What to Do When There's a Polar Bear in Your Backyard | Alysa McCall | TED

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

When you think of a polar bear,

說到北極熊，

you might think white, cold, cute, fuzzy, huggable.

你可能會聯想到白色、寒冷、

可愛、毛茸茸、很好抱。

Or maybe you feel a bit sad,

或也許你會感到有點悲傷，

imagining a polar bear floating away on a melting ice floe.

想像一隻北極熊站在 不斷融化的浮冰上漂走。

Either way, there's a good chance that for you,

不論是哪一種，很有可能對你而言，

polar bears are a distant reality.

北極熊是遙遠的現實。

But think of those living and working in the Arctic.

但想想在北極生活和工作的人，

For them, melting ice doesn't mean polar bears floating away.

對他們而言，融冰 並不表示北極熊會漂走。

It means the bears getting stuck on land and more desperate for food.

融冰意味著北極熊被困在 陸地上，更迫切需要食物。

For them, polar bears can be a daily reality.

對他們而言，北極熊 可能是日常的現實。

And whether this reality feels safe or scary

這現實感覺起來是安全還是駭人

depends on how well prepared people are

就要看大家把準備工作做得多好，

to coexist with the world's largest four-legged predator.

來和世界上最大的 四足捕食性動物共存。

After working and living off and on with polar bears for over 12 years,

在和北極熊一起工作 和生活了超過十二年之後，

I know coexisting with them can be a challenge,

我知道和牠們共存是個困難的挑戰，

and it will only get more challenging

且只會越來越困難， 因為氣候變遷迫使人類

as climate change forces our species to increasingly overlap

在接下來數十年 和牠們有更多的重疊。

in the coming decades.

With my organization, Polar Bears International,

靠著我的組織「北極熊國際」，

I'm focused on conserving wild polar bears

我主要致力於保育野生北極熊，

while respecting and assisting those

同時尊重和協助和這種 肉食性動物共享海岸線的人。

who share their coastlines with this carnivore.

To understand how to best coexist with polar bears,

要了解怎麼和北極熊最好地共存， 我們就得先了解牠們。

we first need to understand them.

And I think one of the best places to start

我想，最好的起始點就是 我最常被問的問題之一：

is with one of the most common questions I get asked,

which is, "How are they actually doing?"

「牠們實際的狀況到底如何？」

It's a great question.

很好的問題，很簡單，

It's simple, but the answer has some nuance

但答案有點微妙，

and can depend on where we're looking in time and space.

且會因我們選擇關注的 時間和空間而異。

If we could pause time

如果我們能讓時間暫停， 並停止我們對地球的影響，

and stop all the impacts we're having on the planet,

then sure, right now the species would be okay.

那，當然，此刻，

這個物種會沒事的。

We still have about 25,000 polar bears spread across the Arctic,

在北極圈各處還有大約 兩萬五千隻北極熊，

split into 19 different populations in Canada, Russia, Norway,

分為十九個不同的族群， 分佈在加拿大、

俄羅斯、挪威、 格林蘭，及阿拉斯加。

Greenland and Alaska.

But obviously, we can't pause time.

但，很顯然，我們無法讓時間暫停。

The world is warming

世界在暖化，

and the Arctic is warming faster than anywhere.

而北極的暖化速度 比任何其他地方都還要快。

If we did nothing to change our current path,

如果我們不做任何事 來改變我們目前走的路，

we could lose most of the world's polar bears

在本世紀末就可能會因為棲息地 喪失而失去世上大部分北極熊。

by the end of the century due to habitat loss.

Populations are experiencing changes at different rates

各族群所經歷的改變速度也因 所在地的不同而有所不同，

depending on where they are,

but ultimately all will be impacted

但最終都會受到影響，除非大家 能一起轉換到更乾淨的能源。

unless we collectively switch to cleaner energies.

So we're racing time to tackle climate change in the long term

我們在和時間賽跑， 長期要處理氣候變遷，

and in the short term,

短期則是盡可能讓更多 北極熊在野外生活。

trying to keep as many polar bears in the wild as possible.

But in the short term,

但，在短期，

one of the biggest hurdles these charismatic megafauna face is us.

這些迷人的大型動物 所面臨最大的障礙之一，

就是我們。

Polar bears use the frozen ocean for traveling,

北極熊利用結冰的海洋

mating and hunting their main prey: seals.

來移動、交配，和狩獵 牠們的主要獵物：海豹。

Specifically, high-calorie seal blubber.

