Isimiso Sezinto Eziphilayo Esiwubuciko
“Izinhlobo zezinto eziphilayo ziwumshuwalense wethu. Ukuphila kwethu nendlela yokukondla kuncike kuzo.”—United Nations Environment Programme.
IZINTO eziphila emhlabeni ziningi futhi zihlukene kakhulu. Inkulumo ethi “izinhlobonhlobo zezinto eziphilayo” isho zonke izinhlobo zezinto eziphilayo emhlabeni, kusukela egciwaneni elincane kunawo wonke kuya esihlahleni esikhulu kunazo zonke; kusukela emisundwini kuya ezinkozini.
Zonke lezi zinhlobo zokuphila emhlabeni ziyingxenye yesimiso esisodwa esikhulu, esinezinto ezincike kwenye nenye ezihlanganisa nezinto ezingaphili. Ukuphila kuxhomeke ezintweni ezingaphili njengomkhathi womhlaba, izilwandle, amanzi, amadwala nenhlabathi. Lo mphakathi wokuphila ubizwa ngokuthi i-biosphere, futhi abantu bayingxenye eyinhloko yawo.
Izinhlobonhlobo zezinto eziphilayo zihlanganisa wonke amagciwane nezinye izilwanyakazana. Eziningi zazo zaziwa ngokwenza imisebenzi yamakhemikhali ebalulekile egcina imvelo isebenza. Izinhlobonhlobo zezinto eziphilayo zihlanganisa nezitshalo eziluhlaza ezikhipha umoya-mpilo ngenqubo ye-photosynthesis, zibambe amandla elanga futhi ziwagcine njengoshukela, owumthombo oyinhloko wamandla wezinto eziningi eziphilayo.
Ukushabalala Kwezinhlobonhlobo Zokuphila
Ngokudabukisayo, naphezu kobuhle nokuhlukahluka kwezinhlobo zokuphila, abacwaningi abaningi bathi umuntu uziqothula ngezinga elithusayo. Ngaziphi izindlela?
◼ Ukubhubhisa indawo yokuhlala. Lokhu kuyimbangela ehamba phambili yokuqothulwa kwemvelo. Kuhlanganisa ukugawulwa kwemithi, izimayini, ukugawulwa kwezihlahla ukuze kuvulwe amadlelo ezinkomo, nokwakha amadamu nemigwaqo emikhulu lapho kwakuwugwadule khona. Njengoba indawo yemvelo incipha, izinto eziphilayo zilahlekelwa ezikudingayo ukuze ziphile. Izindawo zemvelo zenziwa iziqeshana, ziyabhujiswa futhi ziyaqedwa. Izindlela zokufuduka ziyaphazanyiswa. Izinhlobonhlobo zezakhi zofuzo ziyaphela. Izinto eziphilayo zasendaweni azikwazi ukululama ezifweni nakwezinye izinkinga. Ngakho ziyafa kancane kancane.
Ukuqothulwa kwezinto ezithile eziphilayo kungase kubangele ngisho nokuqothulwa kwezinye ngokulandelana kwazo, ngoba uma kuqedwa ingxenye eyodwa yesimiso sezinto eziphilayo, ezinye ziyathinteka. Ukuqothulwa kwezinhlobo okwethenjelwe kuzo—njengabathuthi bempova—kungathinta inqwaba yezinye izinhlobo.
◼ Izinhlobo ezifikayo endaweni. Uma abantu beletha izinhlobo zakwenye indawo esimisweni sezinto eziphilayo sasendaweni ethile, lezo zinhlobo zingase zithathe izindawo ezinye ebeziphila kuzo. Lezi zinhlobo ezifikayo zingase zisishintshe ngesinyenyela isimiso sezinto eziphilayo nendawo yazo ngokwanele ukuba sikhiphe izinhlobo zendawo, noma zingase zifike nesifo ezingakwazi ukumelana naso lezi zendawo. Ikakhulukazi eziqhingini, lapho sekuyisikhathi eside kunezinto eziziphilela zodwa futhi zingakaze zihlangane nezintsha, lezo zendawo zingase zingakwazi ukuvumelana nezimo futhi zisinde.
