Izinzuzo Zokuba Khona Kwamahlathi Emvula

NGO-1844, isazi esingumGreki uKonstantin von Tischendorf wathola amakhasi angu-129 ombhalo wasendulo emgqonyeni kadoti endlini yezindela. UTischendorf wawathatha la makhasi ayigugu, futhi namuhla ayingxenye yeCodex Sinaiticus—omunye wemibhalo yeBhayibheli edume kakhulu emhlabeni.

Lelo gugu latholwa ngesikhathi esifanele. Amahlathi emvula—okushaywa indiva ukubaluleka kwawo—awavamile ukuba naleyo nhlanhla. Minyaka yonke ngenkathi engenazimvula, kuba nemililo emikhulu eyokhelwa abafuyi nabalimi abagawulayo. U-Al Gore, manje oyiphini likamongameli wase-United States, owabona umlilo onjalo e-Amazon, wathi: “Umonakalo ongakholeki. Ungenye yezinhlekelele ezinkulu kakhulu emlandweni.”

Asivamile ukushisa into esaziyo ukuthi iyigugu. Ishwa ngamahlathi emvula ukuthi abhujiswa ngaphambi kokuba siqonde ukubaluleka kwawo, ngaphambi kokuba siqonde indlela asebenza ngayo, ngisho nangaphambi kokuba sazi ukuthi anani. Ukushisa ihlathi lemvula kunjengokubasa izincwadi ukuze ufudumeze ikhaya—ngaphandle kokubheka okuqukethwe yilezo zincwadi.

Eminyakeni yamuva nje ososayensi baqale ukuhlola lezi “zincwadi,” ukwaziswa okuningi okusemahlathini emvula. Kuyathakazelisa “abakufundayo.”

Ihlathi Eliyingqayizivele

“Ubuningi bezihlahla zakulezi ziqhingi zase-Indies abuchazeki,” kwachaza umlobi wezenzakalo waseSpain uGonzalo Fernández de Oviedo ngo-1526. Eminyakeni engamakhulu amahlanu kamuva amazwi akhe okuncoma asacishe abe yiqiniso. Umlobi uCynthia Russ Ramsay uyabhala: “Ihlathi lemvula liyisimiso sezinto eziphilayo esinezinto ezinhlobonhlobo, esiyinkimbinkimbi nesingaqondakali kakhulu emhlabeni.”

Isazi sezinto eziphila emazweni ashisayo uSeymour Sohmer sithi: “Akufanele silikhohlwe iqiniso lokuthi kuncane noma akukho nhlobo esikwaziyo ngendlela amahlathi asezindaweni ezishisayo akhiwe ngayo nendlela asebenza ngayo, ingasaphathwa eyezinhlobo zezitshalo nezilwane ezikuwo.” Inani elikhulu lezitshalo nezilwane nokusebenzelana kwazo okuyinkimbinkimbi kwenza umsebenzi wabacwaningi ube nzima kakhulu.

Ihlathi lasezindaweni ezinesimo sezulu esithokomele lingase libe nezinhlobo zezihlahla eziyidlanzana kuyihektare ngalinye. Kanti ingxenye yehektare yehlathi lemvula ingase ibe nezinhlobo zezihlahla ezingaphezu kwezingu-80 ezihlukahlukene, nakuba ingqikithi yezihlahla ezitholakala kuyihektare ngalinye ingaba ngu-700 kuphela. Njengoba ukuhlukaniswa kwalezi zinhlobonhlobo zezihlahla kuwumsebenzi onzima, kuye kwahlolwa izindawo zamahlathi emvula ezimbalwa kakhulu ezinobukhulu obungaphezu kwehektare. Nokho, lezo eziye zahlolwa ziveza imiphumela emangalisayo.

Izihlahla ezinhlobonhlobo zisekela izilwane zasehlathini eziningi kakhulu—eziningi kakhulu kunalokho okucatshangwa abantu. I-U.S. National Academy of Sciences ithi indawo engamakhilomitha-skwele ayishumi yehlathi lemvula elingonakalisiwe ingase ibe nezinhlobo zezilwane ezincelisayo ezingu-125 ezihlukahlukene, izinhlobo zezilwane ezihuquzelayo ezingu-100, izinhlobo zezinyoni ezingu-400 nezinhlobo zezimvemvane ezingu-150. Uma siqhathanisa, siqaphela ukuthi lonke elaseNyakatho Melika linezinhlobo zezinyoni noma livakashelwa yizinhlobo zezinyoni ezingaba ngu-1000.

