Umanyano Oluntsonkothileyo Lobomi
“Izinto eziphilayo ezahlukeneyo zifana neinshorensi kuthi. Ubomi bethu buxhomekeke kuzo.”—IUNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME.
ZININZI izinto eziphila emhlabeni yaye zahlukahlukene ngendlela engathethekiyo. Ibinzana elithi “iindidi zezinto eziphilayo,” lichaza zonke izinto eziphilayo ehlabathini, ukususela kwezona ntsholongwane zincinane ukuya kutsho kweyona mithi mikhulu iisequoia; ukususela kwimisundululu ukuya kutsho kwiinkozi.
Zonke ezi zinto ziphilayo emhlabeni ziyinxalenye yomanyano olunye olukhulu, noluxhasanayo olukwaquka nezinto ezingaphiliyo. Ubomi buxhomekeke kwizinto ezingaphiliyo njengomoya, iilwandlekazi, amanzi acocekileyo, amatye neendidi zomhlaba. Ezi zinto zibizwa ngokuba yimeko-bume yobomi yaye abantu bayinxalenye ebalulekileyo yazo.
Izinto ezahlukeneyo eziphilayo ziquka zonke iintsholongwane. Uninzi lwazo lunegalelo ekuvelisweni kwemichiza ebalulekileyo egcina olu manyano luqhubeka. Izinto eziphilayo ezahlukeneyo, okanye umanyano lobomi, lukwaquka izityalo eziluhlaza ezivelisa ioksijini ngenkqubo ebizwa ngokuba yiphotosynthesis, etsala ize igcine amandla elanga okuxhasa ezinye iintlobo zobomi.
Izinto Ezahlukahlukeneyo Ziyaphela
Okulusizi kukuba, phezu kwabo nje ubuhle nokwahlukahlukana kwezinto eziphilayo, uninzi lwabaphengululi luthi umntu ufunzele phambili ekupheliseni izinto eziphilayo ngomkhamo ongathethekiyo. Ngaziphi iindlela?
◼ Ukutshatyalaliswa kwendawo ezihlala kuyo. Lo ngoyena nobangela uphambili wokuphela kwezinto eziphilayo. Oku kuquka ukugawula, ukwenza imigodi, ukuwisa imithi ukuze iinkomo zikwazi ukufumana amadlelo, nokwakha amadama noohola bendlela apho kwakha kwakho iindawo ezipholileyo khona. Izinto eziphilayo ziyaphela, ziphelelwa zizinto zokuzinceda ziqhubeke nobomi. Imeko-bume yendalo iyacukucezwa ize ibekwe kumgangatho ophantsi yaye iyatshatyalaliswa. Iindlela ezifuduka ngazo ziyaphazamiseka. Izinto ezinemizila yemfuza eyahlukeneyo ziyaphela. Izinto eziphila apho azikwazi kukhuselwa kwizifo nezinye iinkathazo. Ngenxa yoko, ngokuthe ngcembe izinto eziphilayo ziyatshabalala.
Ukutshabalala kweendidi ezithile zezinto eziphilayo kunokubangela ukuba zitshabalale ziluthotho, kuba xa kutshabalala elinye ilungu lolu manyano lobomi, namanye ayachaphazeleka. Ukuphela kweendidi zezinto eziphilayo ezenza umsebenzi ophambili—njengezo zenza umvumvuzelwano—kunokuchaphazela ezinye iindidi ezininzi.
◼ Iindidi zezinto eziphilayo eziye kubekwa kwindawo ethile. Xa abantu befika nento ethile engeyoyaloo ndawo, idla ngokugqiba indawo yezinye. Kwakhona xa ingeyoyaloo ndawo, le nto iphilayo inokuthi ngendlela engaqondakaliyo itshabalalise izinto zaloo ndawo intsha, okanye isenokuza nezifo ekungenakumelwana nazo zizinto zalapho. Ngakumbi kwiziqithi, apho izinto eziphilayo bekukudala zizihlalela kungekho ezintsha ezifikayo, izinto eziphilayo zalapho zisenokungakwazi ukumelana nale meko.
