Izintaba Ziyasongelwa

“Wonke umuntu unendima ekuqi-nisekiseni ukuthi izintaba zomhlaba ziyoqhubeka zisi-pha umcebo wazo ezizukulwaneni eziningi ezizayo.”—UKOFI ANNAN, UNOBHALA-JIKELELE WEZIZWE EZIHLANGENE.

LAPHO ucabanga ngezintaba, ucabanga ngezizemazema zamadwala asabekayo. Yini ebingasongela lezi zizemazema zemvelo? Abanye bangase bakuthole kunzima ukukholelwa ukuthi izintaba emhlabeni wonke zisengozini. Nokho, iqiniso liwukuthi izintaba zethu ziyasongelwa. Abalondolozi bemvelo babala izinkinga eziningana eziwohloza imvelo nezinto eziphila ezintabeni. Zonke lezi zinkinga zimbi, futhi ziyabhebhetheka. Cabangela ezinye zezinkinga ezisongela izintaba.

◼ IMISEBENZI YOKUTHUTHUKISA INDAWO. Cishe amaphesenti angu-25 ezintaba emhlabeni ayasongelwa ngenxa yokwakhiwa kwemigwaqo, ukuvulwa kwezimayini, amapayipi kawoyela, amadamu neminye imisebenzi yokwakha ehlelelwa iminyaka engu-30 ezayo. Ukwakhiwa kwemigwaqo ezindaweni eziyimithambeka kungagugula inhlabathi, futhi le migwaqo ivula ithuba lokuba abagawuli bemithi bafinyelele emahlathini, okungase kubangele umonakalo owengeziwe. Ezimayini kumbiwa amathani angaba yizigidi eziyishumi etshe-nsimbi unyaka nonyaka, ikakhulukazi ezintabeni, futhi lokhu kudala ukungcola okukhulu kakhulu.a

◼ UKUFUDUMALA KWEMBULUNGA. “Ngokwemibiko elotshiwe, iminyaka engu-9 eshisa kakhulu yaqala kusukela ngo-1990,” kusho i-Worldwatch Institute. Futhi izindawo ezisezintabeni zithinteka kakhulu. Izinguzunga zeqhwa bezilokhu zincibilika, futhi iqhwa eliseziqongweni zezintaba liyancipha—okuyinqubo ososayensi abathile abathi iyophazamisa imithombo yamanzi ibangele nezikhukhula ezinkulu. Amachibi amaningi anezinguzunga zeqhwa ezintabeni zaseHimalaya asengcupheni yokudla izindwani abangele izikhukhula eziyinhlekelele, isimo esesenzeke kaningana kula mashumi eminyaka adlule.

◼ UKUFUYA NOKULIMA OKUNGANGENISI NZUZO. Ukwanda okusheshayo kwenani labantu kuphoqelela abantu ukuba balime ezindaweni ezingakhiqizi. Ucwaningo oluthile lubonisa ukuthi cishe ingxenye yezindawo ezinezintaba e-Afrika isisetshenziselwa ukulima noma ukufuya—engamaphesenti ayishumi isetshenziselwa ukulima kanti engamaphesenti angu-34 yenziwe amadlelo emfuyo. Ngokuvamile lokhu kungenisa inzuzo encane, ngoba lezi zintaba aziyona indawo enhle okungakhula kuyo izilimo.b Futhi ukuklaba kwezinkomo ngokweqile kuqothula uhlaza oluntekenteke. Ucwaningo lwamuva nje lubonisa ukuthi amaphesenti amathathu kuphela azo zonke izindawo ezisezintabeni ezilungele ukulinywa.

◼ IMPI. Ukwanda kwezimpi zombango kuye kwacekela phansi izindawo eziningi ezisezintabeni. Amavukela-mbuso asebenzisa iziphephelo ezisezintabeni njengezikaniso zawo. Umbiko weZizwe Ezihlangene ulinganisela ukuthi amaphesenti angu-67 ezindawo ezinezintaba e-Afrika aye onakaliswa “izimpi zabantu ezinobudlova.” Ngaphezu kwalokho, ezinye izindawo ezisezintabeni ziye zaba izikhungo zokukhiqizwa kwezidakamizwa, okuvame ukuholela ezimpini zezikhali nokucekelwa phansi kwemvelo.

Ingabe Kufanele Kuthathwe Ezinye Izinyathelo?

Imiphumela yokonakalisa komuntu izintaba isiyabonakala kakade. Izikhukhula, ukuguguleka kwenhlabathi kanye nokuntuleka kwamanzi kungezinye nje zezimpawu zokuthi kukhona okushaya amanzi. Ohulumeni sebeqalile ukukuqaphela lokhu. Kutshalwa kabusha amahlathi, futhi ukugawulwa kwemithi sekwenqatshelwe ezindaweni ezithile. Kuye kwavulwa izindawo zokulondoloza imvelo ukuze kulondolozwe ubuhle bendalo nezindawo zokuhlala izilwane ezisengozini yokuqothulwa ngokuphelele.

