Hello. Well, I'm here to talk to you about my animal muse: the sloth.
大家好。我今天想和大家讲讲我的动物界缪斯：树懒。
I've been documenting the strange lives of the world's slowest mammal for the last 10 years.
我一直在记录这个世界上最慢的哺乳动物的奇特生活，并持续了十年之久。
I still remember the first time I saw one. I was fascinated by their freaky biology.
我仍然记得第一次见到树懒时的情景。我被它们怪异的生物特点迷住了。
I mean, what's not to love about an animal that's born with a fixed grin on its face?
换句话说，有什么理由不去喜爱一种天生会咧嘴笑的动物呢？
And the need to hug.
而且它们生来就想去拥抱。
But sloths are massively misunderstood.
但是树懒被深深地误解了。
They've been saddled with a name that speaks of sin and damned for their languorous lifestyle,
它们背负着罪恶的名声，并因懒散的生活方式而受到谴责，
which people seem to think has no place amongst the fittest in the fast-paced race for survival.
在快节奏的生存竞争中，人们似乎认为这种动物不可能生存下去。
Well, I'm here to tell you that we've got this animal all wrong
我想要告诉大家的是，我们完完全全误解了它，
and how understanding the truth about the sloth may help save us and this planet we both call home.
理解关于树懒的事实也许会帮助我们拯救这个家一般的星球。
I traced sloth-based slander back to a Spanish conquistador called Valdés,
对树懒的诽谤可以追溯到一位名叫瓦尔德斯的西班牙征服者那里，
who gave the first description of a sloth in his encyclopedia of the New World.
他在自己的《新世界百科全书》中首次对树懒进行了描述。
He said the sloth was "the stupidest animal that can be found in the world ...
他说树懒是“世界上已知的最愚蠢的动物...
I have never seen such an ugly animal or one that is more useless."
我从没见过如此丑陋或更一无是处的动物。”
Tell us what you really think, Valdés.
瓦尔德斯，请告诉我们你的真实想法。
I'd like to have a word about Valdés's drawing skills.
我想对瓦尔德斯的绘画技术评论几句。
I mean, what is that? I've never seen an illustration of a sloth that's more useless.
更直白点说，这画的是什么啊？我从未见过比这更没价值的树懒画像了。
But I mean, on the plus side, he has given the sloth a remarkably humanlike face, and sloths do have remarkably humanlike faces.
但往好处想，他给了树懒一张和人类相似的脸，而树懒的脸的确非常像人脸。
This sloth I photographed in Costa Rica, I think looks a lot like Ringo Starr.
我在哥斯达黎加拍摄的这只树懒，长得很像林戈·斯塔尔。
But then, sloths do bear an uncanny resemblance to the The Beatles.
但树懒和披头士乐队之间确实有着不可思议的相似之处。
Particularly pleased with Paul, actually, on there. But like The Beatles, sloths are also extremely successful.
尤其是这只像保罗的树懒。但就像披头士乐队那样，树懒同样非常成功。
They come from an ancient line of mammals, and there were once dozens of species including the giant ground sloth,
它们起源于一种古老的哺乳动物系，其中曾包含多个物种，包括大地懒，
which was the size of a small elephant and one of the only animals big enough to eat avocado pits whole and disperse them.
它有一头小象那么大，是为数不多的大到能吃下整个牛油果并传播其种子的动物之一。
So ... Some of you have worked it out already.
所以...你们有些人已经意识到了。
That means that without sloths, there might be no avocado on toast today,
这意味着若没有树懒，如今的吐司上可能就没有牛油果，
leaving hipsters everywhere totally bereft at breakfast.
这会让各地的嬉皮士在吃早餐时顿失乐趣。
Today, there are six surviving species, and they fall into two groups.
如今，有六种存活的树懒物种，它们可以被分为两类。
You've got your Bradypus three-toed sloths, they're the ones with the Beatles haircuts and the Mona Lisa smiles.
其中有三趾树懒，它们拥有披头士的发型和蒙娜丽莎的微笑。
Then, there are the two-toed sloths.
另外还有两趾树懒。
They look a little bit more like a cross between a Wookiee and a pig.
它们看起来更像是伍基人和猪的杂交品种。
They live in the jungles of Central and South America, and they're extremely prolific.
它们生活在中美洲和南美洲的丛林里，并且数量众多。
There was a survey that was done in the 1970s in a Panamanian tropical forest
曾经有项针对20世纪70年代巴拿马热带森林的研究，
that found that sloths were the most numerically abundant large animal.
发现树懒是数量最多的大型动物。
They took up one quarter of the mammalian biomass.
