I-“marsupial” Eyingqabavu
NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! E-AUSTRALIA
“NJALO lapho ngifika ekhaya ngivela esikoleni, uJoey, i-kangaroo engiyifuyile, wayehlale engilinde esangweni,” kukhumbula uJohn. “Lapho nje ngivula isango, wayegxuma angange ngemilenze yakhe yangaphambili, nami ngimange. Sasikhuluma ngezimpawu sithi, ‘Ngiyajabula ukukubona!’ UJoey wayebe esegxuma agijime ngendledlana amamitha ambalwa njengenja ejabule, agxumagxume abuyele emuva, futhi aqhubeke enze njalo size sifike endlini.”
Abantu abahlala ehlathini lase-Australia bavunyelwe ngokomthetho ukufuya ama-kangaroo, njengoba kwenza umkhaya wakubo kaJohn. Ngokuvamile, la ma-kangaroo ayizintandane, aye ahlengwa esemancane ngemva kokufa konina, mhlawumbe lapho bezama ukweqa umgwaqo. Nakuba kuyigama uJohn aqamba ngalo isilwane sakhe, empeleni elithi “joey” yigama elijwayelekile elisho umntwana we-kangaroo.
Ngokuvamile, umkhaya othole u-joey ufuna ukumenza azizwe amukelekile ngokushesha. Ngakho-ke enye yezinto zokuqala ozenzayo ukumnika isikhwama. Ukhetha indawo evalekile—futhi efudumele—futhi lapho kuboshelwa isikhwama sendwangu esiqinile esikhulu esinembobo ukuze sifane nesikhwama sikamama we-kangaroo. Bese ufaka u-joey kuso nebhodlela elinobisi olushisayo, olwenziwe ngokukhethekile. Ngale ndlela o-joey abaningi bayakwazi ukuphila. Ngokushesha bayasijwayela isikhwama sabo esisha, begxumela kuso ngamakhanda, sengathi bangena kwesonina.
Ungayichaza Kanjani I-kangaroo?
Izilwane ezikhulisela abantwana bazo esikhwameni noma kuyi-marsupium, zibizwa ngokuthi ama-marsupial. Njengoba eyizinhlobo ezingu-260, ama-marsupial ahlanganisa i-kangaroo, i-koala, i-wombat, i-bandicoot ne-opossum, ukuphela kwezinhlobo ezitholakala eNyakatho Melika. Kuyaqondakala ukuthi abahloli bamazwe bakudala bakuthola kunzima ukuchazela abantu emuva ekhaya ngalezi zilwane ezingajwayelekile, ikakhulu i-kangaroo. Owokuqala owaqhamuka negama elithi “kangaroo” ngesiNgisi esibhalwayo kwakungumhloli waseBrithani uKaputeni uJames Cook. Wafanisa lesi silwane ‘nenja yokuzingela egxuma njengonogwaja noma njengenyamazane.’ Kamuva lapho kubukiswa nge-kangaroo ephilayo eLondon, yavusa elikhulu isasasa.
Ama-kangaroo anamadlebe amakhulu ahlala enyakaza ekhanda elinjengelenyamazane. Imilenze yawo yangaphambili emifushane kodwa enamandla ifana nezingalo zomuntu, ikakhulukazi uma i-kangaroo ime iqondile. Ama-kangaroo anezinqulu ezinkulu ezinezinyama, nomsila omude oqinile noshwilene, futhi anezinyawo ezinkulu—okuyisici esiye sawenza aqanjwa igama elithi “Macropodidae,” elisho “izinyawo ezinde.”
Izinhlobo zama-Macropodidae ezingaba ngu-55 ziyashiyana ngobukhulu kusukela kwezingangomuntu kuye kwezingangegundane. Wonke ama-Macropodidae anemilenze yangaphambili emifushane nemilenze yangemuva emide agxumagxuma ngayo. Ama-kangaroo abomvu, ama-kangaroo ampunga nama-wallaroo, noma ama-euro, yiwo amakhulu kakhulu. Enye i-kangaroo ebomvu yeduna yayingaphezu kwamamitha amabili ukusuka ekhaleni layo kuya esihlokweni somsila futhi yayinesisindo esingamakhilogremu angu-77. Izinhlobo ezincane zama-kangaroo zibizwa ngokuthi ama-wallaby.
Wake wayibona noma wezwa nge-kangaroo ehlala ezihlahleni? Nokho, kungakumangaza ukuthi ama-kangaroo nawo analo uhlobo oluthile “lwenkawu” emikhayeni yawo—i-kangaroo yasesihlahleni. Njengoba zitholakala emahlathini emvula ashisayo aseNew Guinea nasenyakatho-mpumalanga ye-Australia, lezi zilwane ezilula ezinemilenze emifushane, lapho zikhululekile ezihlahleni, zingagxuma amamitha angu-9 zisuka kwelinye igatsha noma isihlahla ziya kwesinye. Ebusuku zehlela phansi, lapho zidla khona ikakhulu imifino nezihlava.
