The Magical, Mesmerizing Migration of Monarch Butterflies | Jaime Rojo | TED

翻译人员: Jacky He 校对人员: Lening Xu

Few insects have captured our imagination like the monarch butterfly.

很少有昆虫像帝王蝶 那么吸引人。

Their migration is one of the most iconic wildlife spectacles in North America,

它们的迁徙是北美 最具标志性的野生动物景观之一，

but they are also one of the best environmental indicators we have

同时也是我们衡量生态系统

of the health of our ecosystems.

健康状况的最佳指标之一。

And they have been in decline for the last 40 years.

在过去的 40 年中， 它们持续减少。

So they might be telling us a bigger story.

这可能反映的是更大的问题。

A story about our relationship with the natural world.

关于我们与自然世界的关系。

Every year, these amazing insects

每年，这些神奇的昆虫

undertake one of the most extraordinary journeys on this planet.

都会踏上这个星球上最壮观的旅程之一。

It takes from three to five generations of monarchs

需要三到五代帝王蝶

to complete the whole migration.

才能完成整个迁移。

And it starts in Mexico in the spring,

它始于春天的墨西哥，

when the monarchs that spend the winter there

帝王蝶在那里过冬，

travel back north to lay their eggs.

又回到北方产卵。

So the first and second generation of monarchs

第一代和第二代帝王蝶

are born and remain in the USA,

便在美国出生并居留，

and they live up to six weeks, more or less.

它们差不多能活六周。

But most migratory monarchs belong to the third and fourth generation,

但是大多数迁徙帝王蝶 属于第三代和第四代，

and they emerge in the late summer, early fall

它们出现在夏末初秋，

when the days start to get shorter

白天开始变短，

and it's cooler and they feel it

天气越来越凉爽。

它们感受到了，于是体内荷尔蒙 发生了波动，这称为滞期。

and they undergo a hormonal change in their bodies called the diapause.

And this puts their mating instinct on hold.

这使他们的交配功能 处于停滞状态。

And they live longer then.

它们便活得更长。

This super generation will live up to nine months.

这个“超级代”的寿命长达九个月。

And they will complete the trip to Mexico,

他们将完成墨西哥之旅，

旅行3,000 英里到达一个 他们从未去过的地方。

3,000 miles to a place where they have never been before.

Because remember, they are the great granddaughters

记住，它们是

of the butterflies that left in the spring.

春天从这里离开的蝴蝶的曾子嗣。

How they do it, how they find the exact same location remains a mystery,

他们是如何做到的， 如何找到完全相同的地点仍然是个谜，

especially if we consider that the sanctuaries,

尤其是它们寻找的森林保护区

the forests they are looking for

are located only on 12 isolated mountaintops

位于墨西哥中部的 12 处隔绝的山顶上。

in central Mexico,

and these are the perfect conditions for the monarchs.

这些山顶是帝王蝶的理想栖息地。

It is cool and moist in high elevations.

在高海拔地区，天气凉爽潮湿。

But for years scientists have been trying to answer the same question:

但是多年来，科学家们一直在 努力回答同样的问题：

how do they exactly find their way?

他们到底是怎么找到路的？

There are many hypotheses.

有很多假设。

Some say it has to do with geomagnetism.

有人说这与地磁有关。

There are evidences that they use visual cues from the landscape.

有证据表明他们使用了 景观中的视觉线索。

You know, the ridges of the mountains.

即山脊。

There's even theories about the odor of the pheromones of previous butterflies

甚至有关于前一年存在蝴蝶的 信息素气味的理论。

that were there the year before.

But the truth is that we don't know exactly.

但我们并不确切地知道。

And they are continually actively researching this topic.

而且人们一直在积极 研究这个话题。

Physiologist Christine Merlin discovered that the monarchs use their antennae

生理学家克里斯汀·梅林 发现，帝王蝶使用触角

as part of a very sophisticated solar compass.

作为非常复杂的空间导航的一部分。

And researchers from the University of Iowa

爱荷华大学的研究人员

are using this radio tracker

正在使用无线电追踪器

to monitor the short-range movement of the monarchs when they feed.