它们占据了哺乳动物生物量的四分之一。
Now, that's an awful lot of sloths and suggests they're doing something very right indeed.
树懒的数量实在惊人，这意味着它们确实有正确的生存之道。
So what if, rather than deriding the sloth for being different, we tried to learn from it instead?
所以，与其嘲笑树懒的与众不同，我们向它们取点经也许会更好？
We humans are obsessed with speed. Busyness is a badge of honor, and convenience trumps quality in our quest for quick.
我们人类痴迷于速度。忙碌是荣誉的勋章，当我们追求快捷时，便利胜过质量。
Our addiction to the express life is choking us and the planet.
我们对快节奏生活的沉迷正在使我们和这个星球窒息。
We idolize animals like the cheetah,
我们崇拜像猎豹这样的动物，
the "Ferrari of the animal kingdom," capable of doing naught to 60 in three seconds flat. Well, so what? So what?
“动物王国的法拉利”能在三秒内完成从0到60的加速动作。但这又怎样？又能怎样？
The sloth, on the other hand, can reach a leisurely 17 feet a minute with the wind behind it.
树懒却截然不同，在风的助推下，它可以达到每分钟17英尺的速度。
But being fast is costly. The cheetah is speedy, but at the expense of strength.
但高速需要付出高昂的代价。猎豹速度很快，但需要牺牲力量。
They can't risk getting in a fight, so they lose one in nine kills to tougher predators like hyenas.
它们不能冒险打架，因此，它们九次捕猎中会有一次输给鬣狗等更优秀的掠食者。
No wonder they're laughing.
难怪它们在发笑。
The sloth, on the other hand, has taken a more stealthy approach to dinner.
树懒则完全相反，采取了一种更隐秘的方式去进食。
They survive by capturing and consuming static leaves.
它们通过捕获和食用静态的叶子来生存。
But you see, leaves don't want to be eaten any more than antelope do,
但是想想看，树叶不愿意像羚羊那样被吃掉，
so they're loaded full of toxins and very hard to digest.
所以叶子中富含毒素，很难被消化。
So in order to consume them, the sloth has also had to become an athlete -- a digesting athlete.
为了消化树叶，树懒也不得不成为一名运动员--一名消化运动员。
The sloth's secret weapon is a four-chambered stomach and plenty of time.
树懒的秘密武器是一个四腔胃和大量的时间。
They have the slowest digestion rate of any mammal.
它们的消化速度是所有哺乳动物中最慢的。
And it can take up to a month to process a single leaf, which gives their liver plenty of time to process those toxins.
它们会花上一个月的时间去消化一片树叶，这让它们的肝脏有足够的时间来处理这些毒素。
So, sloths aren't lazy. No, they're busy. Digesting. Yeah, really busy.
所以树懒并不懒。相反，它们很忙碌。忙着消化。是的，非常忙。
Hard at work, that sloth, very hard at work.
努力工作，这只树懒，它正在非常努力地工作。
And of course, leaves have little calorific value, so sloths have evolved to spend as little energy as possible.
当然，树叶没有多少热量，所以树懒已经进化到在消化时消耗尽可能少的能量。
They do about 10 percent of the work of a similar-sized mammal and survive on as little as 100 calories a day,
它们所消耗的能量只相当于类似大小的哺乳动物的10%，并且每天只摄入100卡路里，
thanks to some ingenious adaptations.
这都要归功于其独特的适应力。
The Bradypus, three-toed sloths, they've got more neck bones than any other mammal, even a giraffe.
慢性子的三趾树懒，它们的颈骨比任何哺乳动物都要多，甚至比长颈鹿还多。
Which means they can turn their head through 270 degrees and graze all around them,
这意味着它们可以270度地转头，观察周围的情况，
without having to actually bother with the effort of moving their body.
无需费力去移动身体。
It also means that they are surprisingly good swimmers.
这也意味着它们是惊人的游泳好手。
Sloths can bob along in water three times faster than they can move on land, kept afloat by ... trapped wind.
树懒能在水中快速移动，其速度比陆地移动速度快三倍，因胃胀气而浮动。
So -- sloths are the only mammal that we know of that don't do flatulence.
所以...树懒是我们已知的唯一一种不会肠胃胀气的哺乳动物。
When they need to expel gas, it's actually reabsorbed into their bloodstream and expelled orally as a sort of mouth fart.
当它们需要排出气体时，气体实际上会被重新吸收到血液中，然后作为一种“口腔屁”从口排出。
Turning their lives upside down saves further energy.
