Ingabe Umuntu Nesilo Bangahlala Ngokuthula?
“Ngazizwa sengathi ngingena epharadesi; umuntu nesilo benokuthula kokwethembena.” Kungaleyondlela uJoy Adamson achaza ngayo isenzakalo ngaseMfuleni waseKenya iUra njengoba ayebukela izinhlobonhlobo zezinyoni nezilwane zizophuza. Ingxenye eyayithakazelisa kakhulu yalesenzakalo kwakuyisilwane esasihleli ngokuthula eduze kwakhe—ibhubesikazi elikhule ngokwanele!
Ingabe kwakunokuthile okwakungavamile ngalelibhubesikazi okukhulunywa ngalo, uElsa, elaziwa izinkulungwane ngencwadi ethi Born Free, kaJoy Adamson? Cha, wayeyibhubesikazi elivamile. Umehluko kwakuwukuthi wayefunde ukuhlala ngokuthula nabantu.
Kamuva, lapho ibhayisikobho ethi Born Free yenziwa, amabhubesikazi amaningi amnene asetshenziswa ukuze adlale indawo kaElsa. Elinye lalibizwa ngokuthi uMara. Ekuqaleni lalinezinsolo, futhi kamuva lase likhululeke kakhulu, lingavumeli ukuba abangane balo abasha abangabantu basithele emehlweni alo. Ukuze alenze likhululeke, umyeni kaJoy, uGeorge Adamson, wasondeza ithende lakhe eduze kothango lukaMara. Ekugcineni, ithende lakhe walifaka ngaphakathi kothango! “Ezinyangeni ezintathu ezalandela,” ebhala encwadini yakhe ethi Bwana Game, “wayelala njalo ngaphakathi [ethendeni lami], ngokuvamile enabe phansi eduze kombhede wami futhi ngezinye izikhathi phezu kwawo. . . . Akakaze angenze ngizizwe ngikhathazekile ngokuphathelene nokulondeka kwami siqu.”
“Omunye wemidlalo yethu esasiyithanda kakhulu,” kubhala uMnu. Adamson, “kwakuwukuba mina ngilale phansi ngizifihle ngemva kwequlo lotshani. UMara wayenginyonyobela ngokucathama okukhulu, isisu sakhe sithinta phansi ngendlela yangempela yamabhubesi abese ekugcineni egxuma ngokushesha njengombani awele phezu kwami. Ngaso sonke isikhathi wayegcina izidladla zakhe ezesabekayo zingavuliwe futhi angangilimazi.”
Elinye ibhubesikazi eladlala indawo kaElsa lalibizwa ngokuthi uGirl. Lapho ibhayisikobho isiphelile, uGirl wabuyiselwa endle, lapho ahlanganiswa khona namanye futhi wazala amawundlu amabili. Ababili babangane baka-Adamson bathola indawo azalelwa kuyo. UAdamson wabhala: “Ngokubethemba okuphawulekayo nangesimo esihle uGirl wawavumela lamadoda amabili, ayezifaka engozini enkulu, ukuba asondele [cishe ngemitha] endaweni yokuzalela . . . Ukuziphatha kukaGirl kwakuphawuleka kakhulu njengoba [enye yalamadoda] ayengayazi ngokuqhathaniswa.” Mayelana noAdamson, uGirl waze ngisho wamvumela ukuba athinte amawundlu akhe, kuyilapho ayewaxosha amanye amabhubesi.