Nakuba ezinye izinhlobo eziningi zezitshalo nezilwane zingase zitholakale endaweni enkulu ehlathini lemvula, ezinye zitholakala okhahlambeni lwezintaba olulodwa kuphela. Yilokho okuzenza zibe sesimweni esibucayi. Lapho abagawuli sebeqedile ukugawula ihlathi elisentabeni e-Ecuador eminyakeni embalwa edlule, kwase kushabalale izinhlobo zezitshalo ezingu-90 ezitholakala kuleyo ndawo kuphela.

Ngenxa yezinhlekelele ezinjalo, i-United States Interagency Task Force on Tropical Forests iyaxwayisa: “Izizwe kumelwe zifune ikhambi elisheshayo nelihlanganyelwe lale nkinga ukuze le ngcebo enganakwa nengenakuthathelwa indawo ivikelwe ekuqothulweni engxenyeni yokuqala yekhulu leminyaka elizayo.”

Kodwa kungase kuphakame imibuzo: Ingabe le ngcebo engokwemvelo iyigugu kangako? Ingabe ukunyamalala kwamahlathi emvula kungakukhinyabeza kakhulu ukuphila kwethu?

Ukudla, Umoya Ohlanzekile Nemithi

Ingabe ekuseni udla ukudla okusanhlamvu, mhlawumbe iqanda elibilisiwe uphuze nenkomishi yekhofi elishisayo? Uma kunjalo, ngandlela-thile ujabulela izinzuzo zamahlathi emvula. Ummbila, amantongomane ekhofi, inkukhu ezalele iqanda, ngisho nenkomo ekhiphe ubisi—konke kwasuka ezilwaneni nasezitshalweni zasehlathini. Ummbila uvela eNingizimu Melika, ikhofi livela eTopiya, izinkukhu ezifuywayo zavela kuyi-jungle fowl yase-Asia, kanti izinkomazi zavela kuyi-banteng yaseNingizimu-mpumalanga Asia esengcupheni yokuqothulwa. Incwadi ethi Tropical Rainforest iyachaza: “Izinto esizidlayo ezingamaphesenti angu-80 zavela ezindaweni ezishisayo.”

Umuntu akanakukwazi ukuyishaya indiva imithombo yokudla kwakhe. Kokubili izilimo nemfuyo kungaba buthaka uma kuxutshwa kakhulu. Amahlathi emvula, anezinto ezinhlobonhlobo, angaba umthombo wezakhi zofuzo zezinto ezihlukahlukene ezingaqinisa lezi zitshalo noma izilwane. Ngokwesibonelo, isazi sezitshalo saseMexico uRafael Guzmán sathola uhlobo lotshani obusha obufana nommbila wanamuhla. Lokho kwabajabulisa abalimi ngoba lobu butshani (Zea diploperennis) abungenwa yizifo ezinhlanu kwezingu-7 ezinamandla ezibhubhisa ummbila. Ososayensi bathemba ukuthi bazosebenzisa lolu hlobo olusha ekukhiqizeni uhlobo lommbila ongangenwa yizifo.

Ngo-1987 uhulumeni waseMexico wavikela ukhahlamba lwezintaba lapho kwakutholakala khona lo mmbila wasendle. Kodwa njengoba kubhujiswa amahlathi amaningi kangaka, akungabazeki ukuthi izinhlobo zezitshalo eziyigugu njengalesi ziyanyamalala, ngisho nangaphambi kokuba zitholakale. Emahlathini aseNingizimu-mpumalanga Asia, kunezinhlobo eziningana zezinkomo zasendle ezingaqinisa inzalo yezinkomo ezifuywayo. Kodwa zonke lezi zinhlobo zezilwane zisengcupheni yokuqothulwa ngenxa yokucekelwa phansi kwendawo yazo.

Umoya ohlanzekile ubaluleke njengokudla esikudlayo. Njengoba wonke umuntu ojabulela ukuhamba ehlathini ashaywe umoya eye waqaphela, izihlahla zenza umsebenzi obalulekile wokuvuselela umkhathi ngomoya-mpilo. Kodwa lapho zishiswa, zikhipha i-carbon eyisikhutha ne-carbon monoxide. Zombili lezi zinhlobo zesisi zibangela izinkinga.

Abanye balinganisela ukuthi izenzo zomuntu sezenze ukuba izinga lesikhutha emkhathini liphindeke kabili. Nakuba kucatshangwa ukuthi lokhu kubangelwa ukungcola okuphuma ezimbonini, kuthiwa ukushiswa kwamahlathi kukhipha amaphesenti angaphezu kwangu-35 esikhutha. Lapho sifika emkhathini, isikhutha sibangela lokho okuthiwa yi-greenhouse effect, ososayensi abaningi ababikezela ukuthi iyobangela ukufudumala kwembulunga okukhulu.

