Izinhlwathi—Ingabe Zisambulela Izimfihlo Ezithile?

Ngumlobeli we-Phaphama!

ANGAZI ukuthi nawe uzizwa ngendlela efanayo yini, kodwa zimbalwa kakhulu ezinye izilwane ezingithakazelisa njengezinyoka ezinkulu. Futhi uma sikhuluma ngezinyoka ezinkulu, sikhuluma ngezinhlwathi, ezingamalungu ohlobo lwezilwane okuthiwa ama-Boidae. Nokho, kuyathakazelisa ukuthi nakuba zinkulu, kuncane kakhulu obekwaziwa ngokuziphatha kwazo—kuze kube muva nje.

Ngo-1992, isazi sezinto eziphilayo uJesús A. Rivas nabacwaningi be-Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) ezinze eNew York ngokokuqala ngqá baqala ukufunda ngalezi zinyoka ezinkulu endle.a Lapho ngifunda ukuthi lolu cwaningo lweminyaka eyisithupha, olwenzelwa emaxhaphozini aseVenezuela, lwalwembula amaqiniso amasha, ngazibuza ukuthi yini eyayitholakele. Namuhla ngizozama ukuthola.

Amagama Azo Nezinhlobo Zazo

Ngentambama efudumele, ngifulathela ihhovisi lami eliseBrooklyn ngilibangise endlunkulu ye-WCS, eBronx Zoo eNew York City. Kakade ngase ngenze ucwaningo olwanele ukuze ngazi amaqiniso athile ngezinhlwathi.

Ngokumangalisayo, kungenzeka ukuthi igama elithi anaconda (inhlwathi) lisuka kude kakhulu nekhaya lalesi silwane eliseNingizimu Melika. Abanye bathi lisuselwa emagameni esiTamil athi anai, okusho “indlovu,” nelithi kolra, okusho “umbulali.” Abanye bacabanga ukuthi lisuselwa egameni lesiSinhala elithi henakandayā (elithi hena elisho ukuthi “umbani,” nelithi kanda, elisho ukuthi “isiqu”). Ngokunokwenzeka la magama esiSinhala—ekuqaleni ayesetshenziswa ukubhekisela ezinhlwathini eSri Lanka—afika nabahwebi bamaPutukezi ababesuka e-Asia beya eNingizimu Melika.

Uma sikhuluma ngokubizwa kwayo ngamagama okungewona, ngisho negama lenhlwathi elingokomthetho, elithi Eunectes murinus, alishayi emhloleni. Elithi Eunectes lisho ukuthi “inhlambi enekhono”—futhi liyafaneleka. Kodwa elithi murinus lisho ukuthi “onombala wegundane.” Incwadi ethile ithi njengoba le nyoka inesikhumba esiluhlaza, leli gama “empeleni libonakala lingayifaneli.”

Kukhona okunye okumelwe sikusho ngamagama angokwesayensi alesi silwane nemikhakha yaso. Izincwadi ezikhuluma ngezinhlwathi ngokuvamile zithi kunezinhlobo ezimbili. Eyokuqala kukhulunywa ngayo kulesi sihloko—inhlwathi eluhlaza, noma i-water boa, etholakala ngokuyinhloko emaxhaphozini ase-Amazon nasezigodini zase-Orinoco kanye nasemazweni aseGuiana. Enye yinhlwathi encane enombala ophuzi (E. notaeus), etholakala eParaguay, eningizimu yeBrazil nasenyakatho ye-Argentina.

Nansi Ingcweti

Sengifikile eBronx Zoo. Lesi siqiwu, esinendawo eyihlathi engamahektare angu-107, siyikhaya lezilwane ezingaphezu kuka-4 000, ezihlanganisa nedlanzana lezinhlwathi. UWilliam Holmstrom ogqoke okhakhi, we-Department of Herpetology (isayensi yezilwane ezihuquzelayo) ye-WCS usefikile ukuzongihlangabeza esangweni lakulesi siqiwu. UMnu. Holmstrom—waseNew York oneminyaka engu-51 ubudala, ofaka izibuko, onamadevu, futhi ohlale emamatheka—ungumphathi emnyangweni wezilwane ezihuquzelayo kule zoo futhi uye wahlanganyela ekucwaningeni ngezinhlwathi eVenezuela. Ngokusho kwakhe, manje ososayensi bathi kukhona uhlobo lwesithathu lwenhlwathi (E. deschauenseei), etholakala enyakatho-mpumalanga yeBrazil nangasogwini lwaseFrench Guiana.b Namuhla uMnu. Holmstrom uzoba umqondisi wami onguchwepheshe.