Ukuthambisa Ibhubesi Eliyingozi
Ibhubesi ngalinye linezici ezihlukile. Lapho uJoy Adamson ayekhulisa uElsa, eningizimu impela yeNyakatho Rhodesia (manje osekuyiZambia), umgcini wendawo yezilwane, uNorman Carr, wayenza okufanayo ngamawundlu amaduna amabili. Elinye lalamawundlu, uBig Boy, lalinobungane kakhulu. Elinye, uLittle Boy, lalithambekele ekubeni nolaka. Ngokuphathelene neliphawulwe kamuva, uCarr wabhala okulandelayo encwadini yakhe ethi Return to the Wild:
“Lapho uLittle Boy ekwesinye salezimo, ngiqoshama eceleni kwakhe njengoba engibhongela, ngikude nje kancane nezidladla zakhe okungenzeka ukuba azisebenzise ekuxhakathiseni okuyingozi nezinzipho zakhe eziluliwe [ezingamasentimitha ayisihlanu]. Ngesineke ngizama ukumncenga ngokukhuluma naye ngezwi eliphansi njengoba ngisondela kancane kancane kuye; futhi ekugcineni lapho ngimthinta uyaqhubeka nokuvungama kodwa ngendlela engenakuzimisela okungako. Lapho ngibeka isandla sami emahlombe akhe anoboya obuningi futhi ngiphulula isifuba sakhe, umane nje akhululeke ngokuphawulekayo njengokungathi zonke izicubu zakhe eziqinile zithenwe amandla. . . . Ubeka ikhandla lakhe ethangeni lami, engimema ukuba ngimthintathinte.”
Esanduleleni sencwadi kaCarr, iSikhulu saseDalhousie, esasingumbusi-jikelele walelozwe, silandisa isenzakalo esasibona ngesikhathi amabhubesi eneminyaka engaphezu kwemibili ubudala futhi ezizulela ngaphandle kokugadwa ethafeni eliseduze kwekamu likaCarr. UCarr washaya ikhwelo, futhi yilendlela iSikhulu esachaza ngayo ukusabela: “Eza egxumagxuma kumphathi wawo futhi amthinta ngamakhanda awo amakhulu, ngesikhathi esifanayo ebingelela ngokubhodla okukhulu kodwa okwesabekayo. Uthando lwawo ngaye ngempela lwalungazange luphele.”
Amabhubesi anokwesaba umuntu okungokwemvelo futhi ngokuvamile afuna ukumgwema. Lokhu kusabela okungokomzwelo wemvelo okutholakala emabhubesini nakwezinye izilo kuchazwe ngokuqondile eBhayibhelini. (Genesise 9:2) Ngaphandle kwakho umuntu ubeyoba ukudla okungavikelekile neze. Nokho, ezinye izilo ziba ezidla abantu.
“Azifani Nezinye”
Isazi ngalendaba, uRoger Caras, siyachaza: “Cishe phakathi kwazo zonke izinhlobo zamakati amakhulu kubonakala kuvela inani elithile lezinye ezingavamile ezifuna umuntu njengokudla. Azifani nezinye . . . Ngokuvamile umuntu angaphila kahle kakhulu ngokuthula [namakati amakhulu].”
Izilwane eziningi kubonakala sengathi azikwazi ukubona umuntu lapho ehlezi ezivalele emotweni. Ngalendlela abantu bayakwazi ukuthatha izithombe ezithathelwe eduze zamabhubesi. “Kodwa,” kuxwayisa incwadi ethi Maberly’s Mammals of Southern Africa, “umema ingozi enkulu uma uvula umnyango wakho, noma uzama ukuphuma eduze namabhubesi, ngoba ayaqaphela ukuthi kukhona umuntu, futhi ukubonakala kwakhe ngokungazelele kunezela ekwethukeni kokwesaba okungase kalula kushukumise ukuhlasela ecabanga ukuthi ayazivikela. . . . Kunengozi encane ekubhekaneni ubuso nobuso nebhubesi ehlathini kunokuvela ngokungazelele uphuma emotweni ngaphambi kwalo!”
Kuthiwani Ngezingwe?
Izingwe eziba izilwane ezidla abantu nazo azifani nezinye. UJonathan Scott uyachaza encwadini yakhe ethi The Leopard’s Tale: “Uma ingazange iphathwe kabi futhi inempilo enhle, ingwe iyisidalwa esinamahloni, esizigodlayo esibonisa ukwesaba umuntu okuphawulekayo. Uma sihlangana naye ngokuvamile sibalekela endaweni yokucasha eseduze kakhulu.”
