UMary Allen
Izikhova luhlobo lweentaka ezifumaneka kwihlabathi liphela ngaphandle kwe-Antarctica. Kukho iintlobo ezingaphezu kwama-200. Abasondele kubo ziintaka ezidla inyama. I-owl yayisele ithathwa njengophawu lobulumko ngamaGrike amandulo.
Izikhova zibonwa ngcono ngeentloko zazo ezingqukuva kunye nemizimba yazo. Ijongeka ibanzi kwaye inkulu, kodwa oko kungenxa yeentsiba kuphela. Iintsiba ezisemaphikweni azo zithambile kakhulu kwaye zilungelelaniswe emphethweni njengekama. Ngoko akukho ngxolo ingxolayo xa emangalisa ixhoba lawo ebumnyameni. Olona didi lwezikhova lukhulu sisikhova sokhozi, esinokukhula sibe ngaphezulu kwe 70 centimeters.
Izikhova kunzima ukuzibona kuba azibhabhi emini kodwa zizimela emithini, kwizakhiwo nasemaweni. Zikwagqunywe kakuhle njengoko iintsiba zazo zimdaka ngebala. Ezinye zikhaphukhaphu kancinci, ezinye zimnyama. Ngenxa yoko, azibonakali kakuhle kwimingxuma yazo yemithi nakumasebe.
Ziphila njani izikhova?
Izikhova zikwazi ukuzingela kwaye uninzi lweentlobo zezikhova zithanda ukutya iimpuku. Kodwa zikwasoloko zizingela ezinye izilwanyana ezincinci ezanyisayo neentaka. Ezinye izikhova zikwatya iintlanzi, iinyoka, iinkumba namasele. Ooqongqothwane kunye nezinye izinambuzane ezininzi ziyinxalenye yokutya kwazo. Izikhova zidla ngokuginya ixhoba lazo liphelele. Emva kokwetyisa, bawakhupha amathambo noboya. Ezi bhola zibizwa ngokuba yiwulu. Ngokusuka koku, ingcaphephe iyayibona into etyelwe sisikhova.
Izikhova zilala emini kwaye ngorhatya, ziqala ukukhangela amaxhoba azo. Izikhova ziva kakuhle kakhulu kwaye zinamehlo amakhulu, ajongileyo, ajonge phambili. Bayakwazi nokubona kakuhle ebumnyameni. Ungayijika intloko yakho yonke indlela umva ngaphandle kweengxaki.
Zizala njani izikhova?
Entlakohlaza, inkunzi isebenzisa iminxeba yayo ukutsala imazi ukuba idibane nayo. Izikhova azizakheli iindlwane zazo, kodwa zibeka amaqanda ematyeni okanye emingxunyeni yemithi, kwiindlwane zeentaka ezishiyiweyo, emhlabeni, nakwizakhiwo, kuxhomekeke kwiintlobo.
Isikhova sibeka amaqanda amaninzi, sihlala sishiyana ngeentsuku ezimbalwa. Inani lixhomekeke kwiintlobo kunye nokunikezelwa kokutya. I-barn owl inokuzala kabini ngonyaka ukuba kukho iimpuku ezaneleyo zokutya. Ixesha lokufukamela limalunga nenyanga. Ngeli xesha, inkunzi inika imazi yayo ukutya.
Izikhova ezincinci zineminyaka eyahlukeneyo ngokuxhomekeke kwixesha leqanda lazo. Yiyo loo nto zinobukhulu obahlukeneyo. Amaxesha amaninzi kuphela abasele bebadala. Ngapha koko, usapho lwesikhova oluncinci olunabantwana abathathu lufuna malunga nama-25 eempuku ngobusuku ngabunye. Abasoloko bephumelela ukubasukela.
Amantshontsho amadala aqanduselayo ayishiya indlwane aze akhwele emasebeni ngaphambi kokuba afunde ukubhabha. Ngokukhawuleza xa bekwazi, abazali babo babafundisa ukuzingela. Ekwindla izilwanyana ezincinci zishiya abazali bazo kwaye zikhangele intsebenziswano yazo ekupheleni kobusika.
Ngubani obeka esichengeni izikhova?
Entlakohlaza, inkunzi isebenzisa iminxeba yayo ukutsala imazi ukuba idibane nayo. Izikhova azizakheli iindlwane zazo, kodwa zibeka amaqanda ematyeni okanye emingxunyeni yemithi, kwiindlwane zeentaka ezishiyiweyo, emhlabeni, nakwizakhiwo, kuxhomekeke kwiintