I-Zoo Ingabe Iwukuphela Kwethemba Lezilwane Zasendle?

EZIKHATHINI zamuva nje kuye kwaba noshintsho olungaphawuleki ema-zoo aphambili emhlabeni. Ngokwesibonelo, aye ashintsha izindawo zawo zemibukiso ukuze zivumelane nombono onobuntu “wokwakha indawo efanelekayo”—ukwakha indawo yezilwane efana nengokwemvelo, enezitshalo, amatshe, imivini, inkungu, imisindo, ngisho nezinye izilwane nezinyoni ezingahlala ndawonye. Nakuba kumba eqolo—cishe kusetshenziswa ama-dollar ayizigidi ezingu-1200 (amaRandi ayizigidi ezingu-5600) ekuthuthukiseni ama-zoo nezindawo zokugcina izinto eziphila emanzini e-United States kuphela—ukwenza lolu shintsho kubhekwa njengokudingekayo ngenxa yendima entsha ebalulekile yama-zoo.

Imikhankaso Yekhulu Leminyaka Elizayo

Njengoba leplanethi isongelwa ukunyamalala kwezinhlobonhlobo zezinto eziphilayo, ama-zoo aphambili emhlabeni aye abeka ukulondoloza imvelo, imfundo nocwaningo lwezesayensi njengemikhankaso yawo yekhulu leminyaka lama-21. Eshukunyiswa inselele nokuphuthuma kwalokhu, amanye ama-zoo aye alilahla ngokuphelele ngisho negama elithi zoo, esikhundleni salo ekhetha amagama anjengokuthi “isiphephelo sezilwane zasendle” noma “ipaki lokulondoloza imvelo.”

Ingqalabutho kulomkhakha omusha incwadi ethi The World Zoo Conservation Strategy. Njengoba yachazwa omunye umlobi ngokuthi “incwadi ebaluleke kunazo zonke ezake zakhiqizwa abaphathi bama-zoo,” eqinisweni, i-Strategy iyinkambiso yokulawula izindawo zezilwane; “ichaza imithwalo yemfanelo namathuba ama-zoo nezindawo zokugcina izilwane zasemanzini emhlabeni ezinawo ngokulondolozwa kwezilwane zasendle ezinhlobonhlobo embulungeni yonke.” Isusa konke ukungabaza ngalenkambiso entsha, i-Strategy iyanezela: “Eqinisweni lona kanye ilungelo lokuba khona kwe-zoo noma indawo yokugcina izilwane zasemanzini lixhomeke eqhazeni enalo ekulondolozweni kwemvelo.”

Ukufundiswa komphakathi nocwaningo lwezesayensi, ikakhulukazi ngokuzalaniswa kwezilwane zivalelwe, kubalulekile kulomkhakha omusha. Phakathi kwentsha yanamuhla kunabanakekeli bama-zoo bakusasa, abayoba nomthwalo wemfanelo wokulondoloza insalela ehlengiwe yohlu olwandayo lwezinto eziphilayo esezaqothulwa endle. Ingabe lomthwalo bayowusingatha ngokuhlakanipha nangokuzimisela? Futhi ingabe isintu sisonke siyoba nombono okhanyiselwe kangcono ngemvelo? Ukuze kufezwe lokhu, i-Strategy ikhuthaza i-zoo ngayinye ukuba ihlanganyele ekufundiseni, izibheke njengengxenye “yesimiso somhlaba wonke sokuqeqesha unembeza.”

Ama-zoo Akha Ubumbano Lwembulunga Yonke

Ngenxa yobukhulu bomsebenzi wawo, ama-zoo amaningi ayahlangana ukuze akhe ubumbano lwembulunga yonke, okwamanje olwakhiwa ama-zoo angaba ngu-1000. Izinhlangano zomhlaba wonke, njenge-World Zoo Organization ne-International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, zixhumanisa futhi ziqondise lama-zoo.

