How can a creature weighing over 5 tons and normally taking 150 kilograms of food and 120 liters of water per day survive in a desert environment?
一个体重超过5吨、通常每天摄入150公斤食物和120升水的生物如何在沙漠环境中生存？
In the southwest African country of Namibia, and the Sahara lands of Mali further north, the desert elephant does just that.
在非洲西南部的国家纳米比亚和更北边的马里撒哈拉土地上，沙漠象做到了。
Although not regarded as a separate species from the African elephant, the desert cousin differs in many ways. Their bodies are smaller, to absorb less heat, and their feet are larger for easier walking across sandy surfaces, They are taller, to reach higher branches. They have shorter tusks, and most importantly, longer trunks to dig for water in riverbeds.
虽然没有被视为与非洲象分离的物种，但沙漠象在许多方面都有所不同。它们的身体更小，吸收的热量更少，脚更大，更容易在沙地上行走。它们更高，可以够到更高的树枝。象牙较短，最重要的是，象鼻较长，可以在河床上挖水。
Desert elephants can travel over 70 kilometers in search for feeding grounds and waterholes, and have a larger group of families. They drink only every 3-4 days, and can store water in a "bag" at the back of their throat, which is only used when badly needed. Desert elephants are careful feeders - they seldom root up trees and break fewer branches, and thus maintain what little food sources are available. Young elephants may even eat the dung of the female leader of a group when facing food shortage.
沙漠象可以行走70多公里，寻找觅食地和水源，并且有一个更大的族群。它们三四天才喝一次水，可以把水储存在喉咙后面的一个“袋子”里，只有在急需的时候才使用。沙漠象是细心的食草动物，很少扎根树木，也很少折断树枝，因此有限的食物来源也可以维持。当面临食物短缺时，小象甚至可能会吃族群母头象的粪便。
During drought they are unlikely to give birth to their young but with good rains the birthrate will increase greatly. Desert elephants have sand baths, sometimes adding their own urine to make them muddy!
在干旱期，它们不太可能生育后代，但如果下雨，出生率会大大提高。沙漠大象有沙浴，有时会加上自己的尿液使它们浑浊！
As we continue to overheat our weak planet, it can only be hoped that other animal species will adapt as extraordinarily well to change as the desert elephant.
当我们继续让我们脆弱的星球过热时，我们只能希望其他动物物种能够像沙漠象一样非常好地适应变化。
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