英格蘭湖區(qū) 牧羊人過著令人著迷的生活

Herdwick sheep are native to the Lake District. There are about 50,000 breeding females, but the number is declining due to environmental schemes - 95% of them live in a 20-mile radius of each other. They are classed as "at risk" because of the threats to them.

赫德威克綿羊是湖區(qū)本地的品種。仍能繁育的雌性綿羊大約有5萬只，但是由于政府開發(fā)地產(chǎn)導(dǎo)致環(huán)境破壞，這個(gè)數(shù)字正在減少，它們中95%都相互隔著20英里的距離。由于種種威脅，它們已經(jīng)被列為瀕危物種。

Herdwick sheep are "hefted", which means they hold without fences to a place on the fell, or hill or mountain, because they are taught a sense of belonging by their mothers in their first summer. This stretches back countless centuries and has never been broken.

赫德威克綿羊是很“戀家”的。也就是說，在高地或者山上，不用籬笆圈起來它們都會自己待在某一塊地方，因?yàn)樵谒鼈兂錾蟮牡谝粋€(gè)夏天，母羊會教它們不要離開屬于它們的地方。這種現(xiàn)象已經(jīng)有好幾個(gè)世紀(jì)的歷史了，而且從未被打破過。

DNA analysis suggests that Herdwick sheep really did come by boat with the Vikings a thousand or more years ago. Their closest relatives live far to the north.

DNA分析表明，赫德威克綿羊確實(shí)是一千多年前由維京人船運(yùn)帶來的。與它們血緣關(guān)系最近的物種都生活在遙遠(yuǎn)的北方。

Because flocks graze the fells together a system of lug (ear) and smit (body) marks has evolved to identify the sheep, and these are captured in the Lake District Shepherd's Guide which has been published for more than 200 years. Similar systems exist forreindeer herders in Norway and Sweden.

因?yàn)椴煌难蛉簳黄鹪诟叩厣铣圆?，所以牧羊人有一套耳朵和身體的標(biāo)識系統(tǒng)來區(qū)分不同的羊群，這種方法被記錄在了200多年前出版的《湖區(qū)牧羊指南》里。挪威和瑞典的馴鹿牧人也用著類似的系統(tǒng)。

The average income of a Lake District fell farmer is £8,500, according to figures from Newcastle University. Lambs are sold for a quarter of their real price in 1970.

根據(jù)紐卡斯?fàn)柎髮W(xué)的數(shù)據(jù)，湖區(qū)高地農(nóng)場主的平均收入是8500英鎊。在1970年，羊的售價(jià)僅是它真正價(jià)值的四分之一。

It is a tough way to make a living.

他們的生活十分艱難。