Inyathi—Ikholekile Futhi Iwusizo

NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! EBRAZIL

‘Balekani, balekani! Ihlosi!’ kumemeza abafana. Bagijimela ezinyathini zabo, bazigibele, bese beshaya bechitha. Ngokungazelele, uSaïdjah, omunye walaba bafana, uyawa futhi uphonseka ensimini yelayisi—kubonakala ezoba ukudla kwaleli hlosi elishoshelayo. Nokho, inyathi kaSaïdjah, iyakubona okwenzekile. Iyaphenduka, yengamela umngane wayo omncane, futhi ibhekana nehlosi. Leli kati elikhulu liyahlasela, kodwa lenyathi iyama phuhle bese isindisa ukuphila kukaSaïdjah.

LOKHU kunqwamana, okuchazwa u-Eduard Douwes Dekker, umbhali wase-Asia wekhulu le-19, kubonisa isici senyathi esithandekayo: ukukholeka. Namuhla, ukukholeka kusewuphawu lwayo. “Inyathi,” kusho esinye isazi, “ifana nenja yomkhaya. Ikuthanda kukho konke ukuphila kwayo uma nje uyiphatha kahle.”

Izingane zase-Asia, ngisho nezineminyaka emine ubudala, ziyakwazi ukukwenza lokho. Nsuku zonke, ziyisa emfuleni abangane bazo abakhulu, zibageze, futhi ngezandla zazo ezincane, zihlanze amadlebe, amehlo, nezimpumulo zalezi zilwane. Inyathi isabela ngokubhonga inokwaneliseka. Isikhumba sayo esinsundu sibamba ukushisa okukhulu, futhi ngenxa yokuthi inyathi inezindlala ezimbalwa zomjuluko kunenkomo, inenkinga yokuzipholisa. Yingakho ikuthanda ukucwiliswa emanzini nsuku zonke! “Njengoba zicwiliswe emanzini noma odakeni, zihlafuna zififiyela,” kuphawula umthombo othile, izinyathi “zinikeza umfanekiso wokujabula.”

Nokho, ukuthanda kwazo amanzi kumane kuyingxenye yalomfanekiso. Yiziphi ezinye izici ezinazo? Kungani ziwusizo? Okokuqala, zibukeka kanjani?

Isidlakela Esitholakala Embulungeni Yonke

Inyathi (Bubalus bubalis) ibukeka njengenkunzi yenkomo enkulu futhi inesisindo esingamakhilogremu angu-900 noma ngaphezulu. Inesikhumba esicishe sibe imbungculu, esimpunga. Njengoba inamahlombe aphakeme ngamamitha angu-1,8—nezimpondo ezinkulu, nomhlane oqondile, nomzimba omude, nentamo eyethile, nomzimba oyisidlakela—iwumfanekiso wamandla. Imilenze yayo eqinile inezicathulo ezikufanele ukuhamba odakeni: izinselo ezinkulu ezisamabhokisi ezinamathele emalungwini agobeka ngaphandle kobunzima. Lokho kwenza inyathi ikwazi ukugoba izinselo zayo, ukuhamba phezu kwezithiyo, nokudavuza ezindaweni ezinodaka lapho izinkomo zishelela khona.

Izinyathi ezifuyiwe emhlabeni eziyizigidi ezingu-150 zitholakala ngezinhlobo ezimbili: ezasemaxhaphozini nezasemifuleni. Kusukela ePhilippines kuya eNdiya, inyathi yasemaxhaphozini, enezimpondo ezinobude obungamamitha angu-1,2 kuya kwangu-1,8, iba izithombe ezinhle zamaposikhadi. Lapho ingasetshenziswa ezithombeni, ingena igamanxe ngamadolo emaxhaphozini noma idonsa izinqola emigwaqweni engamshayisa uvalo noma imuphi umshayeli weloli.

Inyathi yasemfuleni iyefana neyasemaxhaphozini. Umzimba wayo uthi awube mncane futhi izimpondo zayo azicijile—zisontekile noma ziyalenga. Kodwa njengoba inesisindo esingamakhilogremu angu-900, nayo iyakhanga. Esikhathini esidlule, abahwebi base-Arabia baletha lengxubevange eMpumalanga Ephakathi besuka e-Asia; futhi kamuva, amabutho eziMpi Zenkolo ayiletha eYurophu, lapho isekhona namanje.

Nakuba izinyathi zingenaso isivinini esikhulu—ziqhuqha ngesivinini esingamakhilomitha amathathu ngehora—zombili izinyathi zasemaxhaphozini nezasemifuleni zitholakala embulungeni yonke. Zihlala ngasogwini lwasenyakatho ye-Australia, zihamba osebeni lweziqhingi zasePacific, futhi zenza ngisho nemibhudu ehlathini lase-Amazon. E-Amazon?