它们倒挂的生活方式可以节省更多的能量。
They have about half the skeletal muscle of a terrestrial mammal.
它们的骨骼肌大约为陆地哺乳动物的一半。
They don't really have so many of the extensor muscles that are the weight-bearing muscles;
它们并没有那么多的伸肌，也就是负重肌；
instead, they rely on retractor muscles to pull themselves along.
取而代之的，它们依靠牵缩肌来拉动自己。
They have long, hooked claws and a high fatigue resistance,
它们有长长的、钩状的爪子和很强的抗疲劳能力，
so they can literally hook on and hang like a happy, hairy hammock for hours on end.
所以它们可以像快乐的毛茸茸吊床一样，一挂就是好几个小时。

And sloths can do almost anything in this inverted position.
树懒在倒挂时几乎可以做任何事情。
They sleep, eat and even give birth.
它们可以睡觉，吃饭，甚至生育。
Their throat and blood vessels are uniquely adapted to pump blood and to swallow food against the force of gravity.
它们独特的喉咙和血管，能够克服重力地输送血液和吞咽食物。
They have sticky bits on their ribs that prevent their enormous stomach from crushing their lungs.
它们的肋骨上有粘性物质，可以防止巨大的胃挤压肺部。
And their fur grows the opposite direction, so they can drip dry after a tropical drenching.
它们的皮毛逆向生长，所以在热带地区淋湿后水可以滴干。
The only problem is, if you turn a sloth the other way up, gravity removes its dignity.
唯一的问题是，如果你把树懒倒过来，重力会剥夺它们的尊严。
They can't hold themselves upright.
它们站不直。
And so they drag their bodies along as if mountaineering on a flat surface.
所以它们拖着身体走，就像在平地上登山一样。
And I think this is why the early explorers like Valdés thought so poorly of them,
我想这就是为什么像瓦尔德斯这样的早期的探险家对它们误解很深的原因，
because they were observing sloths the wrong way up and out of context.
因为他们观察树懒的方式是错误的，并且脱离了实际场景。
I've spent many happy hours mesmerized by moving sloths.
在观察树懒移动时，我度过了很多快乐时光。
Their lack of muscle hasn't impeded their strength or agility.
它们肌肉的匮乏并没有妨碍力量和灵活性。
Nature's zen masters of mellow move like "Swan Lake" in slow mo -- with the core control of a tai chi master.
大自然的禅师们老练的动作就像慢动作中的“天鹅湖”--并有太极大师一般的核心控制。
This one has fallen asleep mid-move, which is not uncommon.
这只树懒在移动时睡着了，这并不罕见。
But you're probably wondering: How does a dangling bag of digesting leaves avoid being eaten?
但你可能会好奇：正在消化树叶的倒垂着的树懒如何避免被吃掉？
Good question. Well, this is one of the sloth's main predators. It's the harpy eagle.
这是个好问题。这是树懒的主要捕食者之一。美洲角雕。
It can fly at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour, has talons the size of a grizzly bear's, razor-sharp eyesight,
它能以50英里每小时的速度飞行，爪子有灰熊那么大，视力敏锐，
and that ring of feathers focuses sound so that it can hear the slightest leaf rustle.
那圈羽毛会使声音汇集，所以它能听到最细微的树叶沙沙声。
The sloth, on the other hand, has poor hearing, bad eyesight, and running from danger is clearly not an option.
树懒却完全相反，听力糟糕，视力不好，逃离危险显然不是一项可行选择。
No, they survive by wearing an invisibility cloak worthy of Harry Potter.
不，它们靠穿一件哈利波特那样的隐形衣生存。
Their fur has grooves that attract moisture and act as tiny hydroponic gardens for algae,
它们的皮毛有吸引水分的凹槽，就像海藻的微型水培园，
and they also attract a host of invertebrates.
因此也吸引了大量的无脊椎动物。
So they are their own slow-moving, miniature ecosystem. They become one with the trees.
所以它们本身便是缓慢移动的微型生态系统。它们与树木融为一体。
And we think that their movements are so slow,
我们认为它们的动作非常缓慢，
they slip under the radar of the monstrous harpy as it's flying about the canopy, scanning for action.
所以能逃过巨大的美洲角雕在树荫上方盘旋时搜索猎物的雷达。
Sloths are stealth ninjas, and they rarely leave the safety of the canopy
树懒是隐秘的忍者，它们很少离开安全的树荫，
except to defecate, which they do about once a week at the base of a tree.
除了排便时，它们每周在树下进行一次排便。
Now, this risky and energetic behavior has long been a mystery, and there are lots of theories as to why they do it.