Umzekelo woku yialga “ebulalayo,” iCaulerpa taxifolia, etshabalalisa ezinye izidalwa zasemanzini kuLwandle lweMeditera. Emva kokuthi ngempazamo iye kubekwa kunxweme lweMonaco, ngoku sele inabele ezinzulwini zolwandle. Inetyhefu, kwaye ayinantanga. UAlexandre Meinesz, unjingalwazi wenzululwazi yezinto eziphila emanzini kwiUniversity of Nice, eFransi, uthi: “Ngoku siza kubona ukuphela kwezinto eziphilayo.”
◼ Ukungxixwa kwazo. Oku kuye kwakhokelela ekupheleni kwazo. Umzekelo ocacileyo ngowehobe elifudukayo. Ebutsheni benkulungwane ye-19, lalikho ngobuninzi kuMntla-Merika. Xa efuduka—eziziqhu ezingamawaka ezigidi nangaphezulu—ayenyakazela kangangeentsuku eziliqela esibhakabhakeni ebudeni belo xesha. Noko ke, ngasekupheleni kwenkulungwane ye-19, azingelwa de asecicini lokuphela, yaye ngoSeptemba we-1914, kumzi wogcino-zilwanyana eCincinnati, ihobe elifudukayo lokugqibela lafa. Ngokufanayo, inyathi yaseMerika, okanye eyakwiiGreat Plains yaphantse yazingelwa yaphela.
◼ Ukwanda kwabantu. Phakathi kwinkulungwane ye-19 intsapho yabantu yayizizigidi eziliwaka. Kwinkulungwane enesiqingatha kamva xa abantu bengamawaka amahlanu ezigidi, bayaqalisa ukuzibuza enoba basengozini yokuzisebenzisa zonke izinto abanazo. Nyaka ngamnye, njengoko abantu beqhubeka besanda, izilwanyana ziphela ngomlinganiselo oxhomis’ amehlo.
◼ Isisongelo sobushushu bomhlaba. Ngokutsho kweIntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, kusenokwenzeka ukuba ubushushu bunyuke nge-3,5° ngokukaCelsius kule nkulungwane. Kuya kube kushushu gqitha ukuba ezinye izinto eziphilayo zingasinda. Ngokutsho kwabaphengululi, kubonakala ngathi oyena nobangela wokuphela kwezinto ezininzi ezibalulekileyo emanzini kukufudumala kwamanzi.
Izazinzulu zithi ukunyuka komlinganiselo wamanzi ngemitha kunokuphelisa imimandla efumileyo engaselunxwemeni ehlabathini, ndawo leyo ekuhlala kuyo izinto ezininzi ezahlukeneyo. Abanye bakholelwa ukuba ukufudumala komhlaba kusenokuchaphazela umkhenkce weGreenland neAntarctic. Ukuba lo mkhenkce unokunyibilika, kungalandela intlekele.
Ukuphela Kwezinto Kuthabath’ Unyawo
Izinto eziphilayo ziphela ngokukhawuleza kangakanani? Lo mbuzo awude uphendulwe kakuhle ncam. Uninzi lwezinto eziphelayo zisengumnqa kwizazinzulu. Okokuqala kusafuneka zazi inani lezinto ezikhoyo. Ngokutsho kukaJohn Harte, isazi ngezinto eziphilayo kwiUniversity of California, eBerkeley, “kukho malunga nesigidi esinesiqingatha sezinto eziphilayo ezaziwayo emhlabeni, kodwa siyazi ukuba kukho nezinto eziphilayo ezininzi ezingaziwayo, yaye xa lidibene lonke elo nani mhlawumbi liphakathi kwezigidi ezi-5 nezili-15.” Abanye baqikelela ukuba zizigidi ezingama-50 izinto eziphilayo nangaphezulu. Ukufumana elona nani lichanileyo akunakwenzeka ngenxa yokuba “izinto ezininzi ziza kuphela ngaphambi kokuba zinikwe amagama okanye zichazwe,” ngokutsho kwesazinzulu uAnthony C. Janetos.
