Izindlovu—Abangane noma Izitha?

NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! ENINGIZIMU AFRIKA

IZINDLOVU zaziswa ngenxa yezizathu ezihlukene futhi zizondwe ngenxa yezinye. Kwabanye ziyizisebenzi eziyigugu, ezinekhono lokudonsa izingodo ezinkulu zizibeke ngemigqa ecocekile. Abanye bazisa izindlovu ngenxa yamazinyo, isikhumba, nenyama yazo. Nokho, abanye bamane nje bazibheka njengosongo endaweni nasezitshalweni zabo.

Nokho, abacwaningi abaningi bazisa izindlovu ngenxa yezindlela zazo ezihlekisayo. UCynthia Moss wachitha iminyaka engu-13 ecwaninga ngezindlovu esiqiwini sase-Amboseli eKenya. Encwadini yakhe ethi Elephant Memories, uyabhala: “Ngiye ngabona izindlovukazi ezinhle ezigugile zihola futhi zivikela imikhaya yazo futhi ngiye ngazibona zilahla sonke isithunzi sazo futhi zigijigijima zidlala ngemisila yazo ziyiphakamisele emhlane futhi zinamehlo acwebezelayo anolaka.”

UDaphne Sheldrick waseKenya uye wakhulisa izindlovu eziningi eziyizintandane futhi wazibuyisela endle. Lapho exoxa nomagazini i-Getaway, wachaza: “Zonke izindlovu ezincane ezifikayo zinobuntu obungafani, njengoba zinjalo nezingane ezingabantu. . . . Zinomoyana wokuncintisana, ziba nomona futhi lapho uzikhuza zingase zithukuthele. . . . Ezinye zingase zigange noma zingalaleli ngamabomu. Kudingeka siziqondise, njengoba uqondisa izingane ezingabantu.”

Ngaphandle kokuba ezihlekisayo, izindlovu zifeza indima ewusizo emvelweni. Inani lazo elilinganiselwe endaweni ebiyelwe landisa izinhlobonhlobo zezitshalo. Incwadi ethi Elephants, Economics and Ivory ibala eminye imisebenzi eyigugu, njengokuqala amahlanze amasha, ukusakaza imbewu, nokunciphisa “ukugcwala kwezimpukuvane.” “Izindlovu,” kuphetha abalobi, “zinendima ebalulekile esimisweni semvelo emathafeni nasemahlathini ase-Afrika.”

Nokho, uma kunezindlovu eziningi ngokweqile, zonakalisa uhlaza. Kulapho ziba khona yizitha kwabanye abantu. Ngenxa yalokhu, abalondolozi bemvelo njalo bayazibulala izindlovu kwezinye izindawo ezibiyelwe. Kwezinye izingxenye ze-Afrika lapho izindlovu zisenendawo enkulu khona, ukuzibulala bekungakaqalwa. Lokhu kunezinzuzo. “Esiqiwini sase-Amboseli eKenya,” kuchaza umagazini i-New Scientist, “lapho zingakabulawa khona, izindlovu zizihambela ngenkululeko phakathi kwabantu futhi azibesabi.”

Ososayensi bafuna ezinye izindlela zokunciphisa izinga lokuzala kwezindlovu. Okwamanje, njengoba umuntu efunda okwengeziwe ngezindlovu, ngokungangabazeki uzothola izizathu ezengeziwe zokuzibheka njengabangane.

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 18]

Animals/Jim Harter/Dover Publications, Inc.