Ngaba Ikho Indawo Yokuhlala Abantu Neyezilwanyana?

KUTHENI izilwanyana zasendle zincipha kwiindawo ezininzi zaseAfrika? (Bona ibhokisi, ekwiphepha elilandelayo.) Bambi babeka ityala kubemi beli lizwekazi abanda ngokukhawuleza.

Liyinyaniso elokuba, iindawo ezithile zaseAfrika, ngokukodwa iindawo ezikufutshane nezixeko, zinabemi abaninzi. Kwakhona, kwimimandla yasemaphandleni amadlelo abhuqwa yimfuyo yamafama amaninzi angamahlwempu. Ngokomzekelo, qwalasela imimandla enabemi abaninzi yaseVenda, eGazankulu naKangwane, emelene neKruger National Park. La maphandle abantu abantsundu asekwa njengenxalenye yomthetho waseMzantsi Afrika wocalucalulo yaye abemi bawo baphakathi kwama-70 ukuya ngaphezu kwe-100 kwisikwekhilomitha ngasinye. Ukudlula kule mimandla xa usiya kunandipha ixesha lekhefu eKruger National Park kusenokuphazamisa. Iphephandaba laseMzantsi Afrika iSowetan lichaza lithi: “Abantu abahlala kufutshane . . . bangamahlwempu, inkoliso yabo ayiphangeli yaye iyalamba.” Elinye iphephandaba lasekuhlaleni iThe Natal Witness, lithi: “Izilwanyana zihlala kwindawo entle nechumayo kwelazo icala locingo.”

Ngokutsho kweengxelo zakutshanje, abasemagunyeni eKruger Park bazimisele ukwenza okungakumbi ukuze bancede abantu abahlala kufutshane nemida yale paki. Kodwa kuya kwenzeka ntoni ukuba ucingo lunokususwa baze bangene ngokukhululekileyo abazingeli, abafuyi bempahla emfutshane, nabahlali? Abo balondoloza indalo bayoyika hleze ekugqibeleni inkoliso yezilwanyana zasendle itshatyalaliswe iphele, njengokuba kwenzekile kwamanye amazwe.

Iindawo zogcino-zilwanyana eziphethwe kakuhle zinendima ebalulekileyo ekulondolozweni kwezilwanyana zasendle, ngokukodwa kwimimandla enabemi abaninzi. Iindawo ezigcina izilwanyana zisekwanokungenisa imali efuneka gqitha eza nabakhenkethi abasuka kwamanye amazwe. (Bona ibhokisi, kwiphepha 5.) Umcholacholi weendaba waseAfrika uMusa Zondi, kwinqaku leSowetan elicatshulwe ngasentla, ugqiba kwelokuba, “ezi ndawo zikwavula amathuba emisebenzi kumawaka abantu—ngokukodwa abo bahlala kufutshane nezi ndawo zigcina izilwanyana. Ngaphezu koko, eli lilifa lethu. Asikho isipho esidlula ezi ndawo esinokusishiyela abantwana bethu.”

Ukwanda Kwabemi—Ngaba Kuphela Kwesisongelo?

Asikokwanda kwabemi kuphela isisongelo kwizilwanyana zasendle eAfrika. Ngokomzekelo, khawuqwalasele amazwe amane amakhulu aseAfrika ahlulwe yimida: iNamibia, iBotswana, iAngola neZambia. La xa edityanisiwe agubungela ummandla ongaphezulu kwelaseIndiya, sekunjalo xa abemi bawo bedityanisiwe kunokuhlala abemi abathandathu kwisikwekhilomitha ngasinye. Oko akunto ingako xa kuthelekiswa nabemi bamazwe afana neJamani, apho kuhlala abangama-222 kwisikwekhilomitha ngasinye; iBritani, abangama-236 kwisikwekhilomitha ngasinye; neIndiya, abangama-275 kwisikwekhilomitha ngasinye! Enyanisweni, abemi bayo yonke iAfrika, abantu abangama-22 kwisikwekhilomitha ngasinye, ingaphantsi kwesilinganiso sehlabathi sama-40.

Kwincwadi ethi Conservation in Africa uRichard Bell waseZambia uyavuma ukuba: “Abemi baseAfrika banda ngokukhawuleza, kodwa xa sisonke isilinganiso sabemi xa sithelekiswa nomhlaba sisephantsi ngokwentelekiso ngaphandle kweendawo ezithile abantu ababuthelene ndawonye kuzo.”

Izifo, iimbalela ezitshabalalisayo, ukuzingela ngokungekho mthethweni okwenziwa ngabantu bamazwe ngamazwe, iimfazwe zamakhaya, nokungakhathalelwa kwabantu abangamahlwempu basemaphandleni konke kunegalelo ekuncipheni kwezilwanyana zasendle eAfrika.

