Further up on the highland dome above Lake Tana, the land is similarly dry and barren. Yet if the Blue Nile is responsible for the great flood, it must surely start somewhere up here. These mountains might appear lifeless, but look closely and they are alive with rodents. These moorlands support one of the highest densities of rodents on Earth, up to three tonnes of them in every square kilometre, something that has not gone unnoticed by other local residents. The Ethiopian Wolf, also known as the Red Jackal, is a master rat-catcher. Normally. The parched vegetation gives very little cover to the rodents, they have to risk it out in the open, but it's not much good at concealing a wolf either. The rodents aren't necessarily safe underground. The wolf has acute hearing, amazingly sensitive smell, and a narrow, stabbing snout full of sharp teeth. Danger's past, but they must always be on the alert.


再往上走来到塔纳湖之上的高原，大地仍是一片干旱荒芜。然而若青尼罗河就是大洪水的来源，那么它一定就流自这里的某处。这些山脉也许显得一片死寂，但仔细看就会发现啮齿动物让这里生气盎然。这片高沼地上啮齿动物的分布密度——每平方千米三吨——能排进世界前三位。当地的其他居民对此当然不可能视而不见。埃塞俄比亚狼，也被称作红胡狼 ，是名副其实的捕鼠大师。一般来说是这样没错。焦干的植被无法为啮齿动物们提供有效的掩护，它们必须冒险跑到空旷处。不过红胡狼也一样得不到什么掩护。啮齿动物们躲进地下也不见得就安全了。红胡狼拥有敏锐的听觉，灵敏得出奇的嗅觉和长满尖牙利齿的狭长型鼻吻。危机解除，但它们仍然要时刻提高警觉。