Izilwane Ezingaziwa ZaseVietnam

UDOUGLAS RICHARDSON, umnakekeli wezilwane ezincelisayo e-zoo yaseLondon, washo ngenjabulo wathi: “Yinkathi ejabulisa kakhulu yokutholakala kwezilwane kuleli khulu leminyaka.” Wayebhekisela ekutholakaleni kwezilwane ezithile ezinkulu emahlathini asemajukujukwini eVietnam phakathi nale minyaka eyishumi edlule.

Ngenxa yempi yonya eyathatha amashumi eminyaka, ososayensi babengakwazi ukufinyelela kula mahlathi. Kodwa manje, abacwaningi bezilwane abasebenza lapho baye bathwebula izilwane ngamakhamera. Phakathi kwazo kunobhejane waseVietnam, oyisihlobo sikabhejane waseJava futhi ongesinye sezilwane ezisengcupheni kakhulu emhlabeni.

Esinye sezilwane okungase kuthiwe izilwane zaseVietnam ezingaziwa, yinkabi efana nenyamazane eyaziwa nangokuthi i-Vu Quang ox. Lesi silwane, esatholakala ngo-1992 esiqiwini saseVu Quang, sinesisindo esingamakhilogremu angaba ngu-110 futhi siyimitha ukuphakama kusuka phansi kuya emahlombe. Kungenzeka sihlobene nenkabi, inyamazane, noma imbuzi. Kuso lesi siqiwu, kwatholakala nezinyamazane ezintathu—i-giant muntjac ngo-1993, i-Truong Son muntjac ngo-1997 ne-leaf muntjac ngo-1998.

Ngo-1996, ososayensi baseThafeni laseTainguen eVietnam bathola isilwane esincane esidla inyama esihamba ebusuku, i-civet yaseTainguen. Inesisindo esiphakathi kwamakhilogremu amathathu nangu-7,5 futhi ihlala ehlathini lemvula elinomswakama.

Iphephandaba laseLondon, i-Independent, libika ukuthi uRichardson wachaza ukuthi njalo kutholakala izilwane ezincane—mhlawumbe izinhlobo zamaxoxo ezingaba ngu-20 phakathi nenkathi engangonyaka—kodwa ukutholakala kwalezi zilwane ezinkulu bekungalindelekile neze.

[Izithombe ekhasini 31]

I-“civet” yaseTainguen

I-“Vu Quang ox”

I-“Truong Son muntjac”

Ubhejane waseVietnam

[Imithombo]

Forest: © Wildside Photography

Vietnamese rhino: AP Photo/World Wildlife Fund, Mike Baltzer; other three animals: Courtesy EC-SFNC/Acknowledging the European Commission’s support of the photo-trapping program