Izidalwa Eziyinqaba Zasehlane LaseTasmania

EMINI, kuleli hlane kusuke kuzolile futhi kuthulile. Kodwa kusihlwa, umsindo wokugwavuma kwezilwane ovusa uhlevane ugcwala lonke ihlathi. Uvelaphi lo msindo? Ohlotsheni lwesilwane esincelisayo esinolaka esinegama elingathandeki i-Tasmanian devil. Lezi zilwane ezinesibindi zizwakala futhi zibukeka zinolaka, ikakhulukazi uma zidla isilwane esifile. Noma kunjalo, umsindo wokugwavuma kwazo uyakhohlisa.

Lezi zilwane zingasobozela zonke izilwane ezifile ezisehlathini ngokushesha. Imihlathi yazo enamandla namazinyo kungashwabadela cishe isilwane esifile sanoma yiluphi uhlobo—isikhumba, amathambo nayo yonke into. Empeleni lesi silwane singaqeda ukudla okulingana namaphesenti angu-40 esisindo saso ngesigamu nje sehora—isilinganiso esingaqhathaniswa nokuba umuntu adle inyama engamakhilogremu angu-25 ngesikhathi esisodwa!

Esinye esithandeka kakhudlwana i-common wombat, isilwane esiyisigqigqi esibukeka sikhanga sengathi ungaze usigone. Njengoba kunjalo ngazo zonke izilwane ezinezikhwama zokufaka amazinyane (marsupial), ama-wombat ezinsikazi anezikhwama futhi ayancelisa. Kodwa ngokungafani nezinye izilwane ezinjalo, izikhwama zama-wombat zibheke emuva, ngokusobala ukuze amazinyane angangcoli lapho unina ephuma nawo emgodini. Ama-wombat ananamazinyo akhula unomphela—okuyisibusiso kuwo njengoba ewasebenzisa ukuze aququde noma yini eyisiphazamiso emizileni yawo ngaphansi komhlaba. Nakuba ebonakala emavukuvuku, ama-common wombat anekhono elimangalisayo futhi angazikhelela kahle nje uhlaza aludlayo ngezidladla zangaphambili alufake emlonyeni.

Esinye isilwane esingavamile i-platypus. Lesi silwane esibukeka ngendlela eyinqaba sinoqhwaku nezinyawo ezifana nezedada, umzimba noboya obufana nobomthini, kanye nomsila oyisixebeledu njengowe-beaver. Sizalela amaqanda njengenkukhu, senze imizila ngaphansi komhlaba njenge-wombat futhi sincelise amazinyane aso njengebhere. Akumangalisi-ke ukuthi usosayensi wokuqala owahlola lesi silwane wacabanga ukuthi siwumlingo!

Kungani kusijabulisa ukuhlangana nezilwane ezinje? Ngokungangabazeki, ukuthi uMdali wethu ufuna nazo zibe khona. IBhayibheli lembula ukuthi watshela umbhangqwana wokuqala ukuba ‘uthotshelwe . . . yizo zonke izidalwa eziphilayo ezihamba phezu komhlaba.’ (Genesise 1:28) Uma sibona izilwane ezinjalo endle, asishukumiseleki yini ukuba siphile ngokuvumelana naleso sabelo?

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 11]

IMIDONDOSHIYA

Uma kuziwa endabeni yobukhulu, zimbalwa izinto ezimangalisa njengezihlahla ezinkulu zaseTasmania. Ezinde kunazo zonke ezohlobo lukagamthilini (Eucalyptus regnans), izihlahla eziqhakazayo ngokuvamile eziba amamitha angu-75 ubude. Eside kunazo zonke kuzo singamamitha angu-99,6 ukuphakama, sifushane ngamamitha angu-16 nje kuphela uma siqhathaniswa nesihlahla eside kunazo zonke emhlabeni, i-redwood eseCalifornia, e-U.S.A.

Esinye isihlahla esitholakala ehlane, i-Huon pine, sifinyelela ubude obuyisigamu sobude bukagamthilini ovamile kodwa singaphila isikhathi eside ngokuphindwe kasithupha kunawo. Abanye ososayensi balinganisela ukuthi ama-Huon pine angaphila iminyaka engaphezu kuka-3 000, okwenza lezi zihlahla zibe phakathi kweziphila isikhathi eside kunazo zonke emhlabeni. Le “nkosana” yepulangwe laseTasmania yaziswa kakhulu ababazi nabakhi bezikebhe. Ukhuni lwaso oluthi alube phuzi lubazeka kalula futhi lunamafutha abalulekile alwenza lungasheshi ukonakala futhi lungasondelwa izinambuzane. Ezinye izingodo ezitholakala phansi ehlathini zisuke zisasebenziseka ngemva kokuchitha amakhulu eminyaka zilapho.

[Isithombe ekhasini 10]

I-Tasmanian devil

[Umthombo]

© J & C Sohns/age fotostock

[Isithombe ekhasini 11]

I-common wombat

[Isithombe ekhasini 11]

I-platypus

[Imithombo Yesithombe ekhasini 11]

Wombat and platypus: Tourism Tasmania; giant tree: Tourism Tasmania and George Apostolidis