Inzululwazi yanamhlanje ikude kakhulu ekuyiqondeni ngokupheleleyo indlela ezisebenza ngayo izinto eziphilayo ezinceda indalo iqhubeke iphila kamnandi. Ukuba abantu abalazi inani lezinto eziphilayo ezikhoyo, banokuluqonda njani umanyano lobomi oluntsonkothileyo nendlela oluchatshazelwa ngayo kukuphela kwezinto eziphilayo? Banokuyazi njani indlela ukuphela kwezinto eziphilayo okunegalelo ngayo kwinkqubo yokuxhasa ubomi yesijikelezi-langa?
Xa izazinzulu zizama ukuqonda umkhamo wokuphela kwezinto eziphilayo, uqikelelo lwazo, nangona lwahlukahlukene, luyadanisa. Omnye umbhali uthi: “Malunga nama-50 ekhulwini ezityalo nezilwanyana zehlabathi zisenokuba ziza kuphela kwisithuba seminyaka elikhulu.” Uqikelelo lukaHarte lubangela usizi kakhulu: “Iingcali zebhayoloji ziqikelela ukuba ukugecwa kwamahlathi kuya kuphumela ekutshatyalalisweni kwesiqingatha okanye ngaphezulu sezinto eziphilayo ezikhoyo emhlabeni ebudeni beminyaka engama-75 ezayo.”
Ngokusekelwe kubalo lwesazinzulu uStuart Pimm weUniversity of Tennessee, iNational Geographic ithi “i-11 ekhulwini leentaka, okanye iindidi ezili-1 100 kwezimalunga ne-10 000 ezisehlabathini lonke, zisengozini yokuphela; kuyathandabuzeka ukuba ezininzi kwezi zili-1 100 ziya kuyigqiba [inkulungwane yama-21].” Kwaeli phephancwadi lathi: “Kutshanje igqiza elibekekileyo leengcaphephe zezityalo liye lanikela ingxelo yokuba isityalo esinye kwezisibhozo sisengozini yokuphela. UPimm uthi: ‘Le ngozi ayilengalengeli izinto eziphilayo eziseziqithini okanye kumahlathi akweleenjiko okanye iintaka nje kuphela okanye izilwanyana ezikhulu.’ Yonke nje into isengozini kuyo yonke indawo. . . . Ngubhubhane nje osehlabathini lonke wokuphela kwezinto eziphilayo.’”
Ngaba Zonke Ezi Zinto Ziphilayo Ziyimfuneko?
Ngaba sinesizathu sokuxhalaba ngokuphela kwezinto eziphilayo ezahlukahlukeneyo? Ngaba ngokwenene zonke ezi zinto ziphilayo ziyimfuneko? Uninzi lweengcali ezibekekileyo zithi kunjalo ngokwenene. Intarhantarha yezinto eziphilayo emhlabeni ibangela ukuba abantu bafumane ukutya, imichiza eyimfuneko nezinye izinto. Kwakhona, cinga nje ngeengenelo ebezinokuziswa zizidalwa ezingazange zifumaneke kuluntu. Ngokomzekelo, kuqikelelwa ukuba amayeza aphambili aphuma ngemvume kagqirha ali-120 kwali-150 asetyenziswa eUnited States avela kwizinto zemvelo. Ngenxa yoko, ukuphela kwezityalo zehlabathi kuphosanisa uluntu nethuba lokufumana amayeza nemichiza emitsha. UMhlekazi uGhillean Prance, umalathisi weKew Gardens eLondon, uthi: “Sihlandlo ngasinye siphulukana nesidalwa, siphulukana nento ebiya kusinceda kwikamva. Siphulukana nento ebinokuba lunyango lukaGawulayo okanye isityalo esimelana neentsholongwane. Ngoko ngandlel’ ithile kuza kufuneka sizame singaphulukani nezinto eziphilayo, kungekuphela nje ngenxa yesijikelezi-langa sethu kodwa nangenxa . . . yeemfuno zethu.”
Kwakhona sifuna izinto ezahlukeneyo zendalo zisinike iinkonzo ezibalulekileyo ezinokuxhomekeka kuzo zonke izinto eziphilayo. Ukuveliswa kweoksijini, ukugutyulwa kwamanzi, ukuhluzwa kwezingcolisi, nokukhuselwa kokukhukuliseka komhlaba zonke ezo ziinkonzo ezibalulekileyo ezifezwa zizinto eziphilayo.