Ukulwisana ngokuba leliphi na ilizwe elinamandla phakathi kwelo lalisakuba yiSoviet Union namazwe aseNtshona kwaphumela kwimilo kulo lonke elaseAfrika, omabini la macala ethumela izixhobo ezintsonkothileyo kweli lizwekazi. Ngokufuthi, ezinye zezi zixhobo ziye zajoliswa kwizilwanyana zasendle ukuze kondliwe imikhosi elambayo nokuze kufumaneke izixhobo ezingakumbi ngokuthengiswa kwamabamba endlovu, iimpondo zomkhombe, neentloko zezinye izilwanyana neemveliso. Ukutshatyalaliswa ngokukhawuleza kwezilwanyana zasendle akuphelanga ngokuphela kweMfazwe Yomlomo. Izixhobo ziseseAfrika. Ngokuphathelele enye yeemfazwe zamakhaya zaseAfrika, eAngola, ulindixesha othi Africa South unikela le ngxelo: “Ukuzingelwa kwezilwanyana ngokungekho mthethweni, obekusele kuxhaphakile ebudeni bemfazwe, kuye kwantinga kususela oko kuye kwenziwa uxolo ngenxa yokuba akukhange kubekho ndlela yokulawula amajoni abuya emfazweni.” Yaye ke naloo mfazwe seyiphinde yaqalwa phantsi.

Abaninzi kwabo bazingela izilwanyana ngokungekho mthethweni babeka ubomi babo esichengeni ngenxa yemali eninzi ebandakanyekileyo. Iphephandaba laseAfrika iThe Star linikela le ngxelo: “Ngophondo olunye [lomkhombe] unokufumana malunga nama-R70 000.” Umlondolozi wezilwanyana uGqr. Esmond Martin, watyelela ilizwe laseAsia ngowe-1988 waza wafumanisa ukuba ixabiso lekhilogram yophondo lomkhombe kwiminyaka nje emithathu lalinyuke ukususela kuma-R4 520 ukuya kwi-R13 750.

Ngubani Oza Kufika Kuqala?

Kuye kwathatyathwa amanyathelo angqongqo ukuze kutsalelwe ingqalelo kwisisongelo esibangelwa kukufunwa kwamabamba endlovu nophondo lomkhombe. NgoJulayi we-1989, izigidi zababukeli bakamabonwakude emhlabeni wonke zabukela imfumba yamabamba endlovu aziitoni ezili-12, aqikelelwa phakathi kweerandi ezizigidi ezisi-9 ukuya kwezili-18, etshiswa ngumongameli waseKenya, uDaniel arap Moi. Umalathisi wezilwanyana zasendle eKenya uGqr. Richard Leakey, wabuzwa ukuba wayenokuyichaza njani inkcitho enjalo. Waphendula wathi: “Besingayi kukwazi ukuqinisekisa abantu baseMerika, eKhanada okanye eJapan ukuba bayeke ukuthenga amabamba endlovu ukuba besiwathengisa.” Eneneni, loo manyathelo abothusa abantu abaninzi aza abangela ukuba basebenzisane nokuvalwa kokuthengiswa kwamabamba endlovu. Umlinganiselo ebezifuneka ngawo izinto ezenziwe ngamabamba endlovu wehla ngokuphawulekayo.

Ngomkhombe, imeko yahlukile. Nangona umongameli waseKenya watshisa iimpondo zomkhombe ezixabisa izigidi zeerandi ngowe-1990, zisaqhubeka zifuneka. (Bona ibhokisi ethi “Isizathu Sokuba Iimpondo Zomkhombe Zithandwa Kangaka,” iphepha 9.) Ukuze akhusele imikhombe ephelayo, amazwe athile aye abhenela ekuzinqumleni iimpondo zezi zidalwa. Maxa wambi kuba ngumcimbi kawashiywa nowashiywa kufunwa ukuba ngubani oza kufika kuqala, kukho abalondolozi kwilinge lokukhusela okanye abo bazingela ngokungekho mthethweni ngezixhobo ezibulalayo.