明確來說，是高熱量的海豹鯨脂。

Polar bears can't outswim seals,

北極熊游泳沒有海豹快，

so they use the sea ice to sneak up on unsuspecting prey.

所以牠們利用海冰來偷偷 靠近沒有戒心的獵物。

Polar bears need sea ice for sustenance and survival, period.

北極熊需要海冰才能 生存和存活，就這樣。

So what happens when ice bears start losing their ice?

當需要冰的熊開始 失去冰時，會怎麼樣？

They get stuck on land and they get hungry.

牠們被困在陸地上餓肚子，

Polar bears want and need blubber, but they're still bears,

北極熊想要且需要鯨脂， 但牠們仍然是熊，

so they will follow their noses to fill their tummies,

所以牠們會根據牠們的嗅覺 去填飽牠們的肚子，

whatever that takes.

不計代價。

But it takes a lot.

但代價很大。

Just one polar bear needs a lot of seals,

一隻北極熊就需要很多海豹，

and just one seal is equal to about 74 snow geese

一隻海豹等於約七十四隻雪雁，

or 216 snow goose eggs --

或兩百一十六個雪雁的蛋——

it's a big omelet --

很大的煎蛋——

or three million crowberries.

或三百萬顆紅莓。

This amount of food doesn't exist on the tundra

苔原上沒有這麼多食物，

in quantities great enough to sustain a population

食物的量不吃夠讓一個 獵食鯨脂的冰熊族群維生。

of blubber-hunting ice bears.

So when polar bears can't find good food to eat,

當北極熊找不到好食物可以吃，

just like people, they'll fill up on junk food.

牠們會像人一樣用 垃圾食物來填飽肚子。

And for polar bears, junk food is human food.

對北極熊而言， 垃圾食物就是人類食物。

And for a hungry bear,

對飢餓的熊而言， 最棒的深夜速食外帶

the best late-night fast food takeout

can be their northern neighborhood's trash.

可能就是北方鄰里的垃圾。

But we have a saying in conservation:

但在保育領域有個說法：

a fed bear is a dead bear,

餵飽熊即是殺死熊，

and this has major implications for coexistence.

這有著很重要的共存意涵。

Many people work and live across the north,

許多人在北方工作和生活，

and some Indigenous cultures have centuries-old,

有些原住民文化中有對些關於 北極熊的百年古老深刻知識，

deep knowledge of polar bears.

But as the world is warming and bears are spending more time on land,

但隨著世界暖化， 北極熊在陸地上的時間更多，

更多人搬到北方，

more people are moving north

and also spending more time on the land

在陸地上的時間也更多，

and bringing with them more food and more garbage.

也帶著更多食物和垃圾過去。

And they might not be so bear aware.

且他們對熊可能沒有足夠的留心。

This is a rising safety concern for humans

對人類來說，安全問題日益嚴重，

who are always the number-one priority.

因為最優先的考量永遠是人類。

It's also a concern for the bears

對熊來說也是問題，

because when a polar bear has a negative encounter with a human,

因為當北極熊和人類 產生負面衝突時，

it risks being taken out of the population in a defense kill,

人類可能為了防衛而殺害牠， 讓熊的數量減少，

which is the legal killing of an animal to defend life or property.

為了保護人身安全或財產， 殺害動物是合法的。

Now here, I should also mention that in parts of the range,

我也應該提一下，在部分地區，

polar bears are harvested under a quota system

是根據配額制度來獵捕北極熊的，

informed by science and Indigenous knowledge.

以科學和原住民知識為基礎。

If I don't mention it, people can think I'm hiding it,

若我不提，會被認為是在隱瞞，

and when I do, they can be surprised that I'm not opposed.

若提了，別人又很驚訝我沒有反對。

保護原住民實行傳統的權利

It is incredibly important

that we protect the rights of Indigenous peoples

是非常重要的。

to practice their traditions.

And right now that practice is not a significant threat to the species.

目前，這麼做還不會 明顯威脅到該物種。

Where we could see population-level impacts

會對北極熊整體族群 產生影響的是氣候變遷，

is through climate change,

or if defense kills, which count toward quotas,

或者，如果計入配額 當中的防禦殺害數量，

defense kills start rising above the relatively low quotas.

防禦殺害數量開始超過 相對低的配額。

That's when I worry.

那時我就會擔心了。

But people can't worry about conservation

但面臨生命危險的人 不會擔心保育問題。

when their lives are at risk.

So we need to help limit negative polar bear encounters

所以我們必須要協助限制 和北極熊的負面衝突，

and support people in protecting themselves

並支援人類保護好自己， 提供對他們最好的工具。

with whatever tools work best for them.

