“Umshini Ondizayo Ophambili Kunayo Yonke Emhlabeni”
INYONI i-albatross kuthiwa “iwumshini ondizayo ophambili kunayo yonke eMhlabeni,” futhi lokhu kushiwo kufanele. Njengoba amaphiko ayo engamamitha amathathu ububanzi, le nyoni yasolwandle enkulu kunazo zonke ingafinyelela isivinini esingaphezu kwamakhilomitha angu-115 ngehora. Le nyoni ingase ibonakale ingahlelekile lapho ihamba phansi, kodwa kuyamangalisa ukuyibona indiza esibhakabhakeni.
Ezinhlotsheni ezingaba ngu-20 zama-albatross, ezingaba ngu-15 zingatholakala olwandle oluzungeze iNew Zealand. Okuwukuphela kwendawo ezizalela kuyo eNingizimu Yenkabazwe kuseTaiaroa Head, emaphethelweni eNhlonhlo yase-Otago, esiQhingi SaseNingizimu yeNew Zealand.
I-northern royal albatross iqala ukuzalela lapho isineminyaka eyisithupha kuya kweyishumi. Lokhu kuqhubeka njalo ukuphila kwayo konke, okungaba isikhathi eside kakhulu. Ezinye zalezi zinyoni kuthiwa ziphila zize zibe neminyaka engaphezu kwengu-50! I-albatross izalela iqanda elilodwa njalo ngemva kweminyaka emibili, ngalo omunye unyaka ibe solwandle. Ngokuvamile, lezi zinyoni ziphila njengemibhangqwana konke ukuphila kwazo.
Zombili eyensikazi neyeduna ziyasizana ekwakheni isidleke, okuwumsebenzi oqala ngo-September. Kube sekuthi ngo-November, insikazi izalele iqanda elingaba ngamagremu angu-500. Izinsuku ezingaba ngu-80, abazali bayashintshana ekufukameleni iqanda lize lichanyuselwe ekuqaleni kuka-February. Ngemva kwalokho, abazali bayashintshana ngokubheka nokondla iphuphu, elidla ukudla okunjengezinhlanzi nama-squid, elikufunzwa abazali. Lapho selinezinyanga eziyisithupha, iphuphu lingaba nesisindo esingaba amakhilogremu angu-12—okuyisisindo esikhulu kunese-albatross esindala!
Cishe ngemva konyaka, abazali bayahamba eTaiaroa Head bayochitha unyaka wonke olwandle ngaphambi kokuba babuye bazozalela futhi. Phakathi naleso sikhathi, iphuphu labo elisuke selinciphile futhi linezimpaphe eziphelele lisuke selikwazi ukuvula amaphiko lindize, ngemva komzamo omkhulu. Liya kuphi? Olwandle, lapho ama-albatross asemancane ehlala khona iminyaka embalwa elandelayo. Uma esekhulakhulile, abuyela eTaiaroa Head. Lapho, njengoba amadala ematasa nokwakha izidleke nokuzalela, amaphuphu achitha isikhathi ezilungisa, edlala futhi ebukisa nangamakhono awo okundiza.
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 25]
UKUVAKASHA ESIKHUNGWENI SAMA-ALBATROSS
Kusukela ebuntwaneni, ngangizithanda izindaba eziphathelene nama-albatross, ngakho ngangimagange ukuvakashela esikhungweni sawo. Kwakunomoya ngalolo suku, futhi njengoba mina nomngane wami sasisondela, sabheka esibhakabhakeni ukuze siwabuke endiza. Nangempela sawabona. Lapho seziseduze, zasimangaza lezi zinyoni ezindiza ngobuchwepheshe obukhulu!
Uma sifika safica ezinye izivakashi ezaziholwa umqondisi othile ezazizobona le ndawo, okwathatha ihora lonke. Kusetshenziswa imifanekiso, izithombe nama-video, safunda ukuthi i-northern royal albatross ingahlala olwandle konke ukuphila kwayo—ize ilale ngisho nasemanzini! Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi isemanzini noma emoyeni, le nyoni iyamangalisa ngempela, kodwa ingesinye sezizathu zokudumisa lowo ‘owadala zonke izinto,’ uJehova uNkulunkulu!—IsAmbulo 4:11.
[Isithombe ekhasini 24]
Abazali bayashintshana ngokubheka nokondla iphuphu, elinesisindo esingaba amakhilogremu angu-12 lapho selinezinyanga eziyisithupha ubudala
[Isithombe ekhasini 24, 25]
ITaiaroa Head, ikhaya le-“northern royal albatross”
[Isithombe ekhasini 24]
I-“northern royal albatross” ingahlala olwandle ukuphila kwayo konke—ize ilale ngisho nasemanzini
[Imithombo Yesithombe ekhasini 23]
Top: © David Wall/Alamy; bottom: © Kim Westerskov/Alamy
[Imithombo Yesithombe ekhasini 25]
Background: © davidwallphoto.com; page 24, top: Tui De Roy/Roving Tortoise Photos; page 24, bottom: Courtesy Diarmuid Toman; page 25, albatross in flight: © Naturfoto-Online/Wolfgang Bittmann