Izinyo Lendlovu—Libiza Kangakanani?

NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! EKENYA

Engqungqutheleni yamazwe ngamazwe eHarare, eZimbabwe, phakathi no-June 1997, abameleli bamazwe angu-138 badingida ukususwa komthetho weminyaka engu-7 onqabela ukuhweba ngamazinyo endlovu emhlabeni wonke. Lesi sinqumo, esenziwa ngemva kwenkulumo-mpikiswano eshubile, sivumela amazwe amathathu ase-Afrika eseningizimu—iBotswana, iNamibia neZimbabwe—ukuba ngaphansi kwemibandela ethile, athengisele izwe elilodwa vó, elaseJapane, amazinyo endlovu. Abameleli bamazwe ase-Afrika eseningizimu basijabulela lesi sinqumo, baze bavuma nengoma. Abanye abameleli bathula bekhathazekile ngokuthi lokhu kungase kube namuphi umphumela ezindlovwini zase-Afrika.

LAPHO uHannibal efuna impi nebutho laseRoma ekhulwini lesithathu B.C.E., wayehamba nodwendwe lwezindlovu ezifuyiwe zase-Afrika. Ngalezo zinsuku izindlovu zase-Afrika cishe zazingamashumi ezigidi futhi ziziningi kulo lonke elase-Afrika.

Isimo sashintsha. Enye ingqapheli yaphawula: “Ukuba khona kwabantu abambalwa phakathi kwezindlovu eziningi kwashintsha kwaba ukuba khona kwezindlovu ezimbalwa phakathi kwabantu abaningi.” Njengoba amanani abantu ayanda, ukulwela izwe kwashiya izindlovu zingenandawo. Okunye okwabangela ukuncipha kwezindlovu kwakuwukwenabela kweSahara Desert ngaseningizimu.

Nokho, isizathu esivelele kunalezi kwakuwukufuneka kwamazinyo endlovu. Ngokungefani namathambo ehlosi nophondo lukabhejane, ayikho imibiko eqinisekile yokuthi kungenziwa imithi ngezinyo lendlovu. Nokho, liyabiza, lihle, lihlala isikhathi eside futhi kulula ukulibaza. Kusukela ezikhathini zasendulo, izinyo lendlovu liye labalwa phakathi kwezinto eziyigugu nezifiselekayo.

Eminyakeni engamakhulu amane ngemva kukaHannibal, uMbuso WamaRoma wabhubhisa imihlambi yezindlovu enyakatho ye-Afrika ukuze uthole amazinyo azo. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, lokhu kuzingela kwaba namandla kakhulu, ikakhulukazi emazweni aseNtshonalanga. Ekuqaleni kwaleli khulu leminyaka, ukufuneka kwamazinyo endlovu kwakukukhulu—ayengafunelwa nje ukwenza izinto zobuciko nezinto zenkolo njengasekuqaleni kodwa ayefunelwa ukwenza izinkinobho zezimpiyano. Ngokwencwadi ethi Battle for the Elephants, ngonyaka ka-1910 kuphela, kwasetshenziswa amathani angaba ngu-700 ezinyo lendlovu (okumelela izindlovu ezingu-13 000 ezabulawa) ekwenzeni izimpiyano ezingu-350-000 e-United States.

Ukuzingela Kobuhlanya

Ngemva kwempi yezwe yokuqala, ukufunwa kwamazinyo endlovu kwancipha, kwashaywa imithetho emisha yokulondoloza izilwane zasendle, futhi inani lezindlovu laqala ukwanda. Nokho, ekuqaleni kwawo-1970, ukubulawa kwezindlovu eziningi kwabuye kwaqala. Manje amazwe ase-Asia ayesanda kuceba yiwona ayesefuna amazinyo endlovu.

Ngalesi sikhathi, kwakunezici ezimbili ezazisongela izindlovu zase-Afrika. Esokuqala kwakuwukuba khona kwezikhali ezilula futhi eziseqophelweni eliphezulu. Ngokushesha kwase kulula ukungadubuli nje izindlovu ezimbalwa kuphela kodwa nemihlambi emikhulu. Esesibili, imishini kagesi yokubaza yenza kwaba lula ukushintsha amazinyo endlovu ngokushesha abe yizinto ezithengiswayo. Esikhathini esidlule, umbazi waseJapane wayengachitha unyaka wonke ebaza izinyo elilodwa. Nokho, ngamathuluzi kagesi, ngesonto nje elilodwa, iqembu labantu abangu-8 abenza izinto zokuhloba eziyigugu nama-hanko (uphawu lwegama oluthandwayo eJapane) lingabaza amazinyo ezindlovu ezingu-300. Ukufuneka kwezinyo lendlovu ubuthaphuthaphu kwenza ukuba amanani enyuke. Yiqiniso, le mali ayizange iye kubazingeli kodwa yaya kubaxhumanisi nabathengisi, abaningi kubo abathola umcebo omkhulu.