Indlela Entsha Yokulondoloza

Abazingeli nabalondolozi bendalo bamazwe aseNtshona kudala bebuqonda ubuchule babantu abahlala ezilalini bokulandela izilwanyana. Enyanisweni, ama-Afrika amaninzi anolwazi olumangalisayo lwezilwanyana zasendle. Kwincwadi yakhe ethi Africa in Crisis uLloyd Timberlake ucacisa enjenje: “Inkoliso yolu lwazi, idluliselwa ngomlomo, yaye isengozini njengokuba ama-Afrika ezishiya iindawo zasemaphandleni esiya ezixekweni . . . Ngaloo ndlela ihlabathi lisengozini yokulahlekelwa koko . . . isazinzulu ngemvelaphi nentlalo yabantu uLeslie Brownrigg akubiza ngokuthi ‘luphando lwezenzululwazi lweenkulungwane olwenziwa ngabantu abaninzi.’”

Ngaphambili, oorhulumente bamathanga benza iipaki zelizwe ngokugxotha amahlwempu awayexhomekeke kwizilwanyana zasendle kangangeenkulungwane zeminyaka ukuze afumane ukudla. Ngoku oorhulumente abathile baseAfrika bafuna ukuwanceda la mafama asemaphandleni kudala engakhathalelwanga. IZiko Lokondela Ihlabathi linikela le ngxelo: “Kumazwe aliqela akumazantsi eAfrika, urhulumente uyekile ukuzilawula yedwa izilwanyana zasendle. Abantu abahlala emaphandleni kwimiMandla Yokulondolozwa Kwezilwanyana eli-10 kwengama-31 yaseZambia banamalungelo kwizilwanyana zasendle; ukuzingela okungekho mthethweni kwehlile kakhulu yaye izilwanyana zasendle zibonakala zihlaziyeka kwakhona.” Zikho nezinye iingxelo ezingokuphumelela xa abantu abangamahlwempu abahlala emaphandleni bebandakanywa ekulondolozweni kwendalo, njengomkhombe omnyama neendlovu zasentlango eKaokoland eNamibia, kwiindawo zokugcina izilwanyana zaKangwane eMzantsi Afrika, nakwamanye amazwe aseAfrika.

Nangona oku kuthembisa, abalondolozi bendalo basakhathazekile ngekamva. Okona kulunga kunokwenziwa yile ndlela intsha sisicombululo sokwexeshana kuphela. Xa sikhangela kwixesha elikude, ukwanda ngokukhawuleza kwabantu kusesisisongelo. IU.S.News & World Report iyachaza: “Kwinkulungwane elandelayo, abantu kulindeleke ukuba bande xa sithelekelela ngesi-5 [samawaka ezigidi], ikakhulu kumazwe asakhasayo, ngelishwa ke, azindawo zokugqibela ezisekho kuzo izilwanyana zasendle kwesi sijikelezi-langa.”

Njengokuba abantu besanda kwimimandla eyintlango, kuvela ungquzulwano phakathi komntu nesilwanyana. Incwadi ethi Conservation in Africa icacisa ithi: “Izilwanyana ezininzi ezikhulu zaseAfrika azivisisani neendlela ezininzi zokuphucula iindawo zasemaphandleni, ngokomzekelo indlovu, imvubu, umkhombe, inyathi, ingonyama nengwenya, kwaneenyamakazi ezithile ezinkulu, nezilwanyana ezifana neenkawu neehagu.”

Ekubeni abantu bengenaso isicombululo sokusindisa izilwanyana zasendle zaseAfrika ixesha elide, ngubani onaso?

[Ibhokisi/Imaphu ekwiphepha 7]

“Iinyathi zehlile ukusuka kuma-55 000 zaya kutsho ngaphantsi kwama-4 000, iinyamakazi zasemanzini ukusuka kuma-45 000 ukuya kutsho ngaphantsi kwama-5 000, amaqwarhashe ukusuka kuma-2 720 ukuya kutsho kwamalunga ne-1 000, yaye iimvubu zehle ukusuka kwezili-1 770 ukuya kutsho kwezimalunga nama-260.”—Ukuthelekiswa kohlolisiso olwenziwa ngenqwelo-moya ngowe-1979 nolwenziwa ngowe-1990 kwiMarromeu Delta yaseMozambiki lwaza lwakhutshwa kulindixesha othi African Wildlife, Matshi/Aprili 1992.

“Ngowe-1981 amalunga nama-45 000 amaqwarhashe awadlula kwimimandla enengca namahlathi [akumntla Botswana]. Kodwa ngowe-1991 angama-7 000 kuphela awathabatha kwauhambo olufanayo.”—Ithatyathwe kwiphephancwadi elithi Getaway kuhlolisiso lwalo lwevideo yezilwanyana zasendle ethi Patterns in the Grass, Novemba 1992.