Anejubane, Alula, Ayonga
Uma ehamba kancane, ama-kangaroo abonakala sengathi anemizimba elukhuni nenganyakazi kalula. Imisila yawo nemilenze yangaphambili emifushane kuba unxantathu owasekelayo lapho ephakamisa imilenze yawo yangemuva eyiyisa phambili. Kodwa angabagijimi abanomzimba olula. Lapho egxuma ibanga elingaba ngamakhilomitha angu-50 ngehora, azimelela ngemisila yawo emikhulu. I-World Book Encyclopedia ithi “angafinyelela ijubane elingaphezu kwamakhilomitha angu-60 ngehora.” I-kangaroo enkulu ingagxuma kanye, ngejubane elikhulu indawo engamakhilomitha angu-9 kuya kwangu-13,5—ukugxuma okungacishe kufane nokundiza!
Ama-kangaroo akukhona nje kuphela ukuthi anejubane kodwa futhi ayonga lapho esebenzisa amandla. UProfesa Uwe Proske, waseMonash University eMelbourne, e-Australia, uthi empeleni ukudonsa kwe-kangaroo umoya-mpilo konga amandla lapho igijima kakhulu kunalapho igijima kancane. UProske wabala nokuthi “ngamakhilomitha angu-20 ngehora noma ngaphezulu, amandla asetshenziswa i-kangaroo egxumayo ayemancane kunalawo ayesetshenziswa isilwane esincelisayo esinomhlapho [isilwane esizalwa sesiphelele, njengenja noma inyamazane] esilingana nayo, sigijima ngejubane elifanayo.” Ngenxa yekhono le-kangaroo lokukwazi ukonga amandla, ingahamba amabanga amade ingakhathali. Kodwa i-kangaroo ikwazi kanjani ukugijima ibe yonga amandla kangaka?
Imfihlo isemisipheni emide ehlanganisa izihluzu nezithende. UProske uthi: “Kusengathi ama-kangaroo agxuma kumapheya ezipilingi ezithandelene.” Njengaleyo esezihluzwini zomuntu, imisipha ye-kangaroo ehlanganisa izihluzu nezithende iyanwebeka lapho ifika phansi kade igxuma futhi iyafinyela lapho isuka. Ama-kangaroo agxuma ngesilinganiso esifanayo ngomzuzwana (cishe ama-kangaroo abomvu agxuma kabili) egijima ngejubane elingafani. Ukuze agijime kakhulu amane anwebe amagxathu. Umehluko uba khona lapho i-kangaroo ithukile. Lapho-ke ingasuka ngamagxathu amancane ambalwa, asheshayo ukuze ithi galo yephuka.
Ama-kangaroo ayizingcweti futhi ekubhukudeni. Awasebenzisi nje kuphela imilenze yawo enamandla kodwa aqhubezeleka ngokwengeziwe ngokutshikizisa imisila yawo ayiyise emaceleni. Uma ejahwa yizinja, ama-kangaroo adume ngokuthi asebenzisa amakhono awo asemanzini ngokugxumela emigodini enamanzi noma emfuleni. Noma iyiphi inja enesibindi sokujaha i-kangaroo ngokushesha ishoniswa ngaphansi kwamanzi yimilenze yangaphambili ye-kangaroo enezinyama kanye nezinyawo ezinezinzwane ezinhlanu, ngalunye olunezinzipho ezibukhali. UJohn, okukhulunywe ngaye ekuqaleni, wayenezinja ezimbili ezacishe zaminziswa i-kangaroo yeduna lapho izifaka edamini elincane lakubo.
Isimanga Sokuzalwa Kwama-marsupial
Nakuba eqinile futhi enamandla lapho esemadala, ama-kangaroo azalwa engakaqini futhi entekenteke. Njengoba esuke efana nesibungu esibomvana esingamasentimitha angu-2,5 ubude esinesisindo esingamagremu ambalwa, azalwa engenaboya, engaboni futhi engezwa. Nokho, ngenxa yemilenze yaso yangaphambili esheshe ivele nezinzipho nenzwa yokuhogela, lesi “sibungu” esincane siyagaqa siholwa yimizwelo engokwemvelo siye eboyeni bukanina bese singena esikhwameni sakhe. Uma sesingaphakathi esikhwameni, sinkonkoshela omunye wemibele emine. Ngokushesha umbele uyavuvukala ngasekugcineni ube ibhamuza ungaphakathi emlonyeni womntwana, umvalela ngokuqinile kuleyo ndawo akuyo amasonto ambalwa. Uma ucabangela indlela kanina yokuhamba, ihange eliqinile liyadingeka ngempela! Eqinisweni, leli hange liqine kangangokuthi ababeyibuka kuqala babecabanga ukuthi umntwana ukhula embeleni!