Kwakukukhulu ukulahlekelwa kwezindlovu. Phakathi neminyaka engaba amashumi amabili, elaseTanzania lalahlekelwa izindlovu ezingamaphesenti angu-80, ngokuyinhloko ngenxa yabazingeli. ElaseKenya lalahlekelwa yizindlovu ezingamaphesenti angu-85. Elase-Uganda lalahlekelwa amaphesenti angu-95. Ekuqaleni, abazingeli babedubula izindlovu ezikhulile kuphela, ngoba zazinamazinyo amakhulu. Kodwa njengoba zazincipha, abazingeli baqala ukudubula ngisho namathole ukuze bathole amazinyo awo amancane. Phakathi naleso sikhathi, kungenzeka kunezindlovu ezingaba isigidi ezabulawelwa amazinyo azo, okwanciphisa inani lezindlovu e-Afrika laba ngu-625 000.

Ukuvinjelwa Emhlabeni Wonke

Imizamo yokulawula ukuhweba ngamazinyo endlovu nokunqanda ukubulawa kwazo yehluleka ngokudabukisayo. Ekugcineni, ngo-October 1989, engqungqutheleni eyayiseSwitzerland, i-Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES) yavimbela ukuhweba ngamazinyo endlovu kwamazwe angamalungu ayo. Lokhu kuvinjelwa kwaxhaswa ngemali eshisiwe ukuze kuvikelwe izindlovu endle.

Abanye babikezela ukuthi ukuvinjelwa kokuhweba ngamazinyo endlovu kwakuyokhuphula amanani okuthengisa ngokungemthetho nokuthi ukuzingela kwakuyokwanda. Kwenzeka okuphambene nalokho. Amanani ancipha kakhulu, futhi izimakethe ezazichuma zavalwa. Ngokwesibonelo, eNdiya amanani okuthengiswa kwamazinyo endlovu ehla ngamaphesenti angu-85, futhi iningi lababazi bamazinyo endlovu kuleli lizwe kwadingeka lithole eminye imisebenzi. Ukuzingela kwancipha ngokuphawulekayo. Ngaphambi kokuvinjelwa, abazingeli baseKenya babebulala okungenani izindlovu ezingu-2000 ngonyaka. Ngo-1995, lesi sibalo sase sinciphe saba ngu-35. Ngaphezu kwalokho, imihlambi yezindlovu eKenya yanda isuka kwezingu-19 000 ngo-1989 yaya kwezingaba ngu-26 000 namuhla.

Ngenxa yalezi zizathu, i-Environmental Investigation Agency, ezinze eLondon, yamemezela ukuthi ukuvinjelwa kokuhweba ngamazinyo endlovu “kuyimpumelelo enkulu emlandweni wamuva nje wokulondoloza izilwane.” Nokho, akubona bonke abantu abakushayela ihlombe lokhu, ikakhulukazi e-Afrika eseningizimu.

Izindlovu Zase-Afrika Eseningizimu

Amazwe ase-Afrika eseningizimu anezindlovu ezingaphezu kuka-200 000, noma ezingaba yingxenye yesithathu yazo zonke izindlovu zase-Afrika. Lokhu ngokwengxenye kubangelwa imithetho ephumelelayo yokulondoloza izilwane nangenxa yeqiniso lokuthi la mazwe asinda emabuthweni ayehlomile ayebulala imihlambi yaseMpumalanga Afrika nase-Afrika Ephakathi.

Nokho, njengoba imihlambi yezindlovu yanda, ngokuvamile kuba nezingxabano phakathi kwezindlovu nabantu abahlala emaphandleni. Phela, indlovu esikhulile iyisidlakudla, futhi ikwazi ukushwabadela amakhilogremu angaba ngu-300 ohlaza ngosuku. Uma kunendlovu endaweni yakini, kuvele kucace.

I-Africa Resources Trust, ezinze eZimbabwe, ithi: “Abantu abaningi abaNsundu basemaphandleni bayazesaba izindlovu, abazithembi futhi abazithandi. Ngamahora nje ambalwa, izindlovu zingabhubhisa izinto abantu abaziphilisa ngazo ngokudla izilimo zabo noma ngokunyathela imfuyo yabo ziyibulale. Zibhidliza nezindlu kanye nezikole, izibaya zezinkomo, zonakalise izihlahla zezithelo, amadamu kanye nenhlabathi. Nsuku zonke amaphephandaba endawo anemibiko yomonakalo odalwe yizindlovu.”

