Qaphela ‘Amehlo Omfula’!
NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! E-AUSTRALIA
ISIVAKASHI esithile esiyidelangozi esasichithe iholide sasigwedla isikebhe saso ngokuthula emngeneleni woMfula i-East Alligator emaxhaphozini amahle aseNorthern Territory yase-Australia, eKakadu National Park. Ngokungazelele, lokho esasicabanga ukuthi kwakuwukhuni olungenangozi olwalukhukhulwe umfula kwaqala ukugadla esikebheni saso. Kwakuyingwenya esabekayo yasemanzini anosawoti, futhi lesi sivakashi esibuka amazwe kwenzeka ukuba sibe sendaweni yalengwenya ngesikhathi sonyaka esiyingozi kunazo zonke.
Sagwedla ngokuxhamazela saya ngaseqoqweni lezihlahla. Lapho sinyathela egatsheni lokuqala, lengwenya yaphuma emanzini, yasidonsela phansi, yasigingqa izikhathi ezintathu. Isikhathi ngasinye lapho lengwenya ishintsha ukugxavula kwayo, lona wesifazane wayezama kanzima ukugibela osebeni lomfula olunodaka. Lapho ezama okwesithathu, wakwazi ukugibela osebeni, wazihudula ibanga elingamakhilomitha amabili kwaze kwaba yilapho unogada wezilwane emuzwa ememeza. Naphezu kokulimala kabi, lona wesifazane wasinda.
Lesi senzakalo esacishe saba inhlekelele senzeka ngo-1985. Eminyakeni emibili kamuva isivakashi esithile esibuka amazwe saseMelika saba neshwa. Sazishaya indiva izixwayiso zabangane baso futhi sanquma ukubhukuda eMfuleni iPrince Regent ogcwele izingwenya, eNtshonalanga Australia. Sahlaselwa futhi sabulawa ingwenya yasemanzini anosawoti. Imibiko yokuthi kwakunamazinyane engwenya emanzini ibonisa ukuthi ngokunokwenzeka kwakuyingwenya yensikazi eyayivikela amazinyane ayo.
‘Amehlo Omfula’ Abulalayo
Lapho kunonyezi umdobi wasesizalweni somfula ubona kuphela ukunyakaza kwamanzi acwebile okubangelwa isinambuzane. Noma kunjalo, umdobi wasenyakatho ekude ye-Australia uhlala ekuphaphamele okungabonakali—‘amehlo omfula.’ Ukuba ubengakhanyisa ngesibani, amehlo engwenya athi mémfu emfuleni abengakhipha ukukhanya okubomvu tebhu. Ugxambukela endaweni yesilwane sasendulo esidla ezinye.
Ingwenya yase-Australia yasemanzini anosawoti, etholakalayo nakwezinye izindawo, ingenye yezingwenya ezinkulu futhi eziyingozi kunazo zonke emhlabeni phakathi kwezinhlobo ezingu-12. Ingakhula ibe nobude obungamamitha angu-7. Isisulu esinganakile siwabona sekwephuze kakhulu amehlo akhazimulayo ukuba singaphunyula ekuhlaseleni kwayo okunamandla nesu lokubulala elidumile lokuminzisa ngokugingqa. Izisulu ezinkulu njengezinyathi, izinkomo, namahhashi ziye zahlaselwa lapho ziphuza amanzi osebeni lomfula.
Ukunethezeka Kusongela Ukuphila Kwazo
Inganekwane yasendulo ethi ingwenya ikhala izinyembezi zosizi zobuzenzisi ngenxa yesisulu sayo isasebenza nanamuhla enkulumweni yesiNgisi ethi “izinyembezi zengwenya.” Kodwa bambalwa abantu abaye bakhalela ingwenya. Kunalokho, lesi silwane esihuquzelayo esithanda amanzi siye sazingelwa ngonya ngenxa yesikhumba saso esiyigugu.