“Kutyelelo lwethu [lwaseTogo, kwiNtshona Afrika] sifumanise iqela leendlovu zasehlathini ezibangel’ umdla nebesingazilindelanga eFosse aux Lions Nature Reserve . . . Ubalo olwenziwa ngenqwelo-moya ngoMatshi 1991 lwabonisa izilwanyana ezili-130. . . . [Kodwa kungaphelanga nonyaka,] inani leendlovu eFosse aux Lions lihle laya kutsho kuma-25.”—Wanikela loo ngxelo ulindixesha othi African Wildlife, Matshi/Aprili 1992.

[Imaphu]

(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)

Iindawo zogcino-zilwanyana zaseAfrika zinendima ebalulekileyo ekulondolozeni izilwanyana ezininzi

AFRICA

MOROCCO

WESTERN SAHARA

MAURITANIA

ALGERIA

MALI

TUNISIA

LIBYA

NIGER

NIGERIA

EGYPT

CHAD

SUDAN

DJIBOUTI

ETHIOPIA

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

CAMEROON

CONGO

Cabinda (Angola)

GABON

ZAIRE

UGANDA

KENYA

SOMALIA

TANZANIA

ANGOLA

ZAMBIA

MALAWI

NAMIBIA

ZIMBABWE

MOZAMBIQUE

BOTSWANA

MADAGASCAR

SOUTH AFRICA

SENEGAL

GAMBIA

GUINEA-BISSAU

GUINEA

BURKINA FASO

BENIN

SIERRA LEONE

LIBERIA

CÔTE D’IVOIRE

GHANA

TOGO

EQUATORIAL GUINEA

RWANDA

BURUNDI

SWAZILAND

LESOTHO

Fosse aux Lions

Nature Reserve

Masai Mara Game Reserve

Serengeti National Park

Marromeu Delta

Kruger National Park

Mediterranean Sea

Red Sea

Indian Ocean

Areas Cited in Article

Major National Parks

[Ibhokisi/Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 9]

Isizathu Sokuba Iimpondo Zomkhombe Zithandwa Kangaka

“UHLOBO LWEMILENZE Emithathu Lwamanzi Ophondo Lomkhombe Okukhusela Icesina.” Elo ligama leyeza elithandwayo elithengiswa eMalaysia, ngokutsho kwababhali bencwadi ethi Rhino, uDaryl noSharna Balfour. Oku kufane kuthiwe liyeza kubhalwe lo myalezo: “Eli yeza lixutywe ngenyameko ngokusuka kwiimpondo zomkhombe eziphambili ezikhethiweyo neZiyobisi Zokukhusela Icesina, yaye ngaphantsi kolwalathiso oluthe ngqo lweeNgcali. Eli yeza limangalisayo lisebenza ngokugqibeleleyo ekunikeni isiqabu kwabo bagula zezi zinto: Isifo Seengcongconi, Ubushushu Obuphakamileyo, Icesina Yentliziyo Neyamalungu Omane, Likhusela Kwincilikithi Ebangelwa Yimozulu, Kwimpambano, Kwiingqaqambo Zezinyo, njl. njl.”—Akekeliswe sithi.

Iinkolelo ezinjalo zixhaphakile kumazwe aseAsia. Uphondo lomkhombe olukwimo yamanzi okanye umgubo kulula ukulufumana kwizixeko ezininzi zaseAsia. Ngethemba lokulwisana nokuthandwa kwalo, abakwaBalfour bema ngelithi: “Ukusela ithamo lophondo lomkhombe ngokwezonyango kuyafana nokutya iinzipho zakho.”

EYemen, uphondo lomkhombe luxatyiswa ngenxa yesinye isizathu—njengento yokwenza imiphini yezinkempe. Ebudeni beshumi leminyaka yee-1970, kwangena kwelo lizwe iitoni zazo ezingaphezu kwama-22 zisuka kumazwe angaphandle, yaye kunzima ukufumana enye into enokusetyenziswa. AbakwaBalfour bacacisa bathi: “Abantu baseYemen, bafumanise ukuba akukho nto ifana nophondo lomkhombe ngokuhlala ithuba elide nangokubukeka. . . . Okukhona iya isiba midala [imiphini yezinkempe] kokukhona isiya ikhangeleka kakuhle, isiba krelekrele ngokungathi yintlaka.”

[Iigrafu/Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 8]

(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)

2,720

1,000

1979 Inani lamaqwarhashe 1990

55,000

3,696

1979 Inani leenyathi 1990

1,770

260

1979 Inani leemvubu 1990

45,000

4,480

1979 Inani leenyamakazi zasemanzini

Ukuthelekiswa kwamanani ezilwanyana zasendle kwiMarromeu Delta ngowe-1979 nowe-1990

[Inkcazelo]

Bottom left: Safari-Zoo of Ramat-Gan, Tel Aviv