Isibonelo esingokoqobo ulele “olungumbulali,” i-Caulerpa taxifolia, olubhubhisa ezinye izinto zasolwandle oLwandle LwaseMediterranean. Njengoba lwafika ngengozi ogwini lwaseMonaco, manje seluqale ukusabalala phansi olwandle. Lunobuthi, futhi azikho izinto ezaziwayo eziludlayo. U-Alexandre Meinesz, uprofesa wesayensi yezinto zasolwandle e-University of Nice, eFrance, uthi: “Singase sibone ukuqala kwenhlekelele yemvelo.”
◼ Ukusetshenziswa ngokweqile. Lokhu kuye kwaholela ekuqothulweni kwezinhlobo eziningana zokuphila. Isibonelo salokhu ijuba i-passenger. Ekuqaleni kwekhulu le-19, laliyinyoni eyande kakhulu eNyakatho Melika. Lapho lifuduka—ngemihlambi eyizinkulungwane zesigidi noma ngaphezulu—kwakuphela izinsuku kumnyama isibhakabhaka. Kodwa, ngasekupheleni kwekhulu le-19, lase lizingelwe laze laba sonqenqemeni lokuqothulwa, futhi ngo-September 1914, e-zoo yaseCincinnati, kwafa ijuba lokugcina elalisasele. Ngokufanayo, inyathi yaseMelika, eGreat Plains yazingelwa yacishe yaphela nyá.
◼ Ukwanda kwenani labantu. Umkhaya wesintu wawunenani labantu abayizigidi eziyinkulungwane phakathi nekhulu le-19. Ekhulwini leminyaka nesigamu kamuva njengoba selande ngezigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezinhlanu, abantu sebeqala ukuzibuza ukuthi abekho yini engozini yokudlula izinto abanazo. Unyaka ngamunye, njengoba inani labantu liqhubeka landa, izinhlobo zezinto eziphilayo ziqothulwa ngezinga elethusayo.
◼ Usongo lokufudumala kwembulunga yonke. Ngokwe-Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, kungenzeka ukuba amazinga okushisa enyuke ngo-3,5° C. kuleli khulu leminyaka. Lokhu kungase kube ukwenyuka okukhulu ukuba ezinye izinto eziphilayo zingamelana nakho. Abacwaningi bathi kubonakala sengathi isici esinengxenye ekufeni kwezixhobo zama-coral (ayizinsika zezinto eziningi eziphila olwandle) ukufudumala kwamanzi.
Ososayensi bathi ukwenyuka ngemitha kwamanzi asolwandle kungaqothula ingxenye enkulu yamaxhaphozi asogwini, lapho kuhlala khona inqwaba yezinhlobonhlobo zezinto eziphilayo. Abanye bakholelwa ukuthi ukufudumala kwembulunga yonke kungenzeka kuthinta izinguzunga zeqhwa zaseGreenland nase-Antarctica. Uma bezingancibilika, bekungalandela inhlekelele yendawo ezungezile.
Ukuqothulwa Okukhulu
Izinhlobo zezinto eziphilayo ziqothulwa ngokushesha okungakanani? Izimpendulo zalowo mbuzo azinembile neze. Okuningi kwalokhu okuqothulwayo kuseyimfihlakalo kososayensi. Okokuqala kufanele bathole ukuthi zingaki izinhlobo zezinto eziphilayo ezikhona. NgokukaJohn Harte, usosayensi wezinto eziphilayo e-University of California, eBerkeley, “cishe kunezinhlobo zezinto eziphilayo eziyisigidi nesigamu ezaziwayo emhlabeni, kodwa siyazi ukuthi kunezinhlobo eziningi ezingaqanjiwe amagama, futhi sezizonke cishe ziphakathi kwezigidi ezinhlanu kuya kwezingu-15.” Abanye bazilinganisela ezigidini ezingu-50 noma ngaphezulu. Usosayensi u-Anthony C. Janetos uthi ukusho inani elithe ngqó cishe akunakwenzeka ngoba “ukuqothulwa okuningi kuyokwenzeka lezo zinhlobo zingakaqanjwa namagama futhi zichazwe.”
