A DAY IN THE CLOUDS
在云间度过的一天
The air is thin and we have to rest several times on the short hike from camp. To our left, snow-covered mountains disappear into clouds that seem almost close enough to touch. On the plain in front of us, we can just make out a herd of graceful animals. This is why we’re here—to observe Tibetan antelopes.
空气很稀薄，我们不得不在离开营地的短途徒步旅行中休息多次。在我们的左方，白雪皑皑的群山消失在似乎触手可及的云层中。放眼平原，我们隐约看到一群体形优美的动物。这就是我们来到此地的原因——观察藏羚羊。
Tibetan antelopes live on the plains of Tibet, Xinjiang, and Qinghai. Watching them move slowly across the green grass. I’m struck by their beauty. I’m also reminded of the danger they are in. They are being hunted, illegally, for their valuable fur.
藏羚羊生活在西藏、新疆和青海的平原上。看着它们在绿色的草地上缓慢移动。我被其美丽所震撼，也想到了它们所处的险境。因其珍贵的羊毛，它们正遭受非法猎杀。
My guide is Zhaxi, a village from Changtang. He works at the Changtang National Nature Reserve. The reserve is a shelter for the animals and plants of northwestern Tibet. To Zhaxi, the land is sacred and protecting the wildlife is a way of life. “We’re not trying to save the animals,” he says. “Actually, we’re trying to save ourselves.”
我的导游扎西是一位来自羌塘的村民。他在羌塘国家自然保护区工作。该保护区是西藏西北部动植物的庇护所。对于扎西来说，这片土地是神圣的，保护野生动植物是一种生活方式。“我们不是在试图拯救动物。”他说道，“其实我们是在努力拯救自己。”
The 1980s and 1990s were bad times for the Tibetan antelope. The population dropped by more than 50 percent. Hunters were shooting antelopes to make profits. Their habitats were becoming smaller as new roads and railways were built.
上个世纪八九十年代对于藏羚羊来说是一个悲惨的时代。藏羚羊数量减少了50％以上。猎人们为了谋利而射杀藏羚羊。随着新公路和铁路的修建，它们的栖息地也不断缩小。
In order to save this species from extinction, the Chinese government placed it under national protection. Zhaxi and other volunteers watched over the antelopes day and night to keep them safe from attacks. Bridges and gates were added to let the antelopes move easily and keep them safe from cars and trains.
为了使这个物种免遭灭绝，中国政府将其置于国家保护之下。扎西和其他志愿者昼夜守卫着藏羚羊，保护它们免受攻击。新增的桥梁和涵洞，便于藏羚羊自由穿行，防止它们撞上汽车和火车。
The measures were effective. The antelope population has recovered and in June 2015, the Tibetan antelope was removed from the endangered species list. The government, however, does not intend to stop the protection programmes, since the threats to the Tibetan antelope have not yet disappeared.
这些措施是有效的。藏羚羊的数量已经恢复，2015年6月，藏羚羊从濒危物种名单中删除。然而，政府并没有打算停止这些保护项目，因为对藏羚羊的威胁尚未消失。
In the evening, I drink a cup of tea and watch the stars. I think about the antelopes and what Zhaxi told me. Much is being done to protect wildlife, but if we really want to save the planet, we must change our way of life. Only when we learn to exist in harmony with nature can we stop being a threat to wildlife and to our planet.
夜晚时分，我喝着茶，仰望星空。心里想起藏羚羊和扎西对我说的那番话。在野生动物保护方面尽管我们正在做大量工作，但是如果我们真的想拯救地球，就必须改变我们自己的生活方式。只有学会与大自然和谐相处，我们才不会成为野生动植物和地球的威胁。