Opholi Abanobungqabavu, Abagangile Base-Australia

ISIVAKASHI esiqabuke savakashela e-Australia singaxolelwa ngokucabanga ukuthi umhlambi wezinyoni ezingavamile zasendaweni eshisayo ziye zeqa e-zoo yendawo noma endaweni yokufuya izinyoni. Izinyoni ezingatholakala emakhejini kuphela kwezinye izindawo zizindizela engadini. Lokhu kunjalo ikakhulukazi ngopholi wase-Australia—futhi lokho kusho umkhaya wezinyoni ezihlukahlukene ezimibalabala nezinomsindo.

Kunezinhlobo zopholi ezingaba ngu-330, futhi zitholakala kulo lonke izwe ngaphandle kwase-Antarctica, eningizimu ye-latitude engu-20° ngasenyakatho. Nakuba kungezona zonke izinhlobo ezitholakala e-Australia, zikhona ngokwanele kulelozwe kangangokuba ziqapheleka kalula! Umkhaya wopholi uhlanganisa ama-budgerigar, (aziwa abanye ngokuthi ama-parakeet) ama-cockatoo, nalabo abathanda kakhulu impova, ama-lory. Ngezinye izikhathi kubonakala sengathi lezizinyoni ezimibalabala zitholakala kuyo yonke indawo e-Australia.

Yiwo kanye umuzwa esaba nawo lapho sivakashele eNew South Wales. Ngezinye izikhathi kwakuba nenqwaba yama-budgerigar adla utshani, ikakhulukazi entathakusa nakusihlwa. Emigwaqweni ephithizelayo, sabona ama-galah abomvana nampunga, aziwa futhi ngokuthi ama-roseate cockatoo. Ukutshiyoza kwawo akuwona nakancane umculo. Angabanye bopholi ababonwa njalo e-Australia, futhi imihlambi emikhulu ihlala emadolobhaneni nasemadolobheni. Aqhwakela ezintanjeni zocingo nezikagesi futhi aziwa ngokubangela izinkinga zokuxhumana emaphandleni ase-Australia. Amaduna nezinsikazi ahlala ndawonye ukuphila kwawo konke futhi asivikela ngesibindi isidleke sawo esisezimbotsheni zezihlahla uma kukhona abagxambukelayo. Ngeshwa, “aye aba inqwaba kangangokuba kuye kwathiwa aphazamisa ezolimo.”—The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Ornithology.

Epaki lomphakathi, ama-rosella abomvu klebhu ayedlela ezandleni zethu. Njengoba engazesabi nakancane izivakashi eziningi, ngokusobala ayazi lapho engakuthola khona ukudla. Kwakufana nokuba sepharadesi ukuba phakathi kwalezizinyoni ezilungile.

Mhlawumbe okwasimangalisa kakhulu kwakuwukubona ama-cockatoo aneziqhova ezinkulu eziphuzi okwesibabule endiza phezu kwethu. Iziqhova zawo eziphuzi ngokugqamile zivumelana negama lawo. I-Illustrated Encyclopedia of Birds iyachaza: “Lapho umhlambi udla emhlabathini, izinyoni ezimbalwa ziqhwakela ezihlahleni zigade futhi zixwayise ngengozi ngokutshiyoza kakhulu zihoshoza.” Wazi ngokushesha uma kune-cockatoo eduzane!

Yini eyenza opholi bahluke kangaka? Sekungamakhulu eminyaka umuntu ebajabulela ngenxa yekhono labo lokulingisa iphimbo lomuntu. Kodwa ingabe bayazilingisa nezinye izinyoni? I-encyclopedia yaseCambridge ecashunwe ngenhla ithi: “Nakuba imihlambi yopholi basendle inomsindo, abaziwa ngokuthi bayazilingisa ezinye izinhlobo zezinyoni ngakho akuqondakali ukuthi kungani opholi benekhono ‘lokukhuluma.’” Lapho kuziwa ekulingiseni izinyoni, isanzwili saseNyakatho Melika sisadl’ ubhedu.

Izinyoni zitholakala cishe kuyo yonke indawo emhlabeni—kodwa ingabe uyaziqaphela? Ingabe uyazinaka? Uyazazi yini izinyoni zasendaweni yakini? Ungayihlukanisa yini imibala yazo ehlukahlukene, ukutshiyoza, nokucula kwazo? Uziqaphelile yini izindlela zokundiza kwazo ezihlukahlukene? Konke kuyisifundo esihlaba umxhwele.

Njengoba kunezinhlobo zezinyoni ezingaphezu kuka-9 300 okudingeka sifunde ngazo, ingasaphathwa eyezinye izimangaliso ezisizungezile, ubani ongasho ngokufanelekile ukuthi ukuphila okuphakade kuyoba nesithukuthezi? Kuningi okumelwe sikufunde, ziningi izizathu zokudumisa uMdali! Yeka ukuthi kufanele sibonge kangakanani ngokuthi uNkulunkulu wakubona kukuhle ukufaka ‘nesilwane esindizayo esinamaphiko’ emisebenzini yakhe yokudala.—Genesise 1:20-23, qhathanisa ne-NW; Jobe 39:26, 27; IsAmbulo 4:11.

[Isithombe ekhasini 15]

I-galah ne-rosella (ngenhla)

[Umthombo]

By courtesy of Australian International Public Affairs

[Isithombe ekhasini 16]

I-cockatoo enesiqhova esiphuzi okwesibabule

[Umthombo]

By courtesy of Australian International Public Affairs