Akuthathi sikhathi eside ukuba ngibone ukuthi umqondisi wami uthanda izinyoka ngendlela abanye abazithanda ngayo izinja noma opholi. Ungixoxela ukuthi kusukela eseyingane, indlu yakubo yayiyikhaya lezibankwa, amaxoxo, nezinye izilwane ezinjalo. “Ubaba wayezithanda. Umama ezibekezelela.” Akungatshazwa ukuthi uMnu. Holmstrom ufuze uyise.

Ubukhulu Obuhlaba Umxhwele Nokwehluka Okukhulu

Lapho sesisendlini yezilwane ezihuquzelayo esineminyaka eyikhulu ikhona, sobabili sima phambi kwegumbi elinenhlwathi. Nakuba ngibona isilwane ebengilindele ukusibona, namanje ngisehluleka ukufihla ukumangala kwami. Ngimangazwa umzimba waso nobukhulu baso obungavamile. Ikhanda layo elikhulu ukwedlula isandla somuntu, elinekhala elibushelelezi, libukeka lilincane uma liqhathaniswa nomzimba wayo. Umqondisi wami ungitshela ukuthi lesi silwane esihuquzelayo siyinsikazi enhle engamamitha amahlanu ubude futhi sinesisindo esingamakhilogremu angu-80. Nakuba umzimba wale nyoka ucishe ulingane nesigxobo sikagesi ngobukhulu, ngithola ukuthi “ayilutho” uma iqhathaniswa nenyoka eyaqoph’ umlando emhlabeni—inhlwathi eyinsikazi eyabanjwa ngo-1960, okulinganiselwa ukuthi yayinesisindo esingamakhilogremu angu-227!

Ayikho inhlwathi eyiduna engaba nomzimba omkhulu ngaleyo ndlela. Nakuba izazi ze-herpetology zazazi ukuthi izinhlwathi ezingamaduna zincane kuneziyizinsikazi, ucwaningo lwathola ukuthi ezingamaduna zincane kangangokuba zibukeka njengezinsikazi ezisencane. Empeleni, lolu cwaningo lwabonisa ukuthi ngokwesilinganiso, izinsikazi zinkulu ngokuphindwe kahlanu kunamaduna. Lowo mehluko omkhulu ungase ukukhohlise, njengoba kwenzeka esazini sezinto eziphilayo uJesús Rivas. Wake wafuya inhlwathi esencane ekhaya kodwa elokhu ezibuza ukuthi kungani yayithanda ukumluma. Kwasa ngokunye lapho kwenziwa lolu cwaningo esethola ukuthi wayefuye eyeduna eyayisikhulile futhi eyayicasukile!

Iyafuneka!—Kunomklomelo

Nakuba ubukhulu benhlwathi buyisici sayo eyinhloko, nobude bayo buhlaba umxhwele. Yiqiniso, izinhlwathi azinkulu njengoba amabhayisikobho aseHollywood eziveza—enye ibhayisikobho yabonisa inhlwathi engamamitha angu-12—kodwa ubude bazo obungamamitha angu-9 bubodwa bukushiya ukhex’ umlomo.

Zimbalwa kakhulu izinhlwathi ezinkulu ngaleyo ndlela. Eziyizinsikazi ezinkulu kakhulu ezabanjwa phakathi nalolu cwaningo zazinesisindo esingamakhilogremu angu-90 nobude obungamamitha amahlanu. Empeleni, kunzima ukuthola izinhlwathi ezinkulu kangangokuba umklomelo ongama-dollar angu-1 000 (R6 000), owakhishwa i-New York Zoological Society (eyathathelwa indawo yi-WCS) eminyakeni engu-90 edlule, owawuyonikezwa lowo owayeyoletha inyoka ephilayo engamamitha angu-9,2 ubude, awukaze ulandwe kuze kube namuhla. “Ngonyaka kuba nabantu ababili noma abathathu baseNingizimu Melika abasishayela ucingo befuna lo mklomelo,” kusho uMnu. Holmstrom, “kodwa uma sibacela ukuba basithumelele ubufakazi bokuthi bayitholile ukuze siye lapho siyoyibona, ababuthumeli ubufakazi.” Habé, sengicishe ngakhohlwa, umklomelo wenyoka ephilayo engamamitha angu-9,2 manje usungama-dollar angu-50 000 (R300 000)!