Isayensi yanamuhla ayikaziqondi nakancane izinqubo zezinto eziphilayo eziwubuciko ezenza imvelo isebenze kahle. Uma abantu bengazi ukuthi kunezinhlobo ezingaki zezinto eziphilayo, bangasazi kanjani isimiso esiyinkimbinkimbi sokuphila nokuthi ukuqothulwa kusithinta kanjani? Bangazi kanjani ukuthi ukuqothulwa kwezinto ezithile kungase kusithinte kanjani isimiso esisekela ukuphila kule planethi?
Lapho ososayensi bezama ukuthola izinga lokuqothulwa kwemvelo, izilinganiso zabo, nakuba zihlukahluka, zivame ukuthena amandla. Umbhali othile uthi: “Cishe amaphesenti angu-50 ezitshalo nezilwane zasemhlabeni kungase kube semgqeni wokuqothulwa phakathi neminyaka eyikhulu.” Izibikezelo zikaHarte zimbi nakakhulu: “Izazi zezinto eziphilayo zilinganisela ukuthi ukugawulwa kwamahlathi emvula kuyophumela ekushabalaleni kwesigamu noma ngaphezulu sezinto eziphila emhlabeni manje phakathi neminyaka engu-75 ezayo.”
Ngokwezibalo zikasosayensi uStuart Pimm wase-University of Tennessee, i-National Geographic ithi “amaphesenti angu-11 ezinyoni, noma izinhlobo ezingu-1 100 kwezibalelwa ku-10 000 emhlabeni, asonqenqemeni lokuqothulwa; kuyangabazeka ukuthi eziningi zalezi ezingu-1 100 ziyophila kuze kuphele [ikhulu lama-21].” Wona lo magazini wathi: “Iqembu lezazi zezitshalo ezihlonishwayo muva nje libike ukuthi isitshalo esisodwa kwezingu-8 sisengozini yokuqothulwa. ‘Akuzona nje izitshalo eziseziqhingini noma emahlathini emvula noma izinyoni noma izilwane ezincelisayo ezinkulu ezinhle kuphela,’ kusho uPimm. ‘Yiyo yonke into kuyo yonke indawo. . . . Umqedazwe wezwe lonke wokuqothulwa kwemvelo.’”
Ingabe Siyazidinga Zonke Lezi Zinto Eziphilayo?
Ingabe sikhona isizathu sokukhathazeka ngokushabalala kwezinhlobo zokuphila? Ingabe siyazidinga ngempela lezi zinhlobo ezihlukahlukene zezinto eziphilayo? Ochwepheshe abaningi abahlonishwayo bayaqinisa ngokuthi impendulo inguyebo. Izinhlobo zezinto eziphila emhlabeni zinikeza abantu ukudla, amakhemikhali awusizo neminye imikhiqizo nezinkonzo eziningi. Cabanga futhi ngezinzuzo ezingase zilethwe yizinhlobo ezingakatholakali esintwini. Ngokwesibonelo, kulinganiselwa ukuthi imithi yokwelapha engu-120 kwengu-150 ehamba phambili e-United States ivela ezintweni zemvelo. Ngakho, ngokulahlekelwa izitshalo zomhlaba, isintu silahlekelwa nayithuba lokuthola imithi namakhemikhali amasha. “Njalo lapho silahlekelwa uhlobo oluthile lwesitshalo, silahlekelwa amathuba esingakhetha kuwo esikhathini esizayo,” kusho uSir Ghillean Prance, umqondisi weKew Gardens eLondon. “Silahlekelwa ithuba lokuthola ikhambi lengculaza noma isilimo esimelana namagciwane. Ngakho ngandlela-thile kufanele sikhawule ukulahlekelwa yizitshalo ezithile, hhayi nje ngenxa yeplanethi yethu kuphela kodwa nangenxa . . . yezidingo nemisebenzi yethu.”
Sidinga nezimiso zemvelo ezingaletha izinkonzo eziwusizo okuncike kuzo zonke izinto eziphilayo. Ukukhiqizwa komoya-mpilo, ukuhlanzwa kwamanzi, ukucwengwa kwezinto ezingcolisayo nokuvinjelwa kokuguguleka kwenhlabathi kuyimisebenzi ebalulekile eyenziwa yizimiso zemvelo ezikahle.