Izinambuzane zenza umvumvuzelwano. Amasele, iintlanzi neentaka zinciphisa izinambuzane eziyingozi; iimbaza nezinye izinto eziphila emanzini zicoca amanzi; izityalo nezidalwa ezincinane zibumba umhlaba. Ziyingenelo kakhulu ezi nkonzo ngokwezoqoqosho. Uqikelelo lweengenelo ezingokwemali zezinto eziphilayo ehlabathini lonke lumalunga nama-24 amawaka ezigidi zeerandi ngonyaka, ngokwamaxabiso owe-1995.
Noko ke, phezu kwako nje ukuthembela kwethu kwizinto eziphilayo ezahlukeneyo, kubonakala ngathi ihlabathi likwembi inkathazo yokuphela kwezinto eziphilayo, nto leyo ebeka esichengeni umanyano oluntsonkothileyo lobomi. Ngoku, kanye ngeli xesha esiqala ngalo ukuqonda ukubaluleka kwezinto eziphilayo ezahlukeneyo, abantu bangunobangela wokuphela kwezinto ezingakumbi kunanini na ngaphambili! Noko ke, ngaba umntu angayicombulula le ngxaki? Ikamva lizifumbathele ntoni izinto ezahlukeneyo ezisemhlabeni?
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Buxabisa Ntoni Ubomi?
Ukuxubusha ngokuxabiseka kwezinto eziphilayo ezahlukeneyo kusenokubonakala ngathi kusibonisa ukuba simele sizikhathalele ezinye izinto eziphilayo logama nje zisizisela iingenelo. Abanye bavakalelwa kukuba oko kukucinga phambi konyawo. Isazinzulu ngezidalwa zamandulo uNiles Eldredge uchaza indlela ubomi obuxabiseke ngayo: “Thina bantu siyazixabisa izinto eziphilayo ezisingqongileyo—izinto eziphilayo ezinomtsalane, iindawo ezintle ezingekonakali ezindle—ngenxa yendlela ezixabiseke ngayo. Ikho apha kuthi indawo eqondayo ukuba sinento yokwenza nendalo yaye sifumana uxolo noyolo xa siphakathi kwayo nangaliphi na ixesha.”
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Uludwe Lwezinto Ezisecicini Lokuphela
“Uludwe Lwezinto Ezisecicini Lokuphela” lupapashwe yi-International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, umbutho ohlola imeko yezidalwa ezisengozini yokuphela. Ezimbalwa kwezi zidalwa zisengozini zikolu “Ludwe Lwezinto Ezisecicini Lokuphela” lonyaka wama-2000 zikweli phepha:
Iwandering albatross (Idiomedea exulans)
Olu lolunye kwiindidi ezili-16 zealbatross ezisengozini ehlabathini lonke. Kuthiwa uninzi lwazo lwarhaxwa emva kokuba lwathi ngengozi lwabanjiswa nazizibatha zamaphenyane okuloba.
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Photo by Tony Palliser
Ired-shanked douc langur (Ipygathrix nemaeus)
Le nkawu ithandekayo yaseAsia ifumaneka kumzantsi nakumbindi weVietnam nakwiinxalenye zeLaos. Isengozini ngenxa yokutshatyalaliswa kwendawo ehlala kuyo nokuzingelwa kwayo. Izingelwa ngenjongo yokuba ityiwe kufunwa ke namanye amalungu omzimba wayo, ukuze asetyenziselwe amayeza esintu.
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Photo by Bill Konstant
Inkumba yaseCorsica (Ihelix ceratina)
Indawo ehlala le nkumba isengozini kakhulu iziihektare ezi-7 kuphela kumahlomela-dolophu aseAjaccio, kumzantsi-ntshona weCorsica. Ubomi bayo busenokuba sengozini ngenxa yenkqubela equka ukwakhiwa kwesikhululo seenqwelo-moya neendlela eziya elunxwemeni lolwandle.