Abakhangisi bengqephu baye bakhangisa ngezinto eziningi zesikhumba sengwenya esifiselekayo, ngoba abanye babheka isikhumba sengwenya yasemanzini anosawoti njengesikhumba esiphambili emhlabeni—esithambile futhi esiyinguganaboya kunazo zonke ezikhona. Muva nje isikhwama sabesifazane esasisendalini eLondon sabiza amaRandi angu-54 450. Isikhumba sengwenya sisewuphawu lokuvelela ezingxenyeni eziningi zomhlaba.
Ukuheha kwezinzuzo ezinkulu kwasongela ukuphila kwengwenya yasemanzini anosawoti e-Australia. Phakathi kuka-1945 no-1971, kwabulawa lezi zilwane ezihuquzelayo ezingaba ngu-113000 eNorthern Territory kuphela. Ukuze kugwenywe ukuqothulwa kwazo ngokuphelele, ukuzingelwa kwezingwenya kwabekelwa imibandela ekuqaleni kwawo-1970, futhi umphumela waba ukuthi ngo-1986, lase lisimeme inani lazo endle. Ngakho-ke ingwenya ayisekho engozini e-Australia, nakuba abanye bephikisa ngokuthi indawo yayo isesengozini.
Sekungamakhulu eminyaka abantu boMdabu base-Australia belondoloza izingwenya beqondile noma bengaqondile. Nakuba ezinye izizwe zazingabazingeli bezingwenya abanekhono, ezinye izizwe zazikwenqabela ukuzingelwa kwazo ngenxa yezizathu ezingokwenkolo.
Eminyakeni yamuva nje ukufuywa kwezingwenya kanye nokugcizelelwa kwemfundo kuye kwaba nengxenye ekulondolozweni kwazo. Izivakashi ezibuka amazwe sezithutheleka ezindaweni zokufuya izingwenya, ziqinisekisa ukuphumelela kwazo ngokwezimali, kuyilapho izinhlelo zokuzizalanisa zenza ukuba isikhumba nenyama yengwenya kulungiswe ezimbonini ngaphandle kokugxambukela ezilwaneni zasendle.
Omunye umfuyi wezingwenya odumile wase-Australia ukholelwa ukuthi abantu balondoloza kuphela izinto abazithandayo, abaziqondayo, nabazinikeza indawo nesikhathi sabo. Wathi: “Ngakho izingwenya aziphumeleli kakhulu. Kodwa ukubaluleka kwazo endaweni ezungezile kunjengokwanoma iyiphi into enhle.”
Ukuvakashela indawo yokufuya izingwenya kuyathakazelisa njengoba umuntu ezibukela eduze lezi zilwane ezihuquzelayo ezinesikhumba esiqinile nombala wobhuku—kodwa emi ngalé kocingo oluvikelayo. Izisebenzi zasezindaweni zokufuya izingwenya azizesabi izingwenya futhi zingena lapho zigcinwe khona, ziziyengele ukuba zenze imigilingwane bese zizivuza ngenyama yenkukhu esanda kuhlatshwa nangezinye izinhlobo zenyama. Nokho, esinye isisebenzi safunda kanzima ukuthi ingwenya akufanele ithathwe kalula. Ngokungalindelekile, lesi silwane esihuquzelayo sasihlasela sadwengula yonke ingalo yaso yangakwesobunxele!
Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ukusingatha ingwenya enezinyanga ezingu-12 ubudala kungokuhlangenwe nakho okuthakazelisayo nokukhanyisela kakhulu. Isikhumba esingaphansi kwesisu sithambe kakhulu, kuyilapho umhlane wayo onezixwexwe ezingamathambo ezibizwa ngokuthi ama-osteoderm uba isivikelo lapho isemanzini. Manje kuyaqondakala ukuthi kungani isikhumba sazo siyigugu kangaka. Kodwa liqaphele leli “zinyane.” Ngisho nengwenya enezinyanga ezingu-12 ubudala inamandla lapho ibambe yaxhakathisa ngemihlathi yayo.
Amazinyane ezingwenya angakachanyuselwa ajabulisa izibukeli ngokubhonga engaphakathi emagobolondweni bese ngokungazelele ebhoboza lamagobolondo ngezinyo lesikhashana elisesihlokweni sempumulo yawo encane. Abaningi bayavuma ukuthi lesi ngokunokwenzeka ukuphela kwesikhathi lapho ingwenya ibukeka iyinhle ngempela!
Ukuchithwa Kwezinganekwane Ezindala
Ukubhekisisa ukuziphatha kwalezi zilwane ezihuquzelayo ezisabekayo njengoba zikhula ezindaweni ezifuywa kuzo kuye kwachitha izinganekwane ezithile ezindala. Eminyakeni eminingi kwakucatshangwa ukuthi ingwenya ngesineke inyonyobela isisulu sayo izinsuku eziningi, noma ngisho amasonto amaningi, ngaphambi kokuba igadle ngokungalindelekile ngokuphazima kweso. Nokho, ukuhlola kwamuva kuye kwabonisa ukuthi izingwenya zimane zinolaka nje endaweni yazo phakathi nenkathi yokukhwelana kwazo, isikhathi sezimvula ezinkulu. Uma isisulu singena endaweni yayo ngalesi sikhathi, ingwenya ingase isilandele ngonya, kuyilapho ngesinye isikhathi sonyaka, ingwenya ingase isibukele buqamama leso silwane ingenasithakazelo.
Lapho zibukwa ezindaweni zokuzijabulisa namuhla, izingwenya zisuswa abazingeli bazo abangochwepheshe baziyise kwenye indawo. Ingxenye yalelisu iwukubopha umhlathi onganyakazi ongezansi, uphakanyiswe, bese ngokushesha kuboshwa umhlathi ongenhla nongezansi ihlanganiswe. Lokhu kwenza imihlathi yengwenya ingabi namandla, ngoba nakuba izicubu ezivala umhlathi ongezansi zinamandla kakhulu, izicubu eziwuvulayo azinamandla. Nokho, uma umzingeli engaqapheli, angase aqunjwe phansi kalula umsila wengwenya onamandla.
Akulona Unya Nobudlova Kuphela
Yona lemihlathi engalimaza kabi iyakwazi futhi nokuthinta ngobuciko. Uma amazinyane angakachanyuselwa evilapha ukubhoboza amagobolondo awo, unina ugingqa amaqanda akhe ngobunono bekati, eshoshozela amazinyane ukuba abhoboze amagobolondo.
Amazinyo engwenya aklanyelwe ukugxavula kunokuba asike. Uma isisulu sisincane kakhulu, isigwinya siphelele. Ngaphandle kwalokho, iyasidwengula futhi isidle ngamancozuncozu. Ukuhlolwa kwezidumbu zezilwane ezihuquzelayo kuye kwathola amatshe eziswini zazo. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi adliwa ngamabomu noma cha, kucatshangwa ukuthi lamatshe asebenza ekutshuzeni emanzini.
Ngokuvamile izivakashi zibuka izingwenya zivule imilomo yazo emikhulu osebeni lomfula. Abaningi bangacabanga ukuthi lokhu kuma kuwuphawu lokuba nolaka. Ngokuphambene, lokhu kuvula imihlathi kuyenza ivumelane nezinga lokushisa elingaphandle. Njengazo zonke izilwane ezihuquzelayo, izingwenya zihlala zivumelanisa imizimba yazo nokushintsha kwezinga lokushisa.
Ngokumangalisayo, nakuba iyisilwane esihuquzelayo, ingwenya inenhliziyo enamagumbi amane, njengesilwane esincelisayo. Nokho, lapho ingwenya itshuza emanzini, kwenzeka ushintsho, futhi inhliziyo isebenza njengenamagumbi amathathu.
Ingwenya yasemanzini anosawoti ihlukile kuyi-alligator ngokuthi inempumulo encane namazinyo omhlathi ongezansi abonakalayo lapho ivale umlomo wayo. Izingwenya zangempela zingatholakala e-Afrika, lapho kuhlala khona izingwenya ezincane, kwelaseNdiya, nasezansi e-Asia kuya ePapua New Guinea. Zihlala kude njengaseningizimu ye-Australia futhi zithanda izindawo ezinemihlume ezingasogwini namaxhaphozi asezindaweni ezishisayo, ngoba zakha izidleke zazo eduze nosebe lwamanzi. Inhlekelele engokwemvelo yalokhu ukuthi ngokuvamile izikhukhula zimuka nenqwaba yemibungu yezingwenya. Ngenxa yezilwane ezidla ezinye, njengengwenya endala, inhlanzi i-barramundi, nenyoni i-nankeen, amazinyane ezingwenya angamaphesenti angu-50 kuphela asindayo onyakeni wawo wokuqala.
Ngokumangalisayo, izingwenya zizalwa zinomthombo wazo wokudla. Zithola ukudla esithubini esisemizimbeni yazo emasontweni ambalwa okuqala zizelwe. Nokho, ngokushesha lapho unina ezithatha ngomlomo ngobunono eziyisa osebeni lomfula, ziqala ukusebenzisa izimpumulo zazo, zigxavula noma yini eziyifinyelelayo.
Kungani igama elithi ‘amehlo omfula’ lifaneleka kangaka? Ngoba ngisho nalapho zisengamazinyane, amehlo azo amancane akhazimula ngokubomvu lapho ekhanyiswa ebusuku. Ungqimba lwezinhlayiyana ngemuva kwe-retina lwandisa ikhono lokubona ebusuku futhi lubangele ukukhazimula ngokubomvu.
Yebo, ingwenya iyisilwane esihuquzelayo esihlaba umxhwele ngempela—kodwa deda kuyo ngaso sonke isikhathi. Futhi njengoba noma imuphi umdobi azi, iyize imizamo yokuthambisa uleviyathani.
Inkondlo kaJobe iyichaza ngokufanele ingwenya ngokuthi “uLeviyathani”: “Ungakhipha uLeviyathani ngodobo, ucindezele phansi ulimi lwakhe ngentambo, na? Ungafaka igoda lomhlanga ekhaleni lakhe, ubhoboze umhlathi wakhe ngodobo, na? Uyakwenza imikhuleko eminingi kuwe, akhulume kuwe amazwi athambileyo, na? Uyakwenza isivumelwano nawe ukuba umthathe abe-yinceku kuze kube-phakade na? Ungadlala naye njengenyoni, umbophele amantombazana akho, na? Abathengi bangathengiselana ngaye, bamahlukanise phakathi kwabahwebi, na? Ungagcwalisa isikhumba sakhe ngezinhlendla, nekhanda lakhe ngamathatha ezinhlanzi, na? Beka isandla sakho kuye; khumbula ukulwa; awusayikukuphinda.”—Jobe 41:1-8.
Amazwi ahlakaniphile ayisixwayiso, axwayisa abangaqaphile nabanelukuluku lokwazi: Qaphela ‘amehlo omfula’—ingwenya enamandla, esabekayo!
[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 24]
By courtesy of Australian International Public Relations
[Isithombe ekhasini 25]
Lapho kukhanyiswa emanzini ebusuku, ‘amehlo omfula’ engwenya abomvu tebhu
[Umthombo]
By courtesy of Koorana Crocodile Farm, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia
[Izithombe ekhasini 26]
Ngakwesobunxele: Izinyane lengwenya liphuma ngokungazelele eqandeni
[Umthombo]
By courtesy of Koorana Crocodile Farm, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia
Isithombe esiphakathi: Ingwenya endala ithamele ilanga osebeni olunodaka loMfula iMary
[Umthombo]
By courtesy of Australian International Public Relations