Inyoni “Eqothuliwe” Isiphinde Yatholakala

YINI ecishe ilingane nesikhukukazi, enoqhwaku olubomvu njengolukapholi nezimpaphe ezinsomi ngokuluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka, engakwazi ukundiza, futhi okwakucatshangwa ukuthi iqothuliwe kusukela cishe ngo-1900 kuya ku-1948? Enye inkomba: Itholakala eNew Zealand kuphela futhi inegama lesiMaori. I-takahe, noma i-Notornis mantelli hochstetteri.

Lezizinyoni ezizifihlayo zichitha isikhathi esiningi sonyaka enkangala yezintaba zokhahlamba iMurchison neKepler zaseFiordland eningizimu-ntshonalanga yeSouth Island yaseNew Zealand. Nokho, ezimbalwa zivalelwe, njengalena ethathwe isithombe lapha epaki lomphakathi elincane laseTe Anau. I-Illustrated Encyclopedia of Birds ithi lenyoni enkulu (engamasentimitha angaba ngu-63 ubude) “iye yancipha ngokushaqisayo ngenxa yokuncintisana nokudliwa izilwane ezalethwa zivela kwezinye izindawo.” Naphezu kokuzalana kwazo zivalelwe nokulawulwa kwezilwane ezidla ezinye, isewuhlobo olusengozini yokuqothulwa.

Lomthombo ofanayo uthi “idla izinhlamvu zembewu notshani obuyiklume.” Kodwa kumelwe incintisane ngokudla “nephiva elalethwa lapha futhi ivame ukwehlulwa kulomncintiswano.” Asithembe ukuthi lenyoni eyingqayizivele ngeke inyamalale ohlwini lwezidalwa eziyivelakancane zaseNew Zealand.