圖文閱讀:動物世界8

剪過羊毛的綿羊 Shorn Sheep, Hopland, California

在霍普蘭德研究與推廣中心裏，幾隻剛剪了羊毛的綿羊正在一座小山上吃草。該中心隸屬美國加州大學，主要研究領域爲農業和自然資源的設施，擁有600到1,000只種用母羊。每年的四月進行剪毛。
Photograph by George F. Mobley
A handful of recently shorn sheep grazes on a hill at the Hopland ReSearch and Extension Center. The center, one of the University of California’s principal field research facilities for agriculture and natural resources, maintains a sheep flock of 600 to 1,000 breeding ewes. Shearing time comes every April.
蝦虎魚和氣泡珊瑚 Goby and Bubble Coral, Indonesia

在印尼弗洛雷斯島外的毛梅雷海灣裏，一條有着亮麗的桔黃色條紋的蝦虎魚在一些氣泡珊瑚前遊動。在大多數海洋中，渾濁昏暗的海水迫使生活在其中的生物不得不使用其非視覺感官，如嗅覺，味覺，觸覺，和聽覺。但在清澈乾淨，陽光照耀的珊瑚礁水域中，則有着充足的光線，視覺占主導地位，生活在這裏的動物都有着鮮豔的顏色。
Photograph by Tim Laman
A goby fish with brilliant orange streaks stands out on a bit of gray bubble coral in Maumere Bay off Indonesia’s Flores Island. In most of the ocean, turbid or murky waters force creatures to use nonvisual means of communication-smell, taste, touch, and sound. But in the clear, sunlit waters of coral reefs, light abounds, vision predominates, and animals drape themselves in blazing color.
澳洲海獅 Australian Sea Lion off Adelaide

在澳大利亞阿德萊德，一頭澳洲海獅正對着鏡頭做鬼臉。近幾十年的過度捕獵，使得這些海洋動物有瀕臨滅種的危險。
Photograph by David Doubilet
An Australian sea lion mugs for the camera off Adelaide, Australia. These highly endangered sea mammals have been hurt by decades of overhunting.
小鬚鯨 Minke Whale Breaching

小鬚鯨有着魚雷般的流線型外形，在水中最高時速可達20英里(32公里)每小時。它有着許多俗稱，如縞鯨，梭頭鯨，尖頭脊鰭鯨。
Photograph by Flip Nicklin
The minke whale’s missile-sleek shape helps it speed through the water at up to 20 miles (32 kilometers) an hour. It also gives it a variety of common names, including little piked whale, pikehead, and sharp-headed finner.