Yebo, ekugcineni u-joey uyakhula afinyelele eqophelweni lapho ephuma khona esikhwameni, nakuba eqala aphume isikhashana. Nokho, ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisikhombisa kuya kweziyishumi, uma eselunyulwe ngokuphelele, uyaphuma ngokuphelele esikhwameni. Kodwa ake sibuyele emuva lapho u-joey eqala ukunkonkoshela umbele futhi sibone esinye isimangaliso sokuzalwa kwama-kangaroo.
Izinsuku ezimbalwa ngemva kokuba umntwana enkonkoshele umbele kanina, unina uyaphinda ahlangane neduna. Umbungu oba khona ngenxa yalokho kuhlangana ukhula cishe isonto, bese uyama—uthi ukulinda, uma sikubeka ngenye indlela—kuyilapho ingane yakwabo endala iqhubeka ikhula esikhwameni. Uma ingane endala kodwa esancela iphuma esikhwameni, umbungu osesibelethweni uyaqala ukukhula futhi. Ngemva kwezinsuku ezingu-30 usesibelethweni, umbungu nawo uzinkonkoshelela owawo umbele, kodwa hhayi lo oncelwa yingane endala.
Lapho kunesinye isimangaliso sokuphila kwe-kangaroo. Umama unikeza u-joey wakhe omncane olunye uhlobo lobisi, bese kuthi omdala amnike olunye. Iphawula ngalokhu, i-Scientific American ithi: “Izinhlobo ezimbili zobisi ezikhiqizwa imibele ehlukene zihlukene ngobuningi nangokwakheka. Ukuthi lokhu kwenzeka kanjani ngaphansi kwezimo zama-hormone ezifanayo, kuwumbuzo odidayo.”
Lapho Ungabona Khona Ama-kangaroo
Uma ufuna ukubona ama-kangaroo esesimweni sawo semvelo, kufanele uzimisele ukushiya amadolobha uye ehlathini lase-Australia, noma emaphandleni. Lapho efuna utshani nohlaza ukuze adle, ama-kangaroo angatholakala ngawodwa noma engamaqembu amancane noma amaqembu amakhulu abizwa ngokuthi ama-mob, agadwa ama-kangaroo amakhulu angamaduna abizwa ngokuthi ama-boomer. Ngenxa yokuthi ama-kangaroo adla kakhulu ebusuku abese ephumula emthunzini (lapho efihleka khona kahle) phakathi nokushisa kwasemini, isikhathi esihle sokuwabona esasentathakusa noma kusihlwa. Kodwa uma isimo sezulu sipholile, angase azulazule imini yonke. Kunoma yikuphi, qiniseka ukuthi uza nekhamera ekwazi ukuthatha into ekude ikhiphe isithombe esikhulu kanye nezibonakude—ama-kangaroo asendle ayizilwane ezinamahloni kakhulu.
Yebo, ungawabona futhi ama-kangaroo ema-zoo amaningi, izindawo ezivikela izilwane zasendle nasezindaweni zombuso zokulondoloza imvelo kulo lonke elase-Australia nakwamanye amazwe. Ukuba nabantu njalo kuye kwenza la ma-kangaroo awangabe esesaba kakhulu, ngakho-ke kufanele ukwazi ukuwathatha isithombe eduze, mhlawumbe ngisho nonina nomntanakhe elunguza esikhwameni. Ngokuvamile o-joey asebekhulile bayabahlekisa abantu lapho begxuma bengena ngamakhanda ezikhwameni zonina, kodwa imilenze yabo yangemuva emincane emide ilunguze kabi ngaphandle, okwenza i-kangaroo ewumama ifane nesikhwama sokuyothenga esigcwele kakhulu. (Ama-kangaroo amancane kubonakala sengathi ayingenisa yonke imilenze!) I-kangaroo eyiduna enomusa ingase yenze ukuba uyibone imile, okuwumbukwane. Kwazi bani? Ungase ubone ngisho nombhangqwana wama-boomer amakhulu emile, njengoba imilenze yawo emide enemisipha iwavumela futhi enomncintiswano wesibhakela—ama-kangaroo ashaya isibhakela ngempela!
Kodwa kwabaningi, umbukwane wangempela ukubona i-kangaroo eyiduna enkulu ebomvu noma empunga igxuma ngejubane elikhulu. Yiqiniso, nezinye izilwane zingase zikwazi ukugijima kakhulu noma zigxume ziye phezulu kakhulu, kodwa asikho esinye isidalwa ongakwazi ukubona kuso inhlanganisela enje yokuba lula, amandla, nokugxuma ngemilenze emibili kuphela enamandla.
[Isithombe ekhasini 17]
Imfihlo yobungqabavu bayo, imisipha yayo emide ehlanganisa izihluzu nezithende