十種已經滅絕了的神奇動物(下)

ntavis Magnificens

5.阿根廷巨鷹

Argentavis magnificens translates to "magnificent Argentine bird." Its skeleton was discovered in Miocene rocks in Argentina, indicating this species of giant teratorn lived in South America six million years ago. It's the largest flying bird on record. This creature could grow to more than 1.8 meters (6 ft) tall, with an impressive wingspan of 6–8 meters (19–26 ft). The heaviest among them weighed more than 68 kilograms (150 lb). Compare this to the wandering albatross, which has the largest wingspan of any modern bird at 3.5 meters (11.5 ft).

阿根廷巨鷹的骨架在中新紀的岩石上被發現，而這塊岩石在阿根廷被發現。這就意味着這個種類的巨鷹曾在6百萬年前生活在南美洲。阿根廷巨鷹是世上已知的最大的飛行鳥類。它們能長到超過1.8米，驚人的是，它們的翼展能達到6到8米。其中最重的巨鷹體重能超過68公斤。即使漂泊信天翁也不能與之相比。而漂泊信天翁的翼展是現代鳥類中翼展最大的，達到了3.5米。

Argentavis magnificens was a member of the Accipitirformes order. Other members include hawks and vultures. Much like these birds, the giant teratorn's chest muscles would not support excessive flapping; it seems the bird mostly soared through the air, either hunting or searching for carrion. The giant teratorn's skull structure suggests it swallowed prey whole. Lifespan is estimated to have been between 50–100 years.

阿根廷巨鷹是鷹隼目。另外老鷹和禿鷹也屬於鷹隼目。就像這些鷹隼目的成員一樣，阿根廷巨鷹的胸部肌肉並不能支持它們過多的拍打。阿根廷巨鷹飛到空中的原因不外乎是捕食或尋找腐肉。阿根廷巨鷹頭骨的結構表明它們是將獵物整個吞下的。阿根廷巨鷹的壽命可以達到50至100年。

ary Lion

4.巴巴里獅

The regal Barbary lion used to roam North Africa freely. This species was unique as it traveled, not in prides, but in pairs or small family groups. Also known as an Atlas lion, the Barbary lion was a highly recognizable and stunning creature with a distinctive head shape and mane. A male's extra-long fur surrounded the face, and grew from the chest and stomach as well.

高貴的巴巴里獅曾經自由遊蕩在北非大陸上。巴巴里獅獨特在它們總是成雙或者以小家庭方式活動，而非獨自遊蕩。巴巴里獅的辨識度很高，因它們有着獨特的頭型和鬃毛。從胸腹部開始，雄獅長着長毛，並一直長到臉部。雄性巴巴里獅的臉部圍着一圈鬃毛。

The last wild Barbary lion was shot in Morocco in 1927. Since the sultan of Morocco owned domesticated Barbary lions, a small number of ancestors survive in captivity. These royal pets were transferred to Moroccan and European zoos for show and breeding. This isn't the only time they've been kept out of the wild, though. Barbary lions were used in combat against gladiators during the Roman Empire. What's worse than a regular old fight to the death? Being shredded to pieces by a lion might be worse.

最後一隻野生的巴巴里獅於1927年在摩洛哥被槍殺。由於摩洛哥的統治者馴養了巴巴里獅，少數一些馴化的巴巴里獅在囚禁中活了下來。這些皇家的寵物被運送到摩洛哥和歐洲的動物園，以供觀賞和繁殖後代。這並非巴巴里獅首次被圈養並遠離野外。在羅馬帝國時期，巴巴里獅曾被用於與角鬥士搏鬥。與常規的死鬥相比，還有什麼比這更糟糕呢？哦，被獅子撕成碎片或許更糟糕。

hing Owl

3.笑鴞

The Sceloglaux albifacies laughing owl was native to New Zealand. It became rare in the mid-1800s. The island's only endemic owl, it was last spotted in 1914. Unconfirmed reports suggest it might have survived up until the 1930s. The laughing owl's hoot sounds like a creepy cackle or madman's snicker. Its vocalizations have also been compared to a dog's bark. Other species of laughing owl survive today and it's possible to hear the sound online.

笑鴞是紐西蘭特有的一種貓頭鷹。在1800年代中期開始，笑鴞漸漸消失。人們最後一次見到笑鴞是在1914年。未經證實的報道說笑鴞可能一直存活到1930年代。笑鴞的叫聲聽起來就像令人驚悚不已的咯咯聲或是瘋子的竊笑。人們曾將它們的叫聲與狗叫相較。仍有其他種類的笑鴞存活至今，至今，人們也能在網上搜索聽到笑鴞的叫聲。

Laughing owls nested on rocks around forest borders and in open country. Some were taken into captivity. They thrived as pets, and even laid eggs without encouragement. In the wild, human settlement and habitat destruction caused them to change their diet. They switched from eating sizable birds (such as ducks) and lizards to more mammals. After this dietary adjustment, natural predators likely hunted them to extinction. Grazing and agricultural burning could have also influenced their quick eradication.