长期以来，这种冒险而又充满活力的行为一直是个谜，为了研究它们为何如此行动诞生了很多理论。
But I think they're leaving surreptitious scented messages for potential mates.
但我认为它们是在给潜在的伴侣留下隐秘的气味信息。
Because, you see, sloths are generally silent, solitary creatures, except for when the female is in heat.
因为，试想一下，树懒通常是沉默又孤独的生物，只有在雌性发情的时候才是例外。
She will climb to the top of a tree and scream for sex. In D-sharp. Don't believe me?
它们会爬到树顶为交配尖叫。用升D调。不相信我？
D-sharp. This and only this note will get the male's attention.
升D调。只有这个信号才能引起雄性的注意。
It mimics the sound of the kiskadee flycatcher.
它模仿了蝇霸鹟的声音。
So the female remains covert, even when yodeling for sex at the top of her lungs.
所以雌性仍然很隐蔽，即便当它们为寻找配偶放声大叫时也是如此。
Her clandestine booty calls will carry for miles across the canopy, and males will beat a slow path towards her.
她隐秘的交配信号将会传至几英里外的树冠上，雄性便会慢慢靠近。
I think scented messages in her dung will help send Romeo up the right tree
我想她粪便里的气味信息会帮助罗密欧爬上正确的树，
so that he doesn't waste precious energy scaling the wrong one.
这样他就不会浪费宝贵的精力去攀登错误的树。
Sex, by the way, is the only thing that sloths do swiftly.
顺便说一句，交配是树懒唯一能迅速完成的事情。
I've seen them do it in the wild, and it's over and done with in a matter of seconds.
我曾经在野外见过它们交配，几秒钟内就结束了。
But then, why waste precious energy on it, particularly after that journey?
但为什么要浪费这么宝贵的精力在交配上呢，毕竟花了这么长的旅途？
Unlike other mammals, sloths don't also waste time maintaining a constant warm body temperature.
跟其他哺乳动物不同的是，树懒也不会浪费时间来保持恒温。
Energy from the sun is free,
来自太阳的能量是免费的，
so they bask in the sun like lizards and wear an unusually thick coat for the tropics to keep that heat in.
所以它们像蜥蜴一样晒太阳，在热带地区穿一件厚得不寻常的外套以保持热量。
Sloths have a freakishly low metabolism.
树懒的新陈代谢非常慢。
And we think that this might be one of the reasons that they can sometimes recover from injuries that would kill most animals.
我们认为这可能是它们会从可能会杀死其他动物的伤害中恢复过来的原因。
This sloth recovered from a double amputation,
这只树懒从截肢中恢复过来，
and I've known sloths that have managed to survive even power line electrocutions.
我还知道有些树懒甚至能在电源线触电中存活下来。
And we now think that a low metabolism may well be key to surviving extinction.
我们现在认为，低代谢水平很可能是物种避免灭绝的关键。
Researchers at Kansas University who were studying mollusks found that
堪萨斯大学的研究人员在研究软体动物时发现，
a high metabolism predicted which species of mollusk had gone extinct.
可通过高新陈代谢预测哪些种类的软体动物已经灭绝。
Sloths have been around on this planet in one shape or another for over 40 million years.
树懒在这个星球上以各种形态存在了4000万年。
The secret to their success is their slothful nature. They are energy-saving icons.
它们成功的秘诀在于其懒惰的天性。它们是节能的象征。
And I founded the Sloth Appreciation Society to both promote and protect their slow, steady, sustainable lives.
我成立了树懒欣赏协会，以提倡和保护它们缓慢、稳定、可持续的生活。
I'm a pretty speedy character. I'm sure you've guessed.
我是个急性子。我相信你们都猜到了。
And the sloths have taught me a lot about slowing down.
树懒使我明白了很多放慢节奏的好处。
And I think that the planet would benefit if we all took a slowly digested leaf out of their book.
我们认为地球将会因此受益，假如我们都从它们的书中慢慢地消化一片叶的话。
How about we all embrace our inner sloth by slowing down, being more mindful, reducing wasteful convenience,
我们为何不放慢脚步，拥抱内心的懒惰呢，更加用心，减少不必要的便利，
being economical with our energy, recycling creatively and reconnecting with nature.
节约能源，创造性地回收利用，与自然重新建立联系。
Otherwise, I fear, it will be us humans that turn out to be "the stupidest animals that can be found in the world."
否则，我担心，我们人类最终才是“地球上已知的最愚蠢的动物。”
Thank you very much. May the sloth be with you!
谢谢！愿树懒与你同在！