Ukuyibukela Eduze

Ngilandela umqondisi wami njengoba engiholela esitezi sesibili kule ndlu yezilwane ezihuquzelayo, esetshenziswa njengendawo yokuzigcina nokuzizalanisa. Le ndawo iyashisa futhi inomswakama. Ukuze ngiyibone kahle le nyoka engithakazelisayo, uMnu. Holmstrom uvula umnyango wegumbi lapho kuvalelwe khona inhlwathi eyinsikazi.

Kuleli qophelo, siqhelelene ngamamitha amabili nje vó—futhi akukho lutho—phakathi kwethu nalesi silwane. Khona-ke, ikhanda lenhlwathi liphakama kancane futhi ngesineke lisondele ngakithi. Njengamanje kunebanga eliyimitha phakathi kwekhanda lenhlwathi nathi.

“Kungcono sihlehle,” kusho uMnu. Holmstrom, “kungenzeka ukuthi isilambile.” Ngivumela phezulu. Ube esevala umnyango waleli gumbi, futhi ikhanda lenhlwathi liyahlehla lize liyohlala phezu komzimba wayo osongekile.

Uma ukwazi ukuziba iso lenhlwathi futhi ubukisise ikhanda layo elinemigqa ebomvu, uzobona ukuthi inezici eziphawulekayo. Ngokwesibonelo, amehlo nekhala lenhlwathi kungaphezulu ekhanda layo. Lokhu kuvumela le nyoka ukuba ikwazi ukucwilisa umzimba wayo nekhanda emanzini futhi ilunguzise amehlo nekhala ngaphezu kwamanzi—ngendlela izingwenya ezenza ngayo. Lokho kuchaza indlela le nyoka esizuma ngayo isisulu kodwa ibe ingabonakali.

Ukuzithandela Iqine Nemihlathi Ekhumukayo

Inhlwathi ayinabo ubuthi. Ibulala ngokuthandela isisulu sayo isiqinise. Ayisifahlazi isisulu, kodwa njalo lapho isisulu siphefumula, inyoka iyasicindezela ngokusithandela kuze kube yilapho isisulu siphelelwa umoya. Ihlasela cishe noma yini—kusukela emadadeni kuya ezinyamazaneni. Nokho, akuvamile ukuthola imibiko enokwethenjelwa ekhuluma ngabantu abadliwa yilezi zinhlwathi.

Njengoba izinyoka zingakwazi ukuhlafuna noma ukuhlephula ukudla kwazo, inhlwathi ayinakuzikhethela kodwa kumelwe isigwinye njengoba sinjalo isisula sayo esifile—ngisho noma isisulu sisikhulu kunenyoka. Empeleni, uma ubungadla ukudla njengenhlwathi, kalula nje ubungamimilita ukhukhunathi njengokungathi ugwinya intongomane. Inhlwathi ikwenza kanjani lokhu?

“Ivula umlomo wayo ukuze ilungele ukumimilita isisulu,” kusho uMnu. Holmstrom. Uyachaza ukuthi imihlathi yenhlwathi iyakwazi ukukhumuka ihlukane nekhanda. Ngaphambi kokuba ibambe umzimba omkhulu wesisulu ngamazinyo, umhlathi ongezansi uyakhumuka uvuleke. Khona-ke inhlwathi iyisa ingxenye yomhlathi ongezansi phambili, ixhakathise isisulu ngamazinyo ayo abheke emuva, bese idonsa umhlathi futhi isisulu singene emlonyeni. Ngokulandelayo, iphinda izinyathelo ezifanayo ngenye ingxenye yomhlathi ongezansi. Ngokwezinga elithile umhlathi ongaphezulu wenza okufanayo. Ngale minyakazo ebheke phambili eshintshanayo, ngempela umhlathi walesi silwane ubonakala sengathi uhamba phezu kwesisulu. Ngemva kokugwinya isisulu, okungase kuthathe amahora ambalwa, le nyoka izamula izikhathi ezimbalwa, futhi izingxenye ezihlukahlukene zekhanda layo elinemihlathi ekhumukayo zibuyela endaweni yazo.