来监视帝王蝶进食时的短距离移动。

But this thing, as you can imagine, is very cumbersome.

但是你可以想象，这件事非常麻烦。

You cannot track the long-distance migration of a monarch with this.

无法用这个来追踪帝王蝶的长途迁移，

Until recently.

直到最近。

A team from University of Michigan is developing

密歇根大学的一个团队 正在开发一项

what promises to be a breakthrough technology:

也许是突破性的技术：

an ultra-light sensor

一种超轻传感器，

that, combined with an algorithm,

该传感器与算法相结合，

will, for the first time, be able to track

将首次能够跟踪

the single path of one monarch

一只帝王蝶进入墨西哥时的路径，

when they make it to Mexico, which is very exciting.

这非常令人振奋。

But often for these complex problems,

但是，对于这些复杂的问题，

the best and most efficient solutions are the simplest ones.

最简单的方式通常是 最有效的解决方案。

We have been tagging monarchs for 30 years.

我们 30 年来在给帝王蝶贴标签。

We use these stickers that are very light,

我们使用这些非常轻的贴纸，

and they contain coded information and information about their origin.

它们包含编码 信息和有关其来源的信息。

And this is how we discovered

我们就是这样发现 70 年代帝王蝶

where the monarchs were spending the winter in the '70s.

过冬的场所。

And today, it continues to be one

如今，这仍然是北美最受欢迎的

of the most popular environmental education [activities] in North America,

环境常识活动之一，

with volunteers having tagged more than two million butterflies in 30 years.

志愿者在 30 年内为 超过 200 万只蝴蝶加了标签。

Now all these challenges that we face to track the monarchs

我们追踪帝王蝶的所面临的挑战，

are nothing if we compare them

与其在漫长旅途中的经历相比微不足道，

to what the monarchs themselves have to face

throughout their long journey,

especially starting in the prairies of North America,

尤其是从北美草原开始，

or at least what is left of them.

或者至少从剩下的草原开始。

Because every year we are losing one million acres of prairie

由于我们每年损失 一百万英亩的草原，

being transformed into land development and agricultural fields.

它被改造成土地开发、 被改造成农田。

And in the '90s, this problem got worse

而在 90 年代， 这个问题更为突出，

because the widespread use of herbicides combined with genetically modified crops

因为除草剂 和转基因作物的广泛使用

created a new problem.

造成了新问题。

They basically wiped out the native grasses from the fields,

他们基本上消灭了田野里的原生草，

including the milkweed.

包括乳草。

And the milkweed is the host plant of the monarchs.

而乳草是帝王蝶的主要食物。

That means they need it to lay their eggs and to feed their hungry caterpillars.

它们需要它来产卵 和喂养饥饿的毛毛虫。

Without milkweed, the monarch population started to collapse.

没有乳草，帝王蝶种群开始萎缩。

Now our monarchs will continue their journey south,

现在，我们的帝王蝶 将继续向南进发，

and they will have to face new threats,

不得不面对新的威胁，

like roadkill that kills three percent of monarchs every year,

比如每年杀死 3% 帝王蝶的公路杀手，

or even light pollution from big cities that confuses them,

以及使他们迷路的大城市光污染，

it alters their patterns of sleep.

它改变他们的睡眠模式。

But they will endure and eventually will reach Mexico.

但是他们将坚持下去， 最终将到达墨西哥；

Aha, a last surprise, deforestation.

啊哈，最后一个惊喜，森林砍伐。

Deforestation makes them more vulnerable to climate change.

森林减少使它们 更容易受到气候变化的影响。

And as many of you know, climate change has many faces:

正如你们中许多人所知道的那样， 气候变化有许多方面：

droughts, heat waves

干旱、热浪

or even snowstorms, like the one you are seeing in this picture,

甚至暴风雪，就像 你在这张照片中看到的那样，

have become the major challenge for the monarchs in the short term.

这些已成为帝王蝶在短期内 面临的主要挑战。

So I have to ask you

所以我请求你们

don't let this beautiful illusion of plenty fool you,

不要被这种美丽的表象欺骗，

because the monarchs are in serious trouble.

