This is the moment a quick-thinking kudu tricked his way out of a hyena ambush by losing himself in a herd of zebra.
The lone bull greater kudu - which is a large species of antelope - had been drinking at a waterhole in Namibia's Etosha National Park when he was surrounded by 14 hyenas who had been hunting nearby.
說到「非洲大草原」，你也許會直接聯想到大型肉食性動物追捕草食性動物的畫面，這樣的追逐戲碼可說是天天都在大自然上演。為了生存，培養逃亡的關鍵技巧對牠們來說早已是家常便飯，不過在非洲西南部國家納米比亞的埃托沙國家公園，一隻思考敏捷的「大捻角羚」，牠的非凡經歷再次讓我們見證了這類原始物種的生命智慧。
- Kudu (n.) 有斑紋的大羚羊
- Hyena (n.) 鬣狗
- Ambush (n.) 埋伏
Armed police lay in ambush behind the hedge.
武裝警察埋伏在樹籬後面。
- Lone (adj.) 孤單的，無伴的
In that cloudy sky only one lone star could be seen.
多雲的天空中，只能看到孤零零的一顆星星。
- Bull (n.) 雄獸
- Antelope (n.) 羚羊
- Waterhole (n.) 水坑
- Hunt (v.) 獵食
Wolves hunt in packs.
狼成群獵食。
After a three hour standoff and with his chances of survival looking slim, the kudu noticed a herd of zebra swimming across the waterhole in his direction, giving him the perfect opportunity to lose himself in the crowd.
As the zebra approached, the kudu dived into the water and forced his way in to the centre of the herd, making it almost impossible for the hyena to single him out.
When the herd of zebra left the water together a short time later, the kudu escaped with them, keeping his head down the crowd until he was far enough away from the hyenas to make his escape..
這隻大捻角羚在水坑邊飲水解渴時，不幸的被在附近狩獵的14隻鬣狗家族盯上，雙方僵持不下，經過長達三小時的對峙，受困的羚羊知道自己存活的機率渺茫，但仍不斷尋找逃生的機會。
突然間牠發現前方有一群斑馬也被水源吸引而來，牠知道這是逃生的絕佳機會，於是以最快的速度潛入水中，盡全力往斑馬的中心方向游過去，巧妙地融入了斑馬群中，使得鬣狗難以找出牠的蹤影。當這群斑馬要離開時，大捻角羚就這樣混在隊伍中逃走，成功的擺脫了鬣狗群的追殺。
- Standoff (n.) 僵局
The political standoff ended when the army took over.
軍隊接管後，政治僵局才告一段落。
- Dive (v.) 跳水 (+ into)
He dived into the river to save a drowning child.
他跳入河中救一個溺水的小孩。
- Single sb/sth out 挑出，選出
His article starts by singling out the five key goals of US foreign policy.
他的文章一開頭就點出了美國對外政策的五個重要目標。
- Keep one's head down 避免危險
Although females live in small herds, male kudus tend to be solitary, avoiding areas without trees or large shrubs as they lack the speed and stamina to escape their natural predators - lions, hyenas, hunting dogs and cheetah - and rely on their cunning and ability to conceal themselves in order to survive.
大捻角羚比牠的近親小旋角羚的體型要來的大上許多，分布在南部和東部非洲，牠們的主食為西瓜、橘子、樹葉和枝枒。母的大捻角羚過著群居生活，而公的大捻角羚則有獨居的習性，懂得避免生活在沒有樹木或灌木叢的地方。因為天生速度不夠快、耐力不強，時常要靠智慧取勝，利用小聰明和隱蔽自己的技能，才能躲避獅子、鬣狗和獵豹等強勁天敵。
- Lesser (adj.) 略小的
- Throughout (prep.) 遍及，遍布
The National Day was celebrated throughout the country.
全國都在慶祝國慶日。
- Feast on 盡情享受
He feasted on the beautiful scene.
他飽覽美景。
- Tangerine (n.) 橘子
- Shoot (n.) 幼芽，幼枝
The deer were eating the young shoots on the trees.
鹿群正在吃樹上的嫩枝。
- Solitary (adj.) 喜歡獨處的
A solitary man who never spoke to anyone
一個喜歡獨處、從不與人談話的男子。
- Shrub (n.) 灌木(叢)
- Stamina (n.) 精力；耐力
- Predator (n.) 掠食者
- Cheetah (n.) 獵豹
- Cunning (adj.) 巧妙的，不同尋常的
A cunning little device for keeping out draughts.
防風用的巧妙小裝置。
- Conceal (v.) 隱蔽，隱藏 = hide, cover
He concealed his key under the doormat.
他將鑰匙藏在門前的墊子下。
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2609382/Kudu-tell-African-antelope-escaped-pack-hyenas-Clever-prey-conceals-pack-zebra.html#ixzz31UkvWnyv