Izinambuzane zenza izinkonzo zokuthutha impova. Amaxoxo, izinhlanzi nezinyoni kulawula izinambuzane; izimbaza nezinye izilwane zasemanzini zihlanza amanzi ethu; izitshalo nezilwanyakazana ezincane zivundisa inhlabathi yethu. Zonke lezi zinkonzo zibaluleke kakhulu kwezomnotho. Isilinganiso sezinzuzo zemali etholakala ngezinhlobonhlobo zezinto eziphilayo emhlabeni wonke siyizigidi eziyizigidi ezingu-24 zamaRandi ngonyaka, ngokwamanani ango-1995.
Nokho, naphezu kokuthembela kwethu ezinhlotsheni ezihlukahlukene zokuphila, umhlaba ubonakala ubhekene nenhlekelele yokuqothulwa kwemvelo eye yasongela isimiso sezinto eziphilayo esiwubuciko. Manje ngesikhathi sesiqala ukuqonda indima ebalulekile efezwa izinhlobonhlobo zezinto eziphilayo, abantu baziqothula ukudlula noma yinini ngaphambili! Kodwa, ingabe umuntu usesimweni sokuxazulula le nkinga? Ikusasa liziphatheleni izinhlobo zezinto eziphilayo ezisemhlabeni?
[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 6]
Kunenzuzo Engakanani Ukuphila?
Zonke izingxoxo mayelana nokubaluleka kwezinhlobonhlobo zezinto eziphilayo zingase zibonakale zibonisa ukuthi kufanele sibe nendaba nezinye izinhlobo zokuphila uma nje zanelisa izidingo zethu kuphela. Abanye banomuzwa wokuthi ukucabanga okunjalo kuyantula. Isazi somlando wemivubukulo (paleontology) uNiles Eldredge sibonisa indlela ukuphila okubaluleke ngayo: “Thina bantu siyakwazisa nokuphila okusizungezile—izinhlobo ezinhle, ezikhangayo, izindawo zasendle ezinhle nezingakonakaliswa—ngenxa yokubaluleka kwako. Okuthile okungaphakathi kithi kuyaqaphela ukuthi sixhumene nale mvelo nokuthi sithola ukuthula nenjabulo ngokuba kuyo noma nini.”
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I-Red List
I-“Red List” inyatheliswa yi-International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, inhlangano ehlola isimo sezinhlobo zokuphila ezisengozini. Ezimbalwa zezinhlobo ezisengozini ezahlanganiswa kuyi-“Red List” yonyaka ka-2000 ziboniswe kuleli khasi:
I-wandering albatross (Diomedea exulans)
Lena enye yezinhlobo ezingu-16 zama-albatross achazwa ngokuthi asongelwa embulungeni yonke. Kuthiwa amaningi aminza ngemva kokuba ebambeke ngengozi emahhukwini acushiwe ezikebheni zokudoba.
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Photo by Tony Palliser
Inkawu i-red-shanked douc (Pygathrix nemaeus)
Le nkawu enhle yase-Asia enomsila omude itholakala eningizimu ephakathi yeVietnam nasezingxenyeni zeLaos. Isongelwa ukucekelwa phansi kwendawo nokuzingelwa. Izingelelwa ukudla nezingxenye zomzimba wayo, ezisetshenziswa njengezithako zemithi yomdabu.
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Monkey on pages 7 and 32: Photo by Bill Konstant
Umnenke waseCorsica (Helix ceratina)
Indawo yalo mnenke osengozini ingamahektare angu-7 kuphela emaphethelweni e-Ajaccio, ogwini oluseningizimu-ntshonalanga yeCorsica. Ungase ube sengozini ngenxa yentuthuko ehlanganisa ukwakhiwa kwesikhumulo sezindiza nemigwaqo eya ebhishi.
