Izilwane Zasendle Zomhlaba Eziphelayo
NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! E-AUSTRALIA
INGABE awukujabuleli ukubona nokuzwa izilwane zasendle—ihlosi, umkhomo, noma imfene? Ukugona i-koala? Ukuzwa ukundindizela komhlaba lapho kudlula imihlambi efudukayo ethé chithi saka kuyo yonke indawo? Nokho, ngeshwa abantu abaningi bangase bangakujabuleli okuhlangenwe nakho okunjalo—ngaphandle kwalapho kuthathelwa indawo ukuya emnyuziyamu, ukufunda incwadi, noma ukubuka i-computer. Ngani?
Ngenxa yokuthi njengoba ufunda sona kanye lesi sihloko, izinkulungwane zezitshalo nezilwane ziqothulwa ngokunganqandeki. UDkt. Edward O. Wilson, oyisazi sezinto eziphilayo eHarvard University, ulinganisela ukuthi kuqothulwa izinhlobo zezinto eziphilayo ezingu-27 000 ngonyaka, noma ezintathu ngehora. Ngaleli zinga, amaphesenti angafinyelela kwangu-20 ezinto eziphilayo emhlabeni angase aqothulwe eminyakeni engu-30 ezayo. Kodwa izinga lokuqothulwa kwalezi zinto alimile ndawonye; liyanda. Kulindeleke ukuthi ekuqaleni kwekhulu leminyaka elizayo, kuyonyamalala amakhulu ezinhlobo zezinto eziphilayo usuku ngalunye!
Ubhejane usengcupheni yokuqothulwa. Ukuzingela ngokungemthetho kwanciphisa amanani awo kusuka ku-65 000 kuya ku-2500 eminyakeni engaphansi kwengu-20. Kusele ama-orangutan angaphansi kuka-5000 emahlathini anciphayo aseBorneo naseSumatra. Lesi simo sigasele nezilwane zasemanzini emhlabeni. Esinye isisulu ihlengethwa elihle i-baiji laseMfuleni iYangtze eChina. Ukungcola kanye nokudoba ngokungakhethi kuye kwashiya angaphansi kwayikhulu, futhi angase aphele wonke phakathi neminyaka eyishumi.
“Ososayensi bemikhakha ehlukahlukene abavumelani ngezinto eziningi,” kusho uLinda Koebner kwethi Zoo Book, “kodwa uma kuziwa endabeni yokuphuthuma kokuvikela izinto eziphilayo nokulondoloza ukuphila kuleplanethi, bavumelana ngazwi linye: Iminyaka engamashumi amahlanu ezayo ibucayi.”
Ubani Onecala?
Inani labantu elandayo liye labhebhethekisa izinga lokuqothulwa kwezinto eziphilayo, kodwa ukwanda kwabantu kukodwa akunakusolwa ngakho konke lokhu. Izilwane eziningi—ihobhe i-passenger, i-moa, i-great auk kanye ne-thylacine, uma sibala nje ezimbalwa—zaqothulwa ngaphambi kokuba ukwanda kwenani labantu kube usongo. UDkt. J. D. Kelly, umqondisi we-Zoological Parks Board yaseNew South Wales, e-Australia, uthi ngomlando walelozwe: “Ukulahlekelwa izinhlobonhlobo zezinto eziphilayo kusukela kwakhiwa lapha ngo-1788 kuyihlazo lesizwe.” Ngokungangabazeki lokhu kunjalo nakwamanye amazwe amaningi. Kuveza nezimbangela ezimbi kakhulu zokuqothulwa kwezinto eziphilayo—ukuntula ulwazi nokuhaha.
Ngenxa yenhlekelele yokuqothulwa kwezinto eziphilayo embulungeni yonke, kuye kwavela isici esisha futhi ebesingalindelekile esilwela izilwane—ama-zoo. Ngokwandayo, lezi zindawo eziphakathi kwamadolobha ziyisiphephelo sokugcina sezilwane eziningi. Kodwa ama-zoo anendawo elinganiselwe, futhi ukunakekela izilwane zasendle kuyabiza futhi kunzima. Kukhona nempikiswano engokwezimiso ngokuphathelene nokuzigcina zivalelwe, nakuba lokhu kuwukubonisa ubuntu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lapho zise-zoo zithembele ngokuphelele eminikelweni yabantu engokwezimali kanye nasezimisweni zezombangazwe nezomnotho ezintengayo, nezivame ukuguquguquka. Ngakho bavikeleke kangakanani ngempela laba baleki basendle?
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 3]
Ingabe Ukuqothulwa Kwezinto Eziphilayo Kungokwemvelo?
“Ingabe ukuqothulwa kwezinto eziphilayo akuyona inqubo yezinto engokwemvelo? Impendulo ingucha, okungenani hhayi ngezinga okuye kwenzeka ngalo ezikhathini zamuva. Phakathi nengxenye enkulu yaleminyaka engu-300 edlule kwakuqothulwa cishe uhlobo lwezinto eziphilayo olulodwa ngonyaka. Okwamanje izinga lokuqothulwa kwezinto eziphilayo okubangelwa abantu seliphindeke okungenani izikhathi ezingaba inkulungwane kunalelo. . . . Imbangela yalokhu kwanda okusheshayo kokuqothulwa kwazo yimisebenzi yabantu.”—I-New York Public Library Desk Reference.
“Ngiye ngahlatshwa umxhwele izilwane eziningi nezingavamile esezanyamalala, futhi ngadunyazwa ukuqothulwa kwazo, okuyaye kungithukuthelise. Ngoba ezimweni eziningi kuye kwaba uMuntu ngokuhaha noma ngonya, ngokuba budedengu noma ngokunganaki ngandlela-thile oye waba imbangela yalokhu kuqothulwa kwezinto eziphilayo.”—UDavid Day, kwethi The Doomsday Book of Animals.
“Imisebenzi yabantu ibangela ukuqothulwa kwezinto eziphilayo ngaphambi kokuba kulotshwe umbhalo wazo ogciniwe.”—I-Biological Conservation.