And to help with that, we can provide tools that are non-lethal.

在這方面我們能幫的忙 是提供非致命的工具。

Luckily, non-lethal tools are available and more are being developed,

幸運的是，

非致命工具是可取得的， 且有很多在開發中，

particularly in Canada,

特別是在加拿大，

which is home to two thirds of the world's polar bears.

全世界有三分之二的 北極熊以加拿大為家。

And one of the best testing grounds for tools

工具的最佳測試場地之一 就是自稱為世界北極熊首都的

is in the self-proclaimed polar bear capital of the world,

Churchill, Manitoba.

邱吉爾，在曼尼托巴省。

Churchill is home to the western Hudson Bay population,

邱吉爾是西哈德遜灣 北極熊族群的家，

some of the best-studied and most-southern polar bears in the world.

這個族群被做了很多研究 且是世界上最南方的北極熊。

In this region,

在這個區域，

the ice-free season is lengthening,

無冰季節越變越長，意味著這些熊

meaning these bears are on land longer

在陸地上的時間更長，且比 牠們的祖父母更難取得熱量。

and have less access to calories compared to their grandparents.

This does not mean all the bears are starving to death.

這並不表示所有的熊都會餓死。

It means the females are having a harder time having cubs,

這意味著母熊會更難生小熊，

the cubs are having a harder time becoming adults

小熊更難成長為成熊，

and some bears have just moved elsewhere in search of better conditions.

有些熊則搬到其他地方 去尋找更好的條件。

As a result, this population has declined from about 1,200 bears in the 1980s,

結果就是，這個族群數量劇減， 從 1980 年代的約一千兩百隻，

to just over 600 today, almost 50 percent.

到現在只有六百多隻，幾乎減半。

Churchill is also home to about 900 people,

也有約九百個人住在邱吉爾，

but grows by thousands during tourist season.

但在觀光季會增加數千人。

And visitors do sometimes ask me,

而訪客有時確實會問我：

"Do polar bears really come into town or is this some tourism ploy?"

「北極熊真的會到鎮上， 或這只是旅遊行銷手法？」

Oh yeah, they come into town.

喔，真的，牠們會到鎮上。

So this is from last fall,

這是去年秋天拍的，

which is in bear season, October, November in Churchill,

在邱吉爾，十月、十一月是熊季，

and the local woman had gone out through a living room about 4 am

一名當地女子在早上四點 左右從客廳走出去，

從她的窗戶看到這一景。

and watched this through her window.

And no doubt she called the Polar Bear Alert hotline right after,

她的確馬上就撥打北極熊 警報熱線，真的有這種熱線。

which is a real thing.

But you can tell how big they are,

各位可以看到牠們 多大、多好奇，且多粗魯。

curious and pretty rude.

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

So polar bears are an economic keystone in Churchill,

北極熊是邱吉爾的經濟支柱，

driving tourism and creating jobs.

帶動觀光並創造就業機會。

It's important Churchill protects them and their people,

很重要的是邱吉爾要 保護牠們以及該地居民，

which they do through a wide variety of efforts.

邱吉爾也的確有各種措施。

But one of the most interesting and effective is their waste management.

但最有趣且有效的措施之一，

是他們的廢物管理。

Unsurprisingly, Churchill's garbage dump used to be outdoors,

不意外，邱吉爾的 垃圾場以前是在戶外，

which was fine until it became a popular polar bear buffet.

本來也沒問題，直到它成了 熱門的北極熊自助餐。

So this is a problem for the bear's health,

這對熊的健康是個問題，

but also because when they're on their way to the snack bar,

此外，當牠們前往點心吧時，

they risk bumping into people.

會有遇到人的風險。

Polar bears are no more likely to actively hunt

北極熊不比黑熊更主動獵殺人類，

and kill people than black bears,

But they are more likely to attack near towns,

但在小鎮附近時比較可能會攻擊，

especially when food is nearby.

特別是近處有食物時。

So Churchill did the smart thing,

所以邱吉爾實施了這個聰明的 措施，把垃圾場移到室內。

and they've just moved their garbage dump indoors.

熊根本就進不去了。

Now the bears can't even get to it.

They also installed residential bear resistant bins,

他們還在住宅內安裝抗熊垃圾桶，

so no polar bear with late night munchies in this town gets any rotten food rewards.

所以在鎮上沒有深夜肚子餓的 北極熊可以找到腐爛的食物。

Churchill continues to evolve their waste management

邱吉爾不斷改進他們的廢物 管理，因為那對共存很重要。

because it's key in coexistence.