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Photo by G. Falkner
Igolden pagoda (Imimetes chrysanthus)
Le ntyatyambo intle yafumaneka ngowe-1987 eNtshona Koloni, eMzantsi Afrika. Ukutshiswa kwamahlathi okuxhaphakileyo nezinye izinto eziphilayo ezinwenwayo nezingadibaniyo negolden pagoda zisisisongelo kwesi sityalo.
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Photo by Craig Hilton-Taylor
Isawfish ehlala kumanzi acocekileyo (Ipristis microdon)
Le ntlanzi isengozini ifumaneka kulwandlekazi i-India nakwiNtshona yePasifiki, kwanakumatheku akufutshane apho, emachwebeni nasemilanjeni. Isesichengeni kakhulu sokulotywa yaye iphunguke ngendlela eyothusayo. Kwakhona isesichengeni sokuphelelwa yindawo yokuhlala kwakunye nokuhlala kwiimeko ezingaphucukanga.
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Photo courtesy of Sun International Resorts, Inc.
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Ukubulala Izinto Eziphila Elwandle
Ubuncwane beelwandlekazi, ekwakusithiwa abunakuphela, ngoku bulinganiselwe. Isazinzulu ngezidalwa zamandulo uNiles Eldredge, xa wayebhala iphephancwadi iNatural History, wathi xa wayechaza umkhamo wokusetyenziswa kweelwandlekazi: “Ezobugcisa kutshanje zenze ukuloba kwalula kangangokuba iinzulu ezininzi zeelwandlekazi zitshatyalaliswa kanye njengokugecwa kwamahlathi. Noko ke, kanye ezo zobugcisa zinenkcitho engathethekiyo; iimfudo zaselwandle neentini, kwakunye neendidi zeentlanzi nezilwanyana ezingenamqolo ezingathengiswayo, zibulawa yiminatha naziinqanawa zokuloba.”
Ligqabaza ngoko kubizwa ngokuba “yinkcitho yokuloba inqonci,” iphephancwadi iNational Geographic lathi “ngakwiGulf Coast [ngaphandle kweTexas, eUnited States] iiponti ezilishumi elinesibini [malunga neekhilogram ezintandathu] zezinto eziphila elwandle—uninzi lwazo iziintlanzi ezincinane—zisenokufa kuba kufunwa iponti enye [malunga nesiqingatha sekhilogram] yenqonci.” Ezi ntlanzi neembaza ezingafunwayo kudla ngokuthiwa zibanjwe ngengozi. Isazi ngebhayoloji sakhala ngelithi: “Ngokomlinganiselo kwintlanzi nganye ebanjwayo ezine zibanjwa ngengozi.” Akumangalisi ukuba iilwandlekazi zethu ziye zaba yindawo yokubulala izilwanyana ezininzi ezisecicini lokuphela!
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Izinto Eziphilayo Ezizifihle Emahlathini
Amahlathi akwesi sijikelezi-langa azele zizinto eziphilayo, kuquka izinto ezingekafunyaniswa ngabantu. Isazinzulu ngezinto eziphilayo uJohn Harte sathi: “Amahlathi emvula akweleenjiko athabatha ngaphantsi kwesibini ekhulwini esi sijikelezi-langa kodwa ngawo kuphela ahlala ubuncinane ama-50 ekhulwini kanti kusenokwenzeka ukuba ngama-90 ekhulwini azo zonke izinto eziphilayo ezisemhlabeni. Olu qikelelo lusekelwe kwisibakala sokuba uninzi lwezinto eziphilayo ezingekaziwa ziya kufumaneka kweleenjiko ngenxa yokuhlolwa kwezinto eziphilayo kweleenjiko. Noko ke, ezinye iindawo zokuhlala azihlolwa kakuhle yaye ngaphandle kwamathandabuzo zinezinto eziphilayo ezingaziwayo yinzululwazi namhlanje. Phakathi kwezi ziindidi zemihlaba yamahlathi angaxinananga, njengamahlathi anyakamileyo akudala akuMntla-ntshona Pasifiki eUnited States.”
Ngubani onokuyazi indlela umntu anokothuka ngayo esakufumana ithuba lokuhlola izinto eziphilayo ezizifihle emahlathini?
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Ihobe elifudukayo, alisekho xa kungoku
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U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C./Luther C. Goldman