UScott wachitha izinyanga eziningi eSiqiwini Sezilwane saseKenya iMasai Mara ehlola izinkambo zengwe yensikazi ayibiza ngokuthi uChui. Kancane kancane uChui wajwayelana nokuba khona kwemoto kaScott, futhi ngesinye isikhathi amawundlu akhe, abizwa ngokuthi uDark noLight eza azohlola imoto yakhe. UScott ukholelwa ukuthi ngalé kokubonakala kwangaphandle okwesabekayo kwengwe cishe kunesimo sothando.
Abanye baye baluzwa uhlangothi lothando lwesimo sengwe. Ngokwesibonelo, uJoy Adamson wakhulisa iwundlu lengwe elalingenabazali alibiza ngokuthi uPenny. Ngemva kokuba esekhululiwe ukuba aye endle, uPenny wahlangana nezinye futhi wazala amawundlu amaningana. Lapho abangane bakhe abangabantu bekuleyondawo, uPenny waziveza futhi wabanxusa ukuba bazobona amawundlu akhe asanda kuwazala. Endaweni azalele kuyo, ehlezi eduze kukamama oziqhenyayo, uAdamson wachaza lesenzakalo esijabulisayo: “Wakhotha izandla zethu kuyilapho amawundlu ehlezi ngokunethezeka phakathi kwezinyawo zakhe zangaphambili, wonke ejabule kakhulu. Inkolelo evamile iwukuthi izingwe ziyizilwane eziyingozi kanazo zonke izilwane zaseAfrika, futhi izingwekazi ezinamawundlu ziyingozi ngokukhethekile.” Ko-dwa uAdamson wathi okuhlangenwe nakho kwakhe ngoPenny kungase kufakazele ukuthi “eziningi zezinkolelo ezamukeleka kakhulu ziyiphutha.”
Enye ingwekazi “enesimo esihle,” okuthiwa uHarriet, yanikeza uArjan Singh wasenyakatho yeNdiya okuhlangenwe nakho okuphawuleka ngisho nangokwengeziwe. USingh wakhulisa uHarriet kusukela ekubeni yiwundlu futhi wamqeqesha ukuba akwazi ukuzifunela ukudla ehlathini eliseduze kwepulazi lakhe. Njengengxenye yokuqeqesha, uSingh ngezinye izikhathi wayekhuthaza leliwundlu ukuba lihlasele. “Lapho ngicathama futhi ngilishukumisela ukuba lihlasele,” uyachaza encwadini yakhe ethi Prince of Cats, “wayeqonda ngqó kimi . . . , kodwa lapho egxumela kimi wayeqiniseka ukuthi wayegxumela ngalé kwami, ephenduka ekhanda lami futhi eshishiliza emahlombe ami, ngaphandle kokushiya noma isibazi emahlombe ami angembathisiwe.”
Indlela yokudlala yalengwe nenja kaSingh uEelie nayo yayiphawuleka ngisho nangokwengeziwe. USingh uthi “ibhayisikobho ibonisa [ingwe] iqosheme futhi ishaya isibhakela njengoba inja iyihlasela—kodwa ayenzi mzamo wokumginqa phansi umhlaseli. Izidladla zakhe ezinkulu ziya phezulu kolunye uhlangothi lwentamo kaEelie, ngaphezu kwekhanda lakhe futhi ziyele ngakolunye uhlangothi zithambe njengezinto zokuphephetha izintuli.”
Lobuhlobo bobungane phakathi komuntu, inja, nengwe baqhubeka ngemva kokuba uHarriet eshiye ikhaya ukuze ayophila ehlathini elingumakhelwane. “Uma umuntu ethi izingwe akumelwe zethenjwe,” kuphetha uSingh, “ngimane ngicabange ngezikhathi eziningi uHarriet eza ngazo [epulazini lami] phakathi nobusuku futhi engivusa ngesineke ukuba sibingelelane njengoba ngangilele obala.”