Amazwe ase-Afrika eseningizimu ayaziqhenya ngokuphumelela kwawo ekulondolozeni imihlambi yezindlovu ephilile. Kodwa ukulondoloza izilwane kuyabiza, futhi lawo mazwe awakholelwa ukuthi kufanele acindezelwe ngezinkinga zamanye amazwe ase-Afrika. Athi ukuhweba ngamazinyo endlovu okulawulwayo kungafaka imali emizamweni yokuzilondoloza futhi kungasiza ngokunxephezela abalimi basemaphandleni abaye balahlekelwa.

Amazinyo Endlovu Agciniwe

Emazweni lapho kunezindlovu khona, amazinyo azo ayanqwabelana. Avela ezindlovwini eziye zabulawa ngokomthetho, ezizifela ngokwemvelo, nasemaqoqweni amazinyo afihliwe angekho emthethweni aye atholakala. Kwenziwani ngala mazinyo?

ElaseKenya liyawashisa. Kusukela ngo-July 1989, elaseKenya liye lawashisa obala amazinyo endlovu abiza izigidi zamaRandi, ngaphandle kokuthola isinxephezelo esivela ngaphandle. Ngo-1992, elaseZambia nalo lawashisa amazinyo endlovu ayenqwabelene. Umgomo wala mazwe wawusobala: ElaseKenya nelaseZambia ayengafuni ukuhlanganyela ekuhwebeni ngamazinyo endlovu.

Amanye amazwe awagcinile amazinyo endlovu ukuze azuze ngawo esikhathini esizayo. I-TRAFFIC, inhlangano elondoloza izilwane zasendle enkulu kunazo zonke emhlabeni, ilinganisela ukuthi ingqikithi yamazinyo endlovu agciniwe okwamanje emazweni ase-Afrika ingamathani okungenani angu-462, abiza imali engamaRandi ayizigidi ezingu-214. IBotswana, iNamibia neZimbabwe, amazwe amathathu asevunyelwe ukuba ahwebelane neJapane, anamathani angu-120 amazinyo endlovu. Ngakho-ke, abaningi bayabuza, ‘Ezindaweni lapho abantu behlupheka khona ngokomnotho, agcinelweni amazinyo endlovu? Kungani engathengiswa futhi leyo mali ifakwe ekulondolozweni kwezilwane?’

Ukukhathazeka Kusekhona

Nakuba amanye amazwe ase-Afrika ebonisa ukuthi ukuthanjiswa komthetho wokuhweba kuyosiza ekulondolozweni kwezindlovu, amanye akholelwa ngokunamandla ekutheni ukuvinjelwa ngokuphelele kokuhweba kuwukuphela kwendlela eyovimbela ukuqubuka kabusha kokuzingela ngobuhlanya. Okubangela ukukhathazeka ukuthi lokhu kuhweba kuqondiswa ngokuqine kangakanani. Ingabe izindlela zokuthengisa zingavula ithuba lokuba amazinyo endlovu atholakalé ngokuzingela angene ekuhwebeni ngokomthetho? Kuthiwani ngemali engangeniswa ukuzingela ngokungemthetho? Ingabe ukuhoxiswa kokuvinjelwa kungase kusho ukuthi izindlovu zizobulawa futhi amazinyo azo agcinwe yilabo abanethemba lokuthi lo mthetho ovimbelayo uyothanjiswa kakhudlwana esikhathini esizayo?

Okunezela kulokhu kukhathazeka iqiniso lokuthi izibhamu ziningi e-Afrika kunanini ngaphambili. Izimpi zombango ziye zenza abantu balapha bathola izibhamu ezingontuluntulu, abantu abazimisele ukuzisebenzisela ukuthola imali, njengoba becindezelwa yizimo zomnotho ezinzima. UNehemiah Rotich, umqondisi we-East African Wildlife Society, wabhala: “Njengoba sekuthengiswa amazinyo endlovu [ngenxa yokuhweba okuvuselelwe], akungabazeki ukuthi lezi zibhamu zizodubula izindlovu—phela kulula ukudubula indlovu ethafeni kunokuphanga ibhange edolobheni.”

Enye inkinga akukhona nje ukuthi ukunqanda ukuzingela kuyabiza kodwa futhi kunzima. Ukugada amathafa angodedangendlale lapho izindlovu zitholakala khona kudinga imali eningi. EMpumalanga Afrika, kunzima ukuthola leyo mali.