Izihambi Ezichumayo

Izivakashi ezifunda ngezilwane eziphilayo ezithutheleka e-Amazon ngokuvamile zihlola imifula zibuye nenduku yombangandlala zingazitholi izingwe eziyimpicabadala noma izinhlwathi ezinkulu. Nokho, azizidingi izibonakhulu, ngisho nezibuko, ukuze zibone izilwane ezifikayo kuleli hlathi—izinyathi ezifika ngezinkulungwane.

Uma unomuzwa wokuthi lezi zihambi zase-Asia eziyinala e-Amazon zisongela indawo yezinto eziphilayo, ungase ucabangele ukumangala emaphoyiseni aseMarajó, isiqhingi esisesizalweni somfula. Kodwa qaphela! Ngeke wamukeleke lapho ufika esiteshini, ngoba iphoyisa elisemsebenzini kungenzeka selizophuma liyohlola emgwaqweni ligibele lesi silwane esisabisayo esikhonza umphakathi. Yiqiniso, inyathi—futhi inyathi yasemaxhaphozini! Khona-ke ubani ongakhononda?

Eqinisweni, inyathi iyigugu esifundeni sase-Amazon, kusho uDkt. Pietro Baruselli, udokotela wezilwane osebenza kwesinye sezikhungo ezimbili zokucwaninga ngenyathi eBrazil. Watshela i-Phaphama! ukuthi izinyathi zinesimiso esihle sokugaya ukudla esizenza zikhuluphale emadlelweni angazacisa izinkomo. Njalo kudingeka ukuba abafuyi bezinkomo bagawule amahlathi ukuze benze amadlelo amasha, kodwa izinyathi ziklaba emadlelweni asekhona kakade. UDkt. Baruselli uthi izinyathi “zingasiza ekulondolozeni leli hlathi lemvula.”

Nokho, ukuze iphile ehlathini, inyathi kumelwe iphile ngokucacamezela—futhi iphila kanjalo. Incwadi ethi The Water Buffalo: New Prospects for an Underutilized Animal ilandisa ukuthi ngenkathi yemvula, lapho i-Amazon igola izintethe yemboza amadlelo, inyathi izivumelanisa nesimo sayo sendawo esimanzi. Nakuba izinkomo, ezishiywa ziklaba emadlelweni ahlukile asendaweni ephakeme, zibuka ngamehlo abomvu futhi zibulawa indlala, izinyathi eziseduze kwazo, zidavuza emanzini, zidla izitshalo ezintantayo futhi ziklabe ngisho nangaphansi kwamanzi. Lapho amadlelo eba luhlaza futhi, inyathi ibukeka iyinhle njengakuqala.

Umama Oyindlovukazi

Izinyathi ziyanda nakwezinye izingxenye zaseBrazil. Kusukela ekuqaleni kwawo-1980, umhlambi wakulelizwe uye wanda ngokushesha usuka emakhulwini ayizinkulungwane ezine uya ezigidini eziningana. Eqinisweni, izinyathi zanda ngokushesha kunezinkomo. Ngani?

UWanderley Bernardes, umfuyi wezinyathi waseBrazil, uchaza ukuthi inyathi isuke isikulungele ukukhwelwa lapho ineminyaka emibili ubudala. Ngemva kokumitha izinyanga eziyishumi, izala inkonyane yayo yokuqala. Ngemva kwezinyanga ezingu-14, izala inkonyane yesibili. Njengoba amankonyane engavamile ukufa nokungenwa izifo, izinyathi ziphila isikhathi eside futhi zizala kakhulu. Isikhathi eside kangakanani? Isilinganiso esiyiminyaka engaphezu kwengu-20. Zizala kakhulu kangakanani?

“Ngizokubonisa,” kusho uMnu. Bernardes njengoba eya emadlelweni epulazi lakhe elingamahektare angu-300, elingamakhilomitha angu-160 ukuya ngasentshonalanga yeSão Paulo. “Lona uRainha (iNdlovukazi),” esho ngokuntela lapho ekhomba isilwane esinesikhumba esiqothukile nezimpondo ezinqundekile okubonisa inyathi esiphile isikhathi eside. “Uneminyaka engu-25 ubudala, usebe ugogo izikhathi eziningi, kodwa,” enezela, ngokujabula, “usanda kuzala inkonyane yakhe yama-20.” Njengoba kukhona ogogo abanjengoRainha, akumangalisi ukuthi izazi eziningi zibikezela ukuthi ekhulwini elizayo, umhlambi wezinyathi omkhulu kunayo yonke emhlabeni ungase uklabe eBrazil!

