット機みたいだと言った

Yet my large, soft feet allow me to navigate sand.

でも僕の大きくてソフトな脚は砂を歩くのにピッタリ

(Is that why the Bedouin claim I can dance?)

（これだから 遊牧民は僕がダンスできるって言うの？）

I'm a good provider, too.

僕はとっても役に立つ

Bedouins call the camel the Gift of God.

遊牧民はラクダを「神からの贈り物」と

No surprise.

その通りだ

Tents and rugs are made of my hair.

テントと絨毯は僕の毛で作られている

My dried bones are prized as a sort of ivory.

乾燥した骨は象牙のように貴重品

My dung is burned as fuel. My milk is used for cheese.

糞は燃料に 乳はチーズに

"Camels are like angels," a Bedouin once said.

遊牧民は言った「ラクダは天使だ」

(Applause)

（拍手）

Thank you. I just want to leave you with one last thought,

ありがとう 最後に一つ

which is probably the most important thing to take away.

終わりを結ぶのに重要な事を言わせてください

Humans, the animal, are pretty lucky creatures because, by and large,

絶えず環境に順応しているのです

we really don't have to adapt to our environment;

動物の世界を垣間みれば

we adapt our environment to us.

概して人間という動物はとても恵まれています 何故なら

And we've seen that repeatedly through this conference,

環境に順応する必要がないからです

not just this year, but in past years.

その素晴らしさが分かります

But this creature that you've just seen

我々は環境を順応させるのです

ultimately adapts, and keeps adapting and adapting.

彼らには順応させる環境があるのではなく

I think when you look at the animal kingdom,

私たちはテッドを通して それを学んできました

that is one of the most remarkable things.

彼らが順応せねばなりません

It doesn't have an environment that adapts to it;

何年もかけて

it has to adapt to the environment.

リチャード 呼んでくれてありがとう

Ricky, thank you very much for having me.

私が紹介したこの動物は

RW: That's terrific. Thank you.

素晴らしかったよ ありがとう