Liyini Ikusasa Lezindlovu?

Imiphumela yokuthambisa ukuvinjelwa kokuhweba ngamazinyo endlovu isazobonakala. Nokho, ngisho noma izinto zingahamba kahle, usongo izindlovu ezibhekene nalo ngeke luphele. Izindlovu zisongelwa nawukwanda kwabantu abadinga indawo yokulima neyokwenza ezinye izinto. E-Afrika eseningizimu kuphela, ngokuyinhloko ngenxa yezolimo, abantu bagawula amahlathi angaphezu kwamahektare angu-850 000 ngonyaka—indawo engangengxenye yezwe lakwa-Israel. Njengoba amanani abantu anda, izindlovu ezimbalwa ezikhona ngokuqinisekile zizoncipha.

Umagazini i-World Watch uthi: “Kunephuzu elilodwa abavumelana ngalo bonke abaye bahlola le nkinga: izindlovu zase-Afrika zibhekene nekusasa elinzima. Inkinga yendawo [ngenxa yokwanda kwabantu] ngandlela-thile iyokwenza izindlovu eziningi zife ngaphambi kwesikhathi. Uma zingabulawa ukuzingela noma ukuzibulala okusemthethweni—noma zibulawe abazingeli abangekho emthethweni—eziningi ziyobulawa yindlala.”

Ukuphelelwa yithemba okunjalo akuyicabangeli imibono noma injongo yoMdali wezindlovu, uJehova uNkulunkulu. Ukuzikhathalela kukaNkulunkulu izilwane azenzile kubonakala emazwini kaJesu Kristu, owathi: “Ondlunkulu abahlanu bathengiswa ngezinhlamvu zemali ezimbili zenani elincane, akunjalo? Nokho akukho noyedwa kubo olibalekayo phambi kukaNkulunkulu.” (Luka 12:6) Uma uNkulunkulu engawulibali undlunkulu omncane, singaqiniseka ngokuthi uyalubona usizi lwendlovu enkulu.

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 16]

Iphuzu Ngokuphathelene Namazinyo Endlovu

“Akungabazeki ukuthi izinyo lendlovu liyinto enhle. Linokukhazimula nobuhle okungafani nalutho enye esetshenziselwa imihlobiso noma izithombe. Kodwa njalo nginomuzwa wokuthi abantu bayakhohlwa ukuthi izinyo lendlovu liyisitho sendlovu. Igama [lesiNgisi] elithi ivory [izinyo lendlovu] lenza ingqondo yethu ingalihlanganisi nendlovu. Umuntu uvame ukulihlanganisa ne-jade, ukhuni lwe-teak, i-ebhoni, i-amber, ngisho nanegolide nesiliva, kodwa kunomehluko omkhulu: Lezi ezinye izinto aziveli esilwaneni; izinyo lendlovu linjengezinyo lokuluma. Uma umuntu ephethe isongo noma isithombe sezinyo lendlovu esibazwe kahle, kudinga ukuqonda okukhulu ukuqaphela ukuthi lelo zinyo lendlovu lathathwa endlovwini eyayisebenzisa izinyo layo ukuze ikwazi ukudla, ukumba, ukuhlaba, ukudlala nokulwa, nokuthi ngaphezu kwalokho kwadingeka ukuba leyo ndlovu ife ukuze umuntu athole leyo nto eyenziwe ngezinyo layo.”—Elephant Memories, kaCynthia Moss.

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 19]

Iphuzu Ngokuphathelene Nezindlovu

Izindlovu zinamandla kakhulu, futhi lapho zithukuthele, umhlaba uyandindizela. Indlovu ingakubamba ngomboko wayo ikujikijele emoyeni njengetshe. Kanti futhi indlovu ingakuphulula ngomboko wayo noma ithathe ukudla ngobunono esandleni sakho. Izindlovu zihlakaniphile, aziqondakali futhi ziyahlekisa. Zinezibopho eziqinile zomkhaya futhi ziyelaphana uma zinamanxeba, zinakekela ezinye ezigulayo, futhi ziyadabuka lapho kufa ilungu lomkhaya. Nakuba zingazishayi mkhuba izidumbu zezinye izilwane, ziyawabona amathambo ezinye izindlovu futhi ziwahlakaze noma ziwagqibe.

[Izithombe ekhasini 18]

Amazwe amabili awashisile amazinyo endlovu abenawo; amanye awagcinile ukuze azuze ngawo esikhathini esizayo