I-carbon monoxide iyingozi nakakhulu. Iyisakhi esiyinhloko esinobuthi esitholakala emusini omboze izindawo zasemadolobheni. Kodwa umcwaningi uJames Greenberg wamangala lapho ethola “i-carbon monoxide eningi emahlathini ase-Amazon njengasemadolobheni [ase-United States].” Ukushiswa okungenangqondo kwamahlathi ase-Amazon kwase kungcolise wona kanye umoya izihlahla eziklanyelwe ukuba ziwuhlanze!

Ngaphandle kokuba umthombo wokudla nomoya ohlanzekile, amahlathi emvula angaba umthombo wangempela wemithi. Ingxenye yesine yayo yonke imithi egunyazwa odokotela itholakala ezitshalweni ezimila emahlathini. Emahlathini anemvula eningi ase-Andes kune-quinine, eyelapha umalaleveva; esifundeni sase-Amazon, kutholakala i-curare, esetshenziswa njengomuthi wokubulala izinhlungu lapho umuntu ehlinzwa; kanti eMadagascar kutholakala i-periwinkle enjengembali, enama-alkaloid andisa izinga lokusinda kwabantu abaningi abanomdlavuza wegazi. Naphezu kwemiphumela enjalo ehlaba umxhwele, amaphesenti angu-7 kuphela azo zonke izitshalo zasemahlathini emvula aye ahlolwa ukuthi ayelapha yini. Futhi isikhathi sesinciphile. I-United States Cancer Institute ixwayisa ngokuthi “ukwanda kokucekelwa phansi kwamahlathi emvula anomswakama kungaba isithiyo esikhulu emkhankasweni wokulwa nomdlavuza.”

Kuneminye imisebenzi ebalulekile eyenziwa amahlathi emvula—nakuba inganakwa kuze kube yilapho amahlathi esengasekho. Phakathi kwayo kubalwa ukulawula imvula nezinga lokushisa kanye nokuvimbela ukuguguleka kwenhlabathi. Incwadi ethi The Emerald Realm: Earth’s Precious Rain Forests iyabika: “Ukuceba kwamahlathi emvula omhlaba kukudlula kude ukuqonda esinakho namuhla. Kodwa siyazi ngisho namanje ukuthi ukubaluleka kwawo akunakulinganiswa.”

“Siyolondoloza Esikuthandayo Kuphela”

Ukubhubhisa ingcebo esinikeza izinto eziningi kangaka kuwubuwula ngempela. Eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-3000 edlule, uNkulunkulu wayala ama-Israyeli ukuba alondoloze izihlahla zezithelo lapho ehlasela umuzi wesitha. Isizathu asinikeza sasilula: “Zikunikeza ukudla.” Ngaphezu kwalokho, “izihlahla azibona abantu ukuba uzihlasele.” (Duteronomi 20:19, 20, The New English Bible) Kungashiwo okufanayo ngamahlathi emvula ahlaselwayo.

Ngokusobala, njengezihlahla zezithelo, amahlathi emvula ayigugu kakhulu lapho enezihlahla kunalapho egawuliwe. Kodwa kuleli lizwe lanamuhla, izinzuzo zesikhashana zibaluleke kakhulu kunezinzuzo zesikhathi eside. Nokho, imfundo ingashintsha isimo sengqondo. Isazi sezimiso zezinto eziphilayo saseSenegal uBaba Dioum siyaphawula: “Ekugcineni siyolondoloza esikuthandayo kuphela; siyothanda esikuqondayo kuphela; futhi siyoqonda esikufundiswayo kuphela.”

UTischendorf weba amakhasi asendulo oGwadule lwaseSinayi ngoba wayeyithanda imibhalo yasendulo futhi wayefuna ukuyilondoloza. Ingabe abantu bayofunda ukuthanda amahlathi emvula kusenesikhathi sokuwavikela?

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 11]

Ukushisa ihlathi lemvula kunjengokubasa izincwadi ukuze ufudumeze ikhaya—ngaphandle kokubheka okuqukethwe yilezo zincwadi

[Ibhokisi/Izithombe ekhasini 8, 9]

Ukulondoloza Izilwane Zasehlathini

UJESÚS ELÁ wachitha iminyaka engu-15 ezingela ama-gorilla nezinye izilwane ehlathini lemvula e-Afrika. Kodwa akasazingeli. Usengumqondisi wezivakashi esiqiwini sokuvikela ama-gorilla angu-750 e-Equatorial Guinea.