Iveza isizathu esinamandla salokhu kubambisana, incwadi ethi Zoo—The Modern Ark ithi: “Uma bekungancishiswa umcathameli, ukuzalana kwezilwane ezihlobene, i-zoo ibingeke isaneliswa ukunakekela iqulo layo elincane, njengelamahlosi aseSiberia. Kunalokho, wonke amahlosi aseSiberia avalelwe kuwo wonke ama-zoo kulelo zwekazi—ngisho nasemhlabeni wonke—kwadingeka aphathwe njengomhlambi owodwa.” Yebo, kudingeka amakhulu ohlobo oluphilayo ngalunye ukuze kuncishiswe noma kuqedwe ukuzalana kwezilwane ezihlobene—okubangela ukungazali nokuqothulwa—futhi lokhu ngokusobala kungaphezu kwekhono le-zoo eyodwa. I-Strategy ithi: “Kuyodingeka ukusetshenziswa kwayo yonke imithombo etholakalayo ukuze kunikezwe izinto eziphilayo eMhlabeni . . . ithuba lokusinda elihle ngangokunokwenzeka. Kunabaningi abakholelwa ukuthi uma sihluleka ukulondoloza ezinye izinhlobo eziphilayo siyohluleka ukuzivikela thina.” Yiqiniso, lombono ongenathemba awusicabangeli isithembiso seBhayibheli somhlaba oyipharadesi elibuyiselwe.—IsAmbulo 11:18; 21:1-4.

Izindlela Zokusiza Ama-zoo Aphumelele

Lenhlekelele yokuqothulwa kwezinto eziphilayo iye yabangela nokusungulwa kwezimiso eziphambili zobuchwepheshe, ezisemhlabeni wonke zokuthuthukisa ukuzalaniswa kwezilwane zivalelwe: izincwadi eziveza uhlu lokuzalana kwezilwane, i-International Zoo Yearbook (IZY), kanye ne-International Species Information System (ISIS) esebenza ngama-computer.

Incwadi ngayinye yohlu lokuzalana kwezilwane inikeza imininingwane yazo zonke izilwane ezise-zoo zohlobo oluthile, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi zikuyiphi indawo emhlabeni. Njengoba iwumlando womhlaba wonke, iyisihluthulelo sokulondoloza izilwane ezingaxubile ngokofuzo nokugwema ‘umcathameli,’ ukuzalana kwezilwane ezihlobene. IBerlin Zoo yaba nencwadi yokuqala ngqá yohlu lokuzalana kwezilwane ngo-1923, lapho iqala ukuzalanisa i-wisent, noma i-bison yaseYurophu, cishe eyayisiqothulwe ngokuphelele ngeMpi Yezwe I.

Ukuze ikhuthaze ukusakazwa embulungeni yonke kokwaziswa kwezesayensi okunjengezincwadi zezinhlu zezilwane, i-IZY nokwaziswa okuphathalene nabantu, i-ISIS yaqala ukutholakala esimisweni sokuxhumana e-United States ngo-1974. Inxanxathela yayo eyandayo yemishini kanye neqoqo layo lokwaziswa elikhulu elandayo kusiza ama-zoo ukuba asebenze ndawonye ukuze abe nama-zoo amaningi asebenzelanayo.

Amathuluzi angokwesayensi asetshenziswa yilama-zoo ahlanganisa ukucusumbula i-DNA, ukuthatha umbungu ufakwe kwesinye isilwane, ukukhulelisa ngaphandle kwesizalo ne-cryogenics (ukuqandisa isidoda nemibungu). Ukucusumbula i-DNA kusiza ama-zoo ukuba athole uhlu lokuzalana kwezilwane ngokunemba okuphelele, okubalulekile ekulawuleni ukuzalana kwezilwane ezihlobene, njengezilwane ezihlala ziyimihlambi, okunzima ukulandelela uhlu lwazo lokuzalana. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ukuthatha umbungu ufakwe kwesinye isilwane kanye nokukhulelisa ngaphandle kwesizalo, kwandisa izinga lokuzala. Lokhu kwenziwa ngokwandisa “uhlu lokuzalana” kwezilwane ezisengozini. Imibungu yazo ingafakwa ezilwaneni ezihlobene nazo ngokuseduze—ngisho nezilwane zasekhaya—zona-ke eziba omama ngokwesivumelwano. Lenqubo iye yaphumela ekutheni inkomazi ye-holstein izale i-gaur (inkabi yasendle) kanti ikati elifuywayo lazala ikati lasogwadule lwaseNdiya elisengozini kakhulu. Kunciphisa nezindleko, ingozi nobunzima bokuthutha izilwane ezizalwayo ezisengozini. Okudingeka kuthuthwe imibungu noma isidoda esiqandisiwe.