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Photo by G. Falkner
I-golden pagoda (Mimetes chrysanthus)
Le mbali enhle yatholakala ngo-1987 eNtshonalanga Kapa, eNingizimu Afrika. Imililo yequbula nezinhlobo ezisabalalayo zezitshalo ezihlasela endaweni ye-golden pagoda kubangela usongo oluqhubekayo kulesi sitshalo.
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Photo by Craig Hilton-Taylor
I-sawfish yasemanzini agelezayo (Pristis microdon)
Le nhlanzi esengozini itholakala olwandle i-Indian naseNtshonalanga Pacific, kanye nasemathekwini, ezizalweni zemifula nasemifuleni eyakhelene nalezi zilwandle. Ngenxa yokudotshwa ngokweqile iye yancipha kakhulu. Isongelwa nawukuphela nokucekelwa phansi kwendawo yayo yokuhlala.
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Photo courtesy of Sun International Resorts, Inc.
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Ukubulala Izilwane Zasolwandle Eziningi
Umcebo wezilwandle, okwake kwacatshangwa ukuthi awupheli, kuye kwatholakala ukuthi uyaphela. Isazi somlando wemivubukulo (paleontology) uNiles Eldredge, lapho sibhala kumagazini i-Natural History, sachaza izinga lokusetshenziswa ngokweqile kwezilwandle: “Ezobuchwepheshe zanamuhla ziye zenza ukudoba olwandle kwaphumelela kangangokuba izindawo ezinkulu zaphansi olwandle ziphundlwa ngendlela efanayo amahlathi agawulwa ngayo kungasali lutho. Kodwa, bona lobu buchwepheshe busaphaza ngendlela emangalisayo; izimfudu zasolwandle nezimvu zamanzi, kanye nezinhlobo eziningi zezinhlanzi ezingadayiseki nezilwane ezingenamgogodla, zifa njalo uma kudonswa inetha noma kudlula isikebhe sokudoba.”
Uphawula ngalokho owakubiza ngokuthi “ukusaphazwa kwezimfanzi,” umagazini i-National Geographic wachaza ukuthi “eGulf Coast, [ngasogwini lweTexas, e-U.S.A.] cishe amakhilogremu ayisithupha ezilwane zasolwandle—eziningi zazo okuyizinhlanzi ezincane—zingase zibulawe ukuze nje kutholakale isigamu sekhilogremu lezimfanzi.” Lezi zinhlanzi nezimbaza ezingafunwa kuthiwa zibanjwe ngephutha. Isazi sezinto eziphilayo esisebenzela uhulumeni sakhononda: “Isilinganiso sezinto ezibanjwa ngephutha zine kweyodwa.” Yingakho nje izilwandle zethu ziye zaba yizinkundla zokubulala izinhlobo eziningi zezilwane ezisengozini!
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Ukuphila Okucashe Emahlathini
Amahlathi eplanethi yethu agcwele izinto eziphilayo, kuhlanganise nezinhlobo umuntu angakazitholi. Isazi sezinto eziphilayo nendawo yazo ezungezile uJohn Harte saphawula: “Amahlathi emvula ahlanganisa indawo engaphansi kwamaphesenti amabili eplanethi kodwa awukuphela kwendawo ehlala okungenani amaphesenti angu-50 mhlawumbe kuya kwangu-90 ezinhlobo zezinto eziphilayo emhlabeni. Isilinganiso esiphakeme sisekelwe embonweni wokuthi inani elikhulu lezinhlobo ezisazotholakala kuyoba semahlathini emvula ngenxa yokuthi ukuhlola izinto eziphilayo kulezi zindawo kwenziwa eziqeshaneni zezindawo. Nokho, ezinye izindawo azihlolwa ngokwanele futhi ngokungangabazeki zinenqwaba yezinto isayensi engazazi namuhla. Phakathi kwalezi kunenhlabathi yamahlathi athokomele, njengamahlathi anomswakama aseNyakatho-ntshonalanga yePacific e-United States.”
Ubani ongasho ukuthi yiziphi izimanga ezilindele umuntu uma engake athole ithuba lokuhlola ukuphila okucashe emahlathini?
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Ijuba i-“passenger,” eselashabalala
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U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Wash- ington, D.C./Luther C. Goldman