UJesús uyachaza: “Ngikujabulela kakhulu ukuba sehlathini lemvula uma ngingazingeli. Kimina ihlathi linjengomuzi wakithi ngoba ngiyakhululeka uma ngilapha futhi linginikeza konke engikudingayo. Kumelwe senze konke okusemandleni ukulondolozela abantwana bethu la mahlathi.”

UJesús, oluhlanganyela nabanye ngentshiseko uthando analo ngehlathi, unenhlanhla. Manje usehola imali eningi ngokuvikela ama-gorilla kunalapho ayewazingela. Njengoba izivakashi zikujabulela ukukhokhela ilungelo lokubona izilwane ezinjalo endle, iziqiwu zingavulela abantu bendawo amathuba omsebenzi futhi zinikeza izivakashi ithuba lokubona izilwane eziningi ezingalibaleki. Kodwa incwadi ethi Tropical Rainforest ichaza ukuthi ukulondolozwa kwalesi “simiso esiyinxanxathela sezinto eziphilayo” kudinga “izindawo ezinkulu, ezinezigodi ezivulekile.”a

Kungani iziqiwu kudingeka zibe zinkulu kangaka ukuze zibe isivikelo esikahle? Encwadini yakhe ethi Diversity and the Tropical Rain Forest, uJohn Terborgh uchaza ukuthi umhlambi ophila endle wama-jaguar (asekhulile azalayo angaba ngu-300) udinga indawo engaba amakhilomitha-skwele angu-7500. Uyaphetha: “Ngokwale mibandela kuneziqiwu ezimbalwa kakhulu emhlabeni ezinendawo eyanele yokugcina la ma-jaguar.” Amahlosi angadinga ngisho nendawo enkudlwana. Umhlambi wamahlosi azalayo (angaba ngu-400) ungadinga indawo engamakhilomitha-skwele angu-40000 ubukhulu.

Ngokulondoloza indawo yezilwane ezinjengalezi, namahlathi emvula amakhulu angavikelwa. Enye inzuzo iwukuthi lezi zilwane zinendima ebalulekile ekulondolozeni impilo yazo zonke izilwane.

[Imibhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi/Izithombe ekhasini 8, 9]

Izilwane Ezinkulu Nezincane

1. Izintethe eziningi zasemahlathini emvula zinemibala ekhazimulayo. Ezinye izilokazane zishintsha umbala zifane nendawo kangangokuba kunzima ukuzibona

2. Izimvemvane ziyizilwanyana zasehlathini lemvula eziphawulekayo nezintekenteke kakhulu

3. Umhlambi wezinkawu ezigxuma zisuka egatsheni ziye kwelinye ungomunye wemibukwane ehlekisayo yasehlathini

4. Nakuba i-jaguar ibusa ngokungenakuphikiswa emahlathini emvula aseMelika, zimbalwa izazi zemvelo eziye zayibona endle

5. Izimbali ze-orchid ezinhle zihlobisa amahlathi emvula anomswakama amboze izintaba zasezindaweni ezishisayo

6. Kunamahlosi angaphansi kwangu-5000 asesele endle

7. Inkubabulongwe i-rhinoceros beetle yaseNtshonalanga Afrika eyethiwe kahle inezimpondo ezisabekayo kodwa ayinangozi

8. Nakuba ama-gorilla eyizilwane ezivikelwe umthetho, inyama yawo isatholakala ezimakethe zase-Afrika. Lezi zilwane ezinkulu zidla imifino futhi zizula ehlathini ngamaqembu

9. Ama-ocelot acishe aqothulwa ngokuzingelwa ngenxa yesikhumba sawo esihle

10. Opholi baphakathi kwezinyoni ezinomsindo kakhulu nezinobungane ehlathini

11. Njengoba amehlo aso ebonisa, isinkwe sizingela ebusuku

[Umthombo]

Foto: Zoo de Baños

Foto: Zoo de la Casa de Campo, Madrid

[Umthombo]

Foto: Zoo de Baños

[Izithombe ekhasini 7]

Amahlathi emvula akhiqiza (1) ukhokho, (2) i-“periwinkle” enjengembali, ewusizo ekwelapheni umdlavuza wegazi, (3) namafutha esundu. (4) Ukuqothula amahlathi kubangela ukudilika kwenhlabathi okubhubhisayo