笑鴞一般在森林邊緣或空曠野外的岩石上築巢。一些笑鴞也被人捕捉圈養，並在人類的飼養下大肆繁衍。野生的笑鴞則因人類定居以及棲息地的破壞而改變了自身飲食習慣。它們不再捕食與自身體型相當的鳥類（例如鴨子）和蜥蜴，轉而開始捕食哺乳動物。在它們的捕食習慣改變之後，它們的天敵竟將它們捕殺殆盡。放牧和農業燃燒也可能是笑鴞快速滅絕的原因。

buck

2.藍馬羚

The extinct bluebuck may otherwise be called a blaubok or blue antelope. This animal's black and yellow coloring gave its fur a blue appearance, though the species never actually grew blue fur. It was native to southern Africa. Grassy open areas were ideal for grazing, and bluebucks also enjoyed chomping on bark. They were social creatures, and most likely nomadic. African lions, hyenas, and leopards hunted them before humans arrived.

滅絕的藍馬羚毛色黑黃，一眼看去，就向藍色的一樣。然而儘管叫做"藍馬羚"，它們的毛色卻非爲真正藍色。藍馬羚是南非特有的動物。南非廣闊的草原使其成爲天然放牧場，而藍馬羚則天生喜愛啃咬樹皮。藍馬羚是羣聚動物，並有可能還是遷徙性動物。在人類的足跡到達南非草原之前，非洲獅、鬣狗和豹是藍馬羚的最大捕食者。

The population began to decline noticeably around 2,000 years ago. This is when competing livestock were introduced into their habitat. Bluebucks had become rather rare by the 18th century. Predators, climate change, hunting, disease, and even the presence of animals, such as sheep, in their territory may have contributed to their extinction. The last known bluebuck was shot in 1799. Five mounted heads are displayed at different museums in Europe—one each in Austria, France, and Amsterdam, and two in Sweden.

藍馬羚數量從大約2千年前開始明顯下降。而這時與藍馬羚相爭的其他動物正好被引入到它們的棲息地。到了18世紀，藍馬羚已經變得相當稀少。捕食者的捕殺、氣候變化、人類獵殺、疾病，甚至是另外一些出現在它們領土上的動物，例如綿羊，都或多或少地造成了藍馬羚的滅絕。最後一隻藍馬羚在1799年被射殺。當今僅存5個藍馬羚頭顱，它們被裝裱好，分別收藏於奧地利、法國、荷蘭和瑞典的博物館。其中瑞典擁有兩個藍馬羚的頭顱。

ly Rhinoceros

1.長毛犀牛

If you've ever wondered what a shaggy rhino might look like, the woolly rhinoceros is it. Fossils up to 3.6 million years old have been recovered from Asia, Europe, and North Africa—the oldest from Tibet. One woolly rhino's gigantic horns were originally mistaken for prehistoric bird claws. Wear indicates woolly rhinos brushed their horns back and forth on the ground, as modern rhinos do ritualistically. The brushing could have pushed snow and other natural obstacles out of the rhino's way.

如果你曾幻想過若是犀牛變得毛髮蓬鬆會怎樣，那長毛犀牛將滿足你對此的想象。有着360萬年曆史的化石在亞洲、歐洲和北非等地被發現，最老的那塊化石則發掘自西藏。某次發現的長毛犀牛的一個巨大的牛角曾被誤認爲是史前鳥類的爪子。牛角上的磨損表明長毛犀牛可能經常在地面上來回摩擦自己的牛角，這正像現代犀牛經常所爲。長毛犀牛以其角摩擦地面開路，將阻擋腳步的雪以及其他天然障礙物推開。

Woolly rhinos shared territory with woolly mammoths. Though both were especially populous in Russia, neither crossed the Bering Strait land bridge into North America. Woolly rhinos lasted through many centuries. Caves in France show 30,000-year-old depictions of woolly rhinoceri. They were hunted by primitive humans, and became a common subject of cave art. A 13,300-year-old spear was found in Siberia in 2014, crafted from the horn of a mature woolly rhino. It's believed this creature went extinct at the end of the most recent ice age approximately 11,000 years ago.

長毛犀牛與猛獁共享領地。兩者大都集中在俄羅斯地區，卻並未曾通過白令海峽大陸橋進入到北美州。長毛犀牛在地球上存活了幾個世紀之久。法國一個洞穴中發現了具有3千年歷史之久的長毛犀牛的畫像。長毛犀牛是原始人的捕獵對象，因而它們也成爲了當時洞穴的常用裝飾。2014年，一支有着13,300年曆史的矛在西伯利亞被人發現。這矛正是用成年長毛犀牛的牛角所制。學界認爲，長毛犀牛是在最近一次的冰河時代，也就是大約11,000年前滅絕的。

翻譯:敖-有沒 來源：前十網