因为帝王蝶遇到了严重的麻烦。

But there's also good news,

但也有好消息，

there's many people trying to protect them.

有很多人在试图保护他们。

Working with the local communities in Mexico

与墨西哥当地社区合作

has been essential to control the deforestation rates.

对于控制森林砍伐率至关重要。

Farmers are working with conservationists,

农民正在与环保主义者合作，

and they are using drones

他们正在使用无人机

to analyze vast tracts of fields in search of milkweed.

分析大片田地以寻找乳草。

Because the science is very clear,

因为研究结论很清楚，

all the monarchs need is their habitat back.

帝王蝶只需要 恢复它们的栖息地。

And we can do that by planting milkweed

我们可以通过种植乳草

and by planting native grasses with flowers.

和种植带花的原生草 来做到这一点。

That's why thousands of citizens along the migratory route

这就是为什么迁徙路线上

are turning their backyards into habitat for the monarchs.

成千上万的公民将他们的后院 变成帝王蝶栖息地的原因。

(Applause)

（掌声）

Even small parks in big cities like Chicago can help,

即使是像芝加哥这样的大城市 小公园也可以提供帮助，

because these are like gas stations,

因为它们就像加油站

pit stops for the monarchs when they travel.

是帝王蝶旅行时的休息站。

And as you can imagine, farmers play an essential part.

你可以想象， 农民起着至关重要的作用。

These strips that you see in the picture are called prairie strips

你在图片中看到的这些 地带被称为草原地带

and are strategically located into areas of the field to attract pollinators.

地理位置优越，可以吸引传粉者。

But they also protect the soil and conserve the water,

但是它们也可以保护土壤 和节约用水，

so they benefit the farming.

因此它们有利于农业。

And all I can say is they work

我只能说它们起作用了，

because the only pair of mating monarchs

因为在这篇报道中， 我唯一能拍到的两对帝王蝶交配

that I was able to photograph during this story

was during a visit to one of these prairie strips in Iowa.

是在参观

爱荷华州草原的时候。

It will be the offspring of these butterflies

这些蝴蝶的子孙后代

that in subsequent generations will complete the cycle

会完成使命，

and make it back to Mexico.

再返回墨西哥。

And here they will be receiving high honors.

在这里，他们将 获得很高的赞誉。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

For the Mazahua people in Mexico,

对于墨西哥的马扎瓦人来说，

the monarchs are the souls of their ancestors,

帝王蝶是他们祖先的灵魂，

and the day of the Dead on November 1, honors this tradition.

11 月 1 日的亡灵节是 对这一传统的持续。

And as you can see,

正如你所看到的，

monarchs have become the undisputed pop icon

帝王蝶已成为庆祝活动中 无可争议的流行偶像。

of this celebration.

Now our monarchs now continue their life cycle in an alien world.

我们的帝王蝶在 陌生地方中重新生长。

Everything is different for them.

对他们来说，一切都不一样。

They have never been here, they are tired,

他们从来没有来过这里，他们很累，

they huddle together.

他们挤在一起。

So the first days of the season they are really vulnerable.

因此，在这个季节的最初几天 他们真的很脆弱。

(Video) I have spent the last 10 days doing the same thing in the mornings.

在过去的 10 天里，我一直在早上 做同样的事情。

They are getting so close to the branches I want.

他们离我目标树枝越来越近了。

I think I have it, for the first time in many days.

很多天以来的第一次，我成功了。

By many days, I mean 20 days.

很多天，我是指 20 天。

But I did get the shots that I needed.

但我确实拍到了我需要的照片。

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause)

（掌声）

Now as new waves of monarch make it to Mexico,

当新的帝王蝶来到墨西哥，

the branches soon fill up with clusters,

树枝上布满了一簇簇蝴蝶，

and it is now when Dr. Green and his team will travel to Mexico,

格林博士和他的团队 便会前往墨西哥，

and they will try to locate a signal from that sensor they installed earlier.