Yini evimbela inhlwathi ukuba ingabindwa? Ipayipi lomoya elinwebekayo elisolwangeni. Ngesikhathi isagwinya ukudla kwayo, inhlwathi ikhipha leli payipi liye phambili emlonyeni. Ngaleyo ndlela, leli payipi lomoya lenza ukuba ithole umoya lapho idla.

Ungazihlukanisa Kanjani?

Manje umqondisi wami uvula isivalo sebhokisi, futhi sibuka izinhlwathi ezimbili ezisencane. Ukufana kwazo kungenza ngizibuze ukuthi abacwaningi babewahlukanisa kanjani amakhulukhulu ezinhlwathi zasendle ababezihlola phakathi nomkhankaso wabo waseVenezuela.

UMnu. Holmstrom uchaza ukuthi bazama ukuxazulula le nkinga ngokwenza izinsimbi ezincane zokubekisa besebenzisa izinsimbi zokuhlanganisa amaphepha. Babeshisa lezi “zinsimbi” bese bebhala izinombolo ezincane emakhanda ezinhlwathi. Lokhu kwaba yimpumelelo kwaze kwaba yilapho lezi zinyoka zebuza izikhumba zazo—nezinombolo zazo! Nokho, abacwaningi baphawula ukuthi kakade inhlwathi ngayinye inophawu lwayo oluyihlukanisayo. Inyoka ngayinye inamabala amnyama angafani ngaphansi komsila wayo ophuzi—la mabala ahlukile enyokeni ngayinye njengoba nabantu ngabanye benomaka beminwe abangefani. “Okwakudingeka sikwenze kwakuwukudweba umklamo wala mabala atholakala emazengeni esikhumba angu-15 ubude, futhi sasinezinhlobonhlobo ezasisiza ukuba sikwazi ukuhlukanisa izinyoka ezingu-800 esasizihlola.”

Iyiphi Esheshayo, Eyondlekile Noma Enamandla Ukuzedlula Zonke?

Njengoba siphothula ingxoxo ehhovisi likaMnu. Holmstrom, ungibonisa isithombe asithwebula eVenezuela sezinhlwathi ezingamaduna ezithandelene ndawonye. Ziwumbukwane othakazelisayo. Uchaza ukuthi leli findo lezinhlwathi ezithandelene lakha lokho okubizwa ngokuthi ibhola lokuzalisana. (Bheka isithombe ekhasini 26.) “Ndawana-thile kuleli bhola kukhona inhlwathi eyinsikazi. Ngelinye ilanga sathola insikazi ithandelwe amaduna angu-13—isibalo esiyingqopha-mlando.”

Ingabe amaduna ayalwa? Empeleni, kufana nomdlalo wosozinyama owenzeka ngonyawo lonwabu. Eyeduna ngayinye izama ukusunduza ezinye futhi ingene ukuze ikwazi ukukhwela eyensikazi. Lo mzuliswano ungase uthathe isikhathi esingaba amasonto amabili kuya kwamane. Ubani onqobayo? Esheshayo (eyeduna ethola eyensikazi kuqala), eyondlekile (eyeduna ekhiqiza isidoda esiningi), noma enamandla kunazo zonke (eyeduna ezehlula zonke kulo mncintiswano)? Abacwaningi bethemba ukuthi impendulo bazoyithola maduzane.

Lapho sesiqeda ntambama, ngibonga umqondisi wami ngokuvakasha okuthakazelisa kangaka. Njengoba ngibuyela ehhovisi lami, ngizindla ngalokho engikufundile. Yiqiniso, angivumelani nesazi sezinto eziphilayo uJesús Rivas, esathi “izinhlwathi ziyajabulisa,” kodwa ngiyavuma ukuthi ngokuqinisekile izinhlwathi zingithathile. Njengoba abacwaningi beqhubeka belandelela izinhlwathi endle, kuyothakazelisa ukwazi ukuthi lezi zinyoka ezinkulu ziyosembulela yini ezinye zezimfihlo zazo ezithakazelisayo.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 24]

Ukucwaninga ngezinhlwathi endle eVenezuela

[Isithombe ekhasini 25]

UWilliam Holmstrom

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

Ibhola lokuzalanisa lezinhlwathi