Njengoba ezinye izinto eziphilayo zingase zinyamalale ngokuphelele, ama-zoo amaningana aye agxila ngisho nakuyisayensi ye-cryogenics—ukuqandisa isidoda nemibungu ukuze kugcinwe isikhathi eside. Lenqubo yokuqandisa inikeza ithemba lokuthi isilwane singazalwa ngemva kwamashumi, ngisho mhlawumbe namakhulu eminyaka saqothulwa! Nakuba ingaqinisekile kakhulu, iye yabizwa ngokuthi “isivikelo sokugcina okungaphendukelwa kuso.”

Ukuhlola Endle Kusiza Ama-zoo Akhiqize Izilwane Ezengeziwe

Ukuhlolwa kwezilwane okungokwesayensi, kuhlanganise nendlela eziphila ngayo ezindaweni ezingokwemvelo, kubalulekile ekuzalanisweni kwezilwane ezivalelwe futhi yikhona okukhuthaza imibukiso “yendawo efanelekayo.” Ukuze izilwane zihlale ziphilile futhi zizalana, ama-zoo kufanele acabangele imizwelo yazo engokwemvelo futhi azigcine “zijabulile.”

Ngokwesibonelo, ingulule yenduna neyensikazi zihlala ngokuhlukana zingabonani endle futhi zixhumana kuphela ngephunga lomchamo nemisimbane yazo. Eyenduna iyahogela izwe lapho eyensikazi isilungele ukukhwelwa, bese ihlala nayo usuku noma izinsuku ezimbili. Lapho ama-zoo efunda ngalomkhuba, alungisa izindawo zawo ukuze agcine lezi zilwane zihlukene zingabonani ngaso sonke isikhathi ngaphandle kwangesikhathi esifushane sokukhwelana, futhi kwaphumelela; zazala amawundlu.

Nakuba ukungabi bikho eduze kwenza ingulule ibe nothando kakhulu, akunjalo ngonondwebu (flamingo). Bakhwelana kuphela lapho beyimihlambi emikhulu ama-zoo amaningi angenakuyinakekela. Ngakho e-zoo ethile eNgilandi kwenziwa ukuhlola—kwasetshenziswa isibuko esikhulu ukuze “kuphindwe kabili” ubukhulu bomhlambi. Ngokokuqala ngqá, lezi zinyoni eqinisweni zaqala umkhuba wazo wokushelana owumbukwane! Ingabe lezi zibonelo ziyakunikeza umbono wobunkimbinkimbi bezilwane zomhlaba zasendle? Ngokuqinisekile ama-zoo abhekene nenselele enkulu.

Uyophumelela Kangakanani Umgomo Wokuvikela Izilwane?

Okubonisa amathuba okuphumelela kwalenqubo entsha, ezinye izinhlobo zezilwane ezazalaniswa zivalelwe seziphindiselwe kakade endaweni yazo engokwemvelo. Phakathi kwazo kune-condor yaseCalifornia, i-bison yaseYurophu, i-bison yaseMelika, i-oryx yase-Arabia, i-golden lion tamarin nehhashi i-Przhevalski. Noma kunjalo, afiphele amathemba esikhathi eside esizayo.

