「我認識這隻海豚」”I know this dolphin.”

人與自然到底能建立怎麼樣的關係？我只想像過人類單方面地「尊重」大自然，卻從沒想過人和自然有可能雙向地溝通。
How close can human and nature be? I had imagined human “respecting” nature unidirectionally, but I never thought we could communicate with the nature.

和貓頭鷹對答 Dialogue with an owl

一天凌晨，我們坐上獨木舟，準備觀察森林的晝夜更替。導遊叫我們嘗試不用眼睛，而是用耳朵觀察動物叫聲的轉變。天微微亮，周圍開始靜了下來；不久，新的聲音又陸續加入，就像轉換了樂章的交響樂。好像身在南美的我和地球對面的朋友，這邊終於可以休息，那邊才剛開始新的一天。

導遊Fernando細細聲地解釋每種聲音來自哪種動物：「那個很長很高音的叫聲，是XXX(我忘了是哪種)貓頭鷹，牠應該在對面那棵樹上。」突然，這個聲音變得非常靠近，感覺幾乎就在船上。大家四處搜尋無果，結果這竟然是Fernando！我一開始還不相信，因為實在太過神似，但原來真的是他在模仿動物的叫聲！

最神奇的是，樹上的貓頭鷹竟然回應了Fernando！之後他又模仿了多種動物的叫聲，也一一得到回應。他甚至能夠說出每種叫聲的意思：求偶、通信、警告……這實在是超乎我的想像 – 我從不知道人類也能發出這樣的聲音，更沒想過人和雀鳥有可能做到任何有意義的溝通！

One early morning, we went on canoes to observe the transition between day and night. The guide, Fernando, told us not to rely on our eyes, instead observe the change of sounds with our ears. We realized that the sounds around us were fading, and soon new sounds started to join, like an orchestra transiting into a new movement.

Fernando explained in a low voice the species that each sound came from. “The long one with high pitch, it’s a xxx(I forgot which) owl, probably on the tree over there.” Suddenly, the same sound became extremely close, so close that it seemed to be on our boat. We searched around without spotting anything, and it turned out to be from Fernando! It was so similar to the real one that I couldn’t believe at first. But that was Fernando imitating the owl!

What is more, the owl actually replied to his call! He then imitated a few other animals, and every time he got the animal’s response! He could even tell the meaning of each sound: mating, communicating, warning……That was way beyond my imagination – I never knew these sounds could be made by human, and I had never imagined the possibility of meaningful communication between human and birds.

「我認識這隻海豚。」”I know this dolphin.”

一次和另一個導遊航行期間，發現一隻海豚的屍體。導遊看到了，神色凝重地說：「我認識這隻海豚。牠們一家有四隻海豚，我們經常一起游泳、玩耍。他應該是不小心吃了有刺的動物。我覺得很傷心。」大家坐在船上，沉默了許久。

Once, navigating with another guide, we encountered the dead body of a dolphin. The guide saw it, paused, and said, “I know this dolphin. She’s from a family of 4 dolphins. We used to swim and play together. I guess she tried to eat a spiky animal. I am really sad now.” We remained silent on the canoe for a long time.

我從未想過人和野生動物可以建立這樣的關係。原來亞馬遜比我想象中approachable得多。原來大自然並不是那樣uninhabitable、那樣凶神惡煞、總置人於死地。我想這是我整個旅程中最深刻的體會。

I never thought human could build such relationships with wild animals. Amazon, turned out to be much more approachable than my imagination. Nature isn’t that uninhabitable, that ferocious, nor does it always kill. I guess that’s the most important reflection I have had in the whole trip.