Nokho, ngisho nezindawo ezivikelwe zisengozini. (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “Ezinye Zezizinda Zemvelo.”) Izinga elishaqisayo lokuqothulwa kwezinhlobo zezinto eziphilayo liwuphawu lokuthi luselude ukhalo uma kuziwa ekuvikeleni izizinda zemvelo. Ochwepheshe bayazazi lezi zinkinga, kodwa azikathathwa izinyathelo ezinqala zokuvikela izindawo ezingakoniwa. Isazi sezinto eziphilayo esidumile u-E. O. Wilson sithi: “Luyangikhuthaza kakhulu ulwazi lwesayensi esinalo, kodwa kuyangidumaza ukucekelwa phansi kwemithombo eyinhloko yezindawo ezinokuphila okunhlobonhlobo.”

Ingabe ukuphela kwezinto eziphilayo ezinhlobonhlobo kubaluleke kangako? Izazi eziningi zezinto eziphilayo zithi isintu sizuza kakhulu ngokulondolozwa kwezinto ezinhlobonhlobo emhlabeni. Ngokwesibonelo, zikhomba imbali ebomvana i-periwinkle esezintabeni zaseMadagascar, indawo enothe ngezinto ezinhlobonhlobo eziphilayo. Lesi simila siye sakhiqiza umuthi obalulekile wokulwa nomdlavuza wegazi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, sekungamashumi amaningi eminyaka umjele, otholakala eziNtabeni zase-Andes, uwumthombo we-quinine neminye imithi yokwelapha umalaleveva. Ezinye izimila eziningi ezikhula ezintabeni ziye zasiza ekulondolozeni ukuphila kwezigidi. Kuyiqiniso ukuthi ezinye zalezi zimila zasentabeni zikhula kahle ezindaweni ezingezona izintaba. Kodwa okukhathazayo ukuthi njengoba izimila zasentabeni zicekelwa phansi kakhulu kangaka, bengahlosile, abantu bangase balahlekelwe imithombo abangakayazi engase ibe usizo kwezokwelapha nasekondleni abantu.

Ingabe lezi zinto ezicekela phansi zinganqandwa ngandlela-thile? Ingabe ungalungiswa umonakalo? Ingabe izintaba ziyoqhubeka ziyisizinda sobuhle nokuphila okunhlobonhlobo?

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

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Izilwane Zasezintabeni

Ibhubesi lasentabeni, elaziwa nangokuthi i-puma, litholakala ngokuyinhloko ezintabeni, njengoba lizisho nje negama lalo—ikakhulukazi ezintabeni zaseRocky nase-Andes. Njengezilwane eziningi ezinkulu ezizingelayo, kancane kancane selibalekele ezindaweni okunzima ukufinyelela kuzo ngenxa yosongo lomuntu.

I-panda ebomvu ihlala kuphela okhahlamba lwezintaba zaseHimalaya (ngisho nasemithambekeni yeNtaba i-Everest). Kodwa, yize ihlala emajukujukwini, i-panda ebomvu isengozini ngenxa yokucekelwa phansi kwamahlathi oqalo awukudla kwayo.

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Cortesía del Zoo de la Casa de Campo, Madrid

Ibhere elinsundu lake latholakala engxenyeni enkulu yeYurophu, e-Asia naseNyakatho Melika. EYurophu selitholakala ezindaweni ezimbalwa eziqhelile kuphela, yize landile eziNtabeni zaseRocky eCanada, e-Alaska naseSiberia. Inani lalo e-United States liye lehla ngamaphesenti angu-99 phakathi nale minyaka eyikhulu edlule.

Ukhozi i-golden eagle luyinkosi ezintabeni engxenyeni enkulu yeNyakatho Nenkabazwe. Ngeshwa, eYurophu amanani alo aye ancipha aze aba ngaphansi kwamabhangqa angu-5 000 ngenxa yokuthi ngaphambili lwalwaziwa ‘njengenyoni ezondwayo.’

I-panda enkulu “ixhomeke ezintweni ezintathu ezibalulekile ukuze iqhubeke iphila,” kusho isazi semvelo saseChina uTang Xiyang. Yilezi ezilandelayo, “izintaba eziphakeme nezigodi ezijulile, izinindolo zamahlathi oqalo nemifula egelezayo.” Izibalo ezithile zibonisa ukuthi kunama-panda angaphansi kuka-1 600 asaphila endle.