尝试定位他们之前 安装的传感器信号。

They need just one, one signal

他们只需要一个信号

that can answer some of the questions

以解开关于

that we have about the migration.

迁徙的一些谜团。

I, as a photographer, I needed one monarch, just one,

作为摄影师， 我只需要一只帝王蝶，

but from a very different perspective.

但是换个角度。

(Video) You see this tree that is behind me,

你会看到我身后的这棵树

and it's packed with monarchs.

里面挤满了帝王蝶。

So if you get to see what I'm doing, there is this nice pattern.

有这样一个规律；

There's always one late monarch that tries to find the spot

总是有一只帝王蝶比其余的

half an hour later than everyone else.

晚半个小时就位。

And that's what I'm waiting for.

这就是我正在等待的。

The flashy orange butterfly in a texture of roosting monarchs.

带有帝王蝶纹理的华丽橙色蝴蝶。

So we'll see.

我们都会看到。

So I would be that late monarch.

我是那个追随其后的，

20 years chasing monarchs,

20 多年来跟随帝王蝶，

and I cannot get enough of this kind of images.

而我永远不满足。

They are really effective, in my opinion.

这的确能引起很大反响。

(Applause)

（掌声）

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause)

（掌声）

Thank you very much.

感谢大家。

There is an increase in the temperature

那么当季节变化，

as the season advances, and the monarchs start to get more active.

温度升高，帝王蝶活跃起来，

They start to hang out in the local pub,

他们开始在那块角落聚会，

which is the stream that runs down the hill.

即一条从山上流下来的小溪旁。

And with that increase of activity, there's also an increase in the tourism.

随着活动的增加， 旅游业也有所增加。

And the tourism is the economic engine for this region during the winter months.

在冬季，旅游业是 该地区的经济支柱。

And they all want to see this beautiful scene,

游客都想看到这个美丽的景象，

the monarchs flying over the blue skies,

帝王蝶飞过蓝天，

an amazing sight.

令人着迷。

Sometimes it never happens, and sometimes it’s OK.

有时候与往常一样， 有时候这幕不出现。

But one day, one day, I got to witness something really extraordinary.

但有一天，我目睹了 一件非同寻常的事情。

(Video) I have been to this reserve so many times,

我来过这个保护区很多次了

and I have never seen something like what we have encountered today.

我从未见过像我们 今天遇到的那样。

It's just amazing.

太神奇了。

You can see the sky is covered in butterflies.

你可以看到天空被蝴蝶覆盖。

(Camera shutter clicking)

（相机快门声音）

(Speaking in Spanish)

（西班牙语）

All I want to do is to photograph.

我想尽可能地拍照。

And I see your faces, I know what you're thinking,

我知道你们在想什么，

that this was the easiest picture of my assignment.

这是我任务中最容易的照片。

It took me 20,000 frames to get this thing right.

我花了 20,000 多帧 才把这件事做好。

So it was not easy at all.

因此，这并不容易。

So after all this time,

所以经过这么长时间，

I know for sure that if there is one iconic species in North America,

我确信如果北美有一个 标志性物种，

this is the monarch.

它便是帝王蝶。

We are living in very polarized times,

我们生活在一个非常两极分化的时代

and the story of the monarchs can inspire hope again,

但帝王蝶的故事可以再次引发希望，

can bring unity across our borders -- we need that.

带来跨国界的团结。 这是我们需要的。

And most importantly,

最重要的是，

it can reconnect us again with the natural world.

它可以使我们再次 与自然世界重新建立联系。

North America will be a much sadder place,

假如我们失去帝王蝶， 北美将是一个更悲切的地方，

this planet will be a much sadder place,

if we lose the monarch.

这个星球将是一个更加难过的地方。

There is a growing movement to protect them,

保护它们的声音越来越大，

but we need to act now.

但我们需要立即采取行动。

So, muchisimas gracias, thank you very much.

最后，非常感谢。

(Applause and cheers)

（掌声和欢呼）

Thank you, thank you very much.

谢谢，谢谢大家。

(Applause and cheers)

（掌声和欢呼）