But not everywhere can do what Churchill's done.

但並非每個地方都能用邱吉爾的 做法，所以我們需要更多選項。

So we need more options.

Polar Bears International is working on innovative technologies

北極熊國際正致力投入創新科技，

that could help provide longer lead times

這可能有助於延長北極熊 和人類相遇之間的準備時間，

between when polar bears and people meet

or prevent them from meeting altogether.

或者讓人和熊根本不會相遇。

Just one example, GPS tracking.

舉個例子，全球定位系統追蹤

It can tell us where, when and why polar bears move.

能告訴我們北極熊 何時、何地及為何移動。

It's critical data,

這些資料很重要，

but we've only successfully collared adult females.

但我們只成功給 成年母熊裝上了項圈，

Adult males have these like pylon heads with necks thicker than their skulls,

成年公熊的頭像高壓電線桿 一樣，脖子比頭骨還粗，

且牠們會把項圈直接扯掉。

and they just pull collars right off.

And then the subadults are still growing.

而亞成年的熊還在成長。

And this is really too bad

這真的很糟糕，因為亞成年或青少年

because the subadults, or the teenagers, often cause the most trouble,

通常毫無意外地最會惹麻煩。

big surprise.

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

So we've started working with 3M,

所以我們開始和 3M 合作，

the sticky stuff company that makes Post-it notes,

做便利貼的黏性材料公司，

and they're helping us figure out how to stick a tracker to any bear's fur.

他們在幫我們想辦法把追蹤器 黏在不同熊的毛皮上。

These "burr on fur" tags could be a conservation game changer,

這種「附著皮毛」的標籤 可能可以改變保育的局面，

letting us temporarily tag any bear that comes too close to a community.

讓我們可以暫時將太靠近 社區的熊貼上標籤，

And upon relocation, we can track that bear

熊改變位置時我們可以追蹤牠， 在牠太靠近之前就攔截牠。

and intercept it before it gets too close.

This could help reduce dumpster diving and reduce negative human-bear encounters,

這招能協助減少翻垃圾桶 以及人熊負面衝突，

keeping both species safer.

讓兩種物種都更安全。

We also hope the tags could be used on other species

我們也希望這種標籤 能用在其他物種上，

that maybe need some support staying away from us humans.

可能也需要協助 以遠離我們人類的物種。

So there's different coexistence tools being worked on

針對北方各地不同的需求， 大家在開發不同的共存工具，

for different needs across the north,

但若要談保育，不能不提到 最重要的工具之一–—

but we can't talk about conservation

without mentioning one of the most important tools of all -- education.

教育。

If you are going into bear country,

如果你要去有熊的國家，

polar or otherwise, please get bear aware.

北極熊或其他熊，

請務必要留意熊。

Stay together, secure your snacks

待在一起，點心要放好，

and carry a deterrent like flares or bangers or bear spray.

隨身帶驅逐劑，如照明彈、 爆竹，或熊噴霧。

Bear spray works even in the cold and the wind.

在寒冷和有風的條件下， 熊噴霧也可以用。

But finally, the number one most important coexistence tool we have

最後，

我們最重要的共存工具

is our willingness to cut carbon emissions

就是我們願意減少碳排放，

別在將這麼多熱量 困在我們的大氣層中。

and stop trapping so much heat in our atmosphere.

But on that note, I have some optimism.

但我對這一點保持樂觀。

Sea ice.

海冰

It's very responsive to atmospheric temperatures.

對大氣溫度非常敏感。

We can keep this habitat in the Arctic,

我們可以保有北極圈的棲息地，

but it will mean drastically reducing our emissions

但這就意味著要 大大減少排放，最終，

and eventually getting them to zero.

要達成零排放。

Polar bears are fat, white, hairy canaries in the coal mine,

北極熊是煤礦中的金絲雀， 白色毛茸茸胖嘟嘟版本，

warning us to act now.

警告我們現在就要採取行動。

The faster we switch to cleaner energies,

我們越快換到更乾淨的能源，

the better we can protect future generations of polar bears and people.

我們就越能保護北極熊 和人類的未來世代。

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried,

說不擔心是假的，但 焦慮的最佳解藥就是行動。

but action is the best antidote to anxiety.

And I'm working to ensure climate change doesn't separate our species for good.

我正在努力確保氣候變遷 不會將我們的物種永遠分離。

But until then, it's bringing us too close together.

但在那之前，它讓大家太靠近了。

Coexistence is the only option.

共存是唯一的選擇。

Let's make it safe for all.

咱們讓所有物種安全地共存吧。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）