纪录片《美丽中国》 第68期 沃土中原（11）（在线收听）

Every morning

每天早晨

a flock of crested ibis leave

一群朱鹮飞离

their roost close to the village of Yangxian

它们在洋县的村落附近的鸟巢

in search of food

去觅食

Traditionally,the birds' departure

一般而言 鸟儿的飞离

marked the start of the farmers' day

标志着农民新一天的开始

Crested ibises need wetlands for feeding

朱鹮依靠湿地生活

and rice paddys are the perfect place to hunt for

而稻田正是觅食的鳝鱼 青蛙和蜗牛的

eels, frogs and snails

理想之地

The birds and farmers

鸟儿和农民

had probably coexisted here for thousands of years

在此已共同生活了几千年

until the 20th century

直到20世纪

when in many parts of China

在中国的许多地方

rice was replaced by more profitable wheat production

稻谷被有利可图的小麦取代

Crested ibis numbers rapidly declined

朱鹮的数量锐减

At one point

有一个时期

they were even believed to be extinct

甚至认为他们已经灭绝了

Then, in 1981

直到1981年

the last seven crested ibises on Earth

地球上最后7只朱鹮

were found here

在这里被发现

The Chinese government stepped in

中国政府出面

protecting the rice paddies

着手保护

so the birds could continue to feed

朱鹮赖以存活的稻田

and safeguarding neighboring trees

和周围的树林

to enable them to breed

使他们得以繁衍