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Ezinye Zezizinda Zemvelo

IYosemite National Park (eCalifornia, e-U.S.A.) yavulwa ngo-1890, ngenxa yemizamo ephikelelayo yesazi semvelo uJohn Muir. Ubuhle bayo obuhlaba umxhwele budonsa izivakashi eziyizigidi ezine minyaka yonke. Nokho, izikhulu zaleli paki zikuthola kunzima ukulinganisela phakathi kokuvikela le ndawo nokwenzela abathandi bemvelo izinto zokuzilibazisa.

IPodocarpus National Park (e-Ecuador) ivikela isifunda sehlathi lemvula lase-Andes elinezinhlobonhlobo eziningi zezilwane nezimila—izinhlobo ezihlukahlukene zezinyoni ezingaphezu kuka-600 nezinhlobo zezimila ezingaba ngu-4 000. I-quinine, umuthi osusindise ukuphila kwabantu abaningi, yatholakala kule ndawo. Njengamapaki amaningi, le ndawo yoniwa ukugawulwa kwemithi ngokungalinganiseli nokuzingela okungekho emthethweni.

INtaba iKilimanjaro (eTanzania) ingenye yezintaba-mlilo ezinkulu kunazo zonke emhlabeni futhi iyintaba ephakeme kunazo zonke e-Afrika. Izindlovu ziklaba emithambekeni engaphansi kwesiqongo, kanti izimila ezingavamile, njenge-giant lobelia ne-giant groundsel, zitholakala phezulu esiqongweni. Ukuzingela okungekho emthethweni, ukugawulwa kwamahlathi nokuklaba kwezinkomo ezifuyiwe yikona okuwusongo olukhulu.

ITeide National Park (eCanary Islands) ivikela izimila ezingavamile ezenza le ndawo ewugwadule eyintaba-mlilo iphile. Iziqhingi ezinezintaba ezidalwe yizintaba-mlilo ngokuvamile zinesimo semvelo esintekenteke, esingonakala kalula ngenxa yezinto ezivela ngaphandle.

Izindawo zokulondoloza imvelo ePyrenees nase-Ordesa (eFrance naseSpain) zivikela izintaba eziwumbukwane kanye nezimila nezilwane ezikhula kuzo. Njengezinye izintaba zokhahlamba zaseYurophu, izintaba zasePyrenees zihlushwa kakhulu ukwanda kwezindawo zokushushuluza eqhweni nezinye izinto ezenzelwe izivakashi. Ukuyekwa kwezindlela zokulima ezivamile nako kuye kwaba nethonya elibi esimweni semvelo.

ISǒraksan National Park iyipaki elithandwa kakhulu eRiphabhuliki yaseKorea. Amagquma ayo egwadle amahle aba umbukwane ngesikhathi sasekwindla. Kodwa ngenxa yokuthandwa kwayo, ngezinye izimpelasonto imizila yokuqombola le ndawo iba matasa njengemigwaqo yasedolobheni.

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Izimila Zasentabeni

I-tower of jewels. Amasonto ambalwa entwasahlobo, le mbali enhle ikhula ilingane nomuntu ngobude. Ingatholakala endaweni engamamitha angu-1 800 ukuphakama eziqongweni zezintaba-mlilo ezimbili kuphela eCanary Islands. Ezinye izinhlobo zayo eziningi ezikhula ezintabeni zitholakala ezindaweni ezimbalwa kakhulu.

Amakhakhasi e-carline akhula ezintabeni zase-Alps nasePyrenees. Umbala wawo ogqamile wenza izimfunda eziseziqongweni ziqhakaze ekupheleni kwehlobo, kanti izimbali zawo ziwukudla kwezinambuzane.

I-English iris. Izinhlobo eziyingxube zale mbali yasendle zitshalwa ezivandeni. Izimbali eziningi ezitshalwa engadini zatholakala ezimileni zasezintabeni.

I-houseleek yasentabeni ingenye yezimila zasentabeni ezikhula emifantwini yamadwala. Iyisimila esidabuka eningizimu yeYurophu, futhi ibizwa nangokuthi i-live-forever ngenxa yokuthi iqinile futhi ihlala isikhathi eside.

Ama-bromeliad. Izinhlobo eziningi zama-bromeliad nama-orchid zichuma kahle emahlathini emvula aseZindaweni Ezishisayo. Zikhula endaweni engamamitha angu-4 500 ukuphakama.

I-Algerian iris ikhula ezintabeni zase-Er Rif nase-Atlas enyakatho ye-Afrika, indawo ebhekwa njengesizinda semvelo sezimila zaseMediterranean.

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Ukumbiwa kwethusi negolide ngaseziNtabeni zaseMaoke, e-Indonesia

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© Rob Huibers/Panos Pictures

[Isithombe ekhasini 24]

Imbali ebomvana i-“periwinkle”