Ekugcineni, uHarriet wahlangana nezinye futhi wazala amawundlu amabili. Lapho indawo azalela kuyo isongelwa isikhukhula, lengwe yathwala amawundlu ayo ngomlomo wayo futhi yawaletha ngalinye ngesikhathi endlini kaSingh elondekile. Lapho isikhukhula sesiphelile, uHarriet wakhwela esikebheni sikaSingh, emyenga ukuba amyise ngapha nangapha komfula njengoba ayeyisa amawundlu akhe ngalinye ngesikhathi endaweni entsha esehlathini.
Indlovu YaseAfrika
Kuye kwathiwa indlovu yaseAfrika inobulwane kakhulu ukuba ingafuywa. Nokho, abantu abaningi baye babonisa ukuthi amaqiniso angokuphambene nalokho. Esinye isibonelo ubuhlobo obuseduze phakathi kwezindlovu ezintathu zaseAfrika nomuntu waseMelika ogama lakhe linguRandall Moore. Izindlovu zaziyingxenye yeqembu lamazinyane abanjwa eKruger National Park yaseNingizimu Afrika futhi zathunyelwa ngomkhumbi eUnited States. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi zaqeqeshelwa ukudlala esekisini futhi zenza kahle. Lapho umninizo efa, uMoore wazinikezwa zontathu futhi wazibuyisela eAfrika.
Ezensikazi ezimbili, okuthiwa uOwalla noDurga, zalethwa eNdaweni Yezilwane yasePilanesberg eBophuthatswana ngo-1982. Ngalesosikhathi lelipaki lalinamazinyane ezindlovu amaningana ayizintandane ayengamile kahle ngokomzimba futhi edinga ukunakwa izindlovu zensikazi ezindala. Ingabe uOwalla noDurga ababeqeqeshelwe ukudlala esekisini babezokwazi ukufeza lendima.
Ngemva konyaka, uMoore wathola imibiko yokuthi izindlovu zakhe zase zingabazali bokutholwa bezintandane ezingu-14 nokuthi izintandane ezengeziwe zazizolethwa epaki. Ngemva kokungabibikho iminyaka emine, uMoore wabuyela ukuze azibonele ngawakhe. Elindele ukubafuna isikhathi eside eziNtabeni zasePilanesberg, wamangala, ngokushesha ngemva kokufika kwakhe, ukubona uOwalla noDurga phakathi komhlambi omkhulu. Wabhala kuyiBack to Africa: “Umuzwa wami wokuqala ongavunyelwe ngokomthetho wawuwukugijimela kuzo, ngizange futhi ngizisho ngezibongo. Esikhundleni salesosifiso ngasondela kuzo ngokuhlakanipha.”
Okokuqala, uOwalla noDurga kwakumelwe baqiniseke ngokuthi umngane wabo omdala ukhona. Bahlola isandla sakhe esiluliwe ngemiboko yabo. UMoore uyabhala: “UOwalla wama engibhekele phansi njengokungathi ulindele esinye isiqondiso. Wonke umhlambi njengokungathi wethukile wahlangana ndawonye. Ngayala. ‘Owalla . . . umboko NONYAWO PHEZULU!’ Ngokushesha uOwalla waphakamisela unyawo lwakhe lwangaphambili phezulu emoyeni futhi wagobela umboko wakhe ngasesibhakabhakeni ngendlela yobuchwepheshe yokushaya indesheni yangezinsuku esezadlula kudala zesekisi. Ubani owakusho kuqala ukuthi indlovu ayikhohlwa neze?”
Eminyakeni emithathu kamuva, ngo-October 1989, inkumbulo kaOwalla yanikezwa okunye ukuvivinywa. Kulokhu uMoore wanquma ukuzama okuthile ayengakaze akwenze selokhu aletha lezindlovu epaki eminyakeni eyisikhombisa edlule. UOwalla wawulalela umyalo wakhe wokuba anabe phansi futhi wamvumela ukuba akhwele emhlane wakhe. Izibukeli zethelevishini eNingizimu Afrika zavukwa amadlingozi ukumbona eyigibele phakathi kwezindlovu zasendle ezingu-30. “Ngakwenza lokhu,” uMoore uyachaza lapho exoxa nePhaphama!, “hhayi njengesenzo sokubukelwa umphakathi kodwa ngoba nganginelukuluku lokwazi ukuthi lifinyelelaphi izinga lobuhlobo nokuhlakanipha ezindlovini.” Izintandane zasePilanesberg zakhula ngaphansi kokunakekela kobuhlakani kukaOwalla noDurga.
Yiqiniso, izenzakalo zobungane phakathi komuntu nesilo sasendle azizenzakaleli; zidinga ukuhlakulelwa ngokucophelela. Kungaba ubuthutha obukhulu ngempela ngomuntu ovamile ukuba aqunge isibindi angene endle futhi azame ukusondela emabhubesini, izingwe, nezindlovu. Kodwa nakuba ubuhlobo obunjalo phakathi kwezilo zasendle nabantu bungandile namuhla, kuthiwani ngesikhathi esizayo? Ingabe buyoba umthetho?
[Ibhokisi/Izithombe ekhasini 8]
Amabhubesi Angafuywa!
“WOZA uzongithatha izithombe nginamabhubesi ami,” kusho uJack Seale, umqondisi wePaki Lezinyoka Nezilwane laseHartebeespoortdam eNingizimu Afrika. Ngithukile, ngamlandela eya endaweni okubiyelwe kuyo izingonyama, nginethemba lokuthi uzongivumela ukuba ngithathe izithombe ngingaphandle kothango oluyisivikelo.
Lendawo yayihlanzekile, inomthunzi omkhulu obangelwa izihlahla ezizungezile. Amabhubesi ayisishiyagalolunye ayimiqemane ambona ngokushesha umqeqeshi wawo njengoba ayengena endaweni yawo ehamba nomsizi wakhe. Lamabhubesi enza ukubhonga kobungane futhi ahambahamba egcwele injabulo.
“Ngena ngaphakathi,” kusho uJack. Ngenza sengathi angizwa. “Ngena ngaphakathi,” waphinda futhi ekhulumela phezulu. Ukuze bazivikele emabhubesini, okuwukuphela kwababekuphethe kwakuyizinswazi! Inhliziyo yami yashaya ngamandla njengoba ngangilwisana nobugwala, ekugcineni ngagxumela ngaphakathi. Ngokushesha ngaqala ukuqhahaza ikhamera yami njengoba uJohn eqala umdlalo wakhe wokuhlasela omangalisayo. Yeka indlela engazizwa ngikhululeke ngayo lapho sonke sesiphumele ngaphandle silondekile! Kodwa kwakungamelwe ngesabe.
“Isizathu sokuba singene nezinswazi,” kuchaza uJack kamuva, “ukuthi lamabhubesi anothando futhi ayakuluma ngendlela yokubonisa uthando. Sibamba izinduku ukuze alume zona esikhundleni sezingalo zethu.” UJack kanye nabangane bakhe aziqhenya ngabo basanda kubuya nje ePaki Lesizwe laseTosha eNamibia. Kungani aziyisa kude kangaka endle? Wachaza:
“Zasetshenziselwa ukwenza ibhayisikobho yokwaziswa okuyiqiniso ngalokho izazi zesayensi ezikwenzayo ukuze zilawule ukwanda komphakathi wamabhubesi endle eseNamibia. Kodwa amabhubesi ami akhetha ukuphila akhule ejwayelene nakho lapha. ENamibia, ngokushesa lapho ebona iloli lami, eza kulo. Akuzange kube nobunzima ekuwenzeni ukuba abuyele ekhaya.”—Inikelwe.
[Umthombo]
Courtesy Hartebeespoortdam Snake and Animal Park
[Isithombe ekhasini 9]
URandall Moore, nezindlovu ayezinakekela ehlathini laseAfrika