Ingaphezu Kokuba Ugandaganda Ophilayo

Nokho, okwamanje, izwe elinezinyathi eziningi elaseNdiya, lapho kunezinyathi ezingaba ingxenye yezinyathi ezisemhlabeni. Lapho nakwamanye amazwe ase-Asia, ngenxa yezinyathi, izigidi zemikhaya yasemapulazini ziphila ezweni elisemaphethelweni, ngenxa yezinyathi. Njengoba ungawudingi uwoyela noma izinsimbi ezithile, ‘logandaganda ophilayo’ uyadonsa, ulime, ucole inhlabathi, udonse izinqola, futhi usekele umkhaya iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-20. “Emkhayeni wami,” kusho isalukazi esithile sase-Asia, “inyathi ibaluleke kakhulu kunami. Lapho ngifa, bayongikhalela; kodwa uma inyathi yethu ifa, bangase babulawe indlala.”

Ngaphandle kokuba isisebenzi sasepulazini, inyathi ibuye ibe umnakekeli. Ubisi lwaseNdiya olungamaphesenti angaba ngu-70 lusengwa enyathini yasemfuleni, futhi ubisi lwenyathi ludingeka kakhulu kangangokuba kungase kube nzima ukudayisa olwenkomo. Kungani abaningi beluthanda? “Ubisi lwenyathi,” kuchaza incwadi ethi The Water Buffalo: New Prospects for an Underutilized Animal, “lushubile, lunezaqheqhe ezengeziwe, lunamafutha amaningi, i-lactose eningana, namaprotheni amaningi kunobisi lwenkomo.” Lunikeza amandla amaningi, lumnandi, futhi kwenziwa ngalo i-mozzarella, i-ricotta, nomunye ushizi owehla esiphundu.

Kuthiwani ngenyama yenyathi? “Siyehluleka ukwanelisa izidingo zabo bonke abantu,” kusho umfuyi wezinyathi uBernardes. Ekuhlolweni kokunambitheka e-Australia, eVenezuela, e-United States, nakwamanye amazwe, inyama yenyathi yahamba phambili kuneyenkomo. Eqinisweni, izigidi zabantu emhlabeni wonke ngokuvamile zidla inyama yenyathi kuyilapho zicabanga ukuthi zidla inyama yenkomo eyehla esiphundu. “Ngokuvamile abantu bayakhetha,” kuphawula uDkt. Baruselli, “kodwa inyama yenyathi imnandi njengeyenkomo, futhi ngokuvamile ngaphezu kwayo.”

Ukunciphisa Inyathi

Nakuba anda amanani enyathi, isenkingeni. “Izinkunzi ezinkulu ezikufanelekele kahle ukuzalisa,” kuphawula i-Earthscan Bulletin, “ngokuvamile ziyakhethwa ukuze zidonse izinqola bese zithenwa, noma ziyiswe esilaheni.” Ngaleyo ndlela, izici zofuzo zezinyathi ezinkulu ziyalahleka, futhi izinyathi ziyazaca. “Eminyakeni eyishumi edlule eThailand,” kusho ochwepheshe, “kwakuvamile ukuthola inyathi enesisindo esingu-1 000 kg; manje kunzima ukuthola ezinesisindo esingu-750 kg.” Ingabe lenkinga ingaxazululwa?

Yebo, kusho umbiko othile owahlanganiswa ososayensi bezilwane abangu-28, kodwa “kudingeka isinyathelo esiphuthumayo . . . ukuze kulondolozwe futhi kuvikelwe izinhlobo zezinyathi ezivelele.” Bayavuma ukuthi kuze kube manje, inyathi iye yashaywa indiva, kodwa “ukuyiqonda kangcono inyathi kungaba igugu emazweni amaningi asathuthuka.” Bathi ukucwaninga okwengeziwe kuyosiza ukuba “kuvele izimfanelo zayo zangempela.”

Ekugcineni, ososayensi emhlabeni wonke bathola lokho osekungamakhulu eminyaka abalimi base-Asia bekwazi: Inyathi ekholekile futhi ewusizo ingomunye wabangane bomuntu abakhulu.

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 27]

Ukungayiqondi Kahle

INCWADI ethi The Water Buffalo: New Prospects for an Underutilized Animal iphawula ukuthi “ngokuvamile kukholelwa ukuthi inyathi inonya futhi inolaka. Ama-encyclopedia ayawuqinisekisa lombono.” Nokho, eqinisweni, inyathi efuyiwe “ingenye yezilwane ezinomusa kakhulu kunazo zonke izilwane ezifuywayo. Ngaphandle kokwesabeka, ifana nesilwane sasekhaya—inobungane, imnene, futhi inokuthula.” Khona-ke, kwenzeka kanjani ukuba inyathi igcine isinaleli dumela elingayifanele? Ingase iphanjaniswe ne-Cape buffalo yase-Afrika (Synceros caffer), eyisififane ngempela nakuba iyisihlobo sayo esikude. Nokho, izinyathi azizalani nayo. Zikhetha ukuzigcina lapho zikhona lezi zihlobo zazo ezingaqondakali—kude lé.