I-Strategy ithi: “Umphakathi wesintu uyinkimbinkimbi kakhulu, futhi izinkinga zomhlaba ziningi kakhulu kangangokuba nakuba kunokwanda kokuqaphela nokukhathazeka ngemvelo nendawo ezungezile, izinqubo eziningi ezibhubhisayo azikanqandeki.” Ngenxa yalokho, inezela ukuthi “abalondolozi bemvelo kumelwe bazilungiselele ukuthola indlela yokubhekana nenkathi ebucayi elindelekile.” Ngokuzwakalayo, lokhu kudinga ukubambisana kwayo yonke imikhakha yomphakathi. Ngokomlobi othile wezesayensi, ukubambisana okukhona manje “kuncane ngokudabukisayo kunalokho okudingekayo.” Uma izingcindezi ezibangela ukuqothulwa kwezinto eziphilayo zimane zidamba kodwa zingaxazululeki, ngisho nemizamo enobuchule isengaba yize. Kumelwe kwakhiwe izindawo ezingokwemvelo ezinkulu futhi ezinakho konke—hhayi nje izindawana ezimbalwa ezihlukene, okubangela ukuzalana kwezilwane ezihlobene. Kungaleso sikhathi kuphela lapho ama-zoo ngokuqinisekile engabuyisela khona abathunjwa bawo endle. Kodwa ingabe ithemba elinjalo lingafezeka, noma liwukuzikhohlisa nje?

Okubangela ubunzima obengeziwe ikhono lokwakha i-zoo yembulunga yonke. UProfesa Edward Wilson uthi: “Iqiniso elidabukisayo liwukuthi wonke ama-zoo asemhlabeni namuhla angakwazi ukunakekela ingqikithi yezinhlobo ezingu-2000 kuphela yezilwane ezincelisayo, izinyoni, izilwane ezihuquzelayo nezilwane eziphila emanzini nasezweni”—okuyingcosana ngempela. Ngakho ama-zoo anomthwalo ongafiseleki wokunquma ukuthi yiziphi izilwane okufanele azikhethe ukuze zilondolozwe kuyilapho ezinye zingena ohlwini olude lwalezo ezisengcupheni yokuqothulwa.

Kwabangochwepheshe kulomkhakha, lokhu kuphakamisa umbuzo owesabisayo, Ngenxa yokuncikana kwazo zonke izinto eziphilayo, izinhlobonhlobo zezinto eziphilayo ziyofinyelela nini onqenqemeni oluyingozi lapho ziyobangela khona ukuqothulwa ngokuphelele kwezinto eziphilayo ezisele emhlabeni, kuhlanganise nomuntu? Ososayensi abaqiniseki. “Ukuqothulwa kohlobo lokuphila olulodwa noma ezimbili noma ezingamashumi amahlanu kuyoba nemiphumela emibi kakhulu,” kusho uLinda Koebner kuyi-Zoo Book. “Ukuqothulwa kwezinto eziphilayo kubangela ushintsho ngisho nangaphambi kokuba siqonde imiphumela.” Ngakolunye uhlangothi, incwadi ethi Zoo—The Modern Ark, ithi “ama-zoo ayisiphephelo esibaluleke kakhulu sokuphila empini yokuqothulwa kwezilwane kuleplanethi, impi engenakubikezelwa ubukhulu bayo kodwa izizukulwane zesikhathi esizayo eziyosibeka icala ngayo.”

Ngakho ingabe sikhona isisekelo sethemba? Noma ingabe izizukulwane zesikhathi esizayo zibhekene nenkinga efanayo yezinto eziphilayo, kuyilapho zisongelwa ukuqothulwa?

[Izithombe ekhasini 7]

Umuntu uyisitha sazo esikhulu

[Umthombo]

Tiger and Elephants: Zoological Parks Board of NSW

[Izithombe ekhasini 8]

Ezinye izilwane ezisengozini—i-“bison,” izingulule nobhejane

[Imithombo]

Bison and Cheetahs: Zoological Parks Board of NSW

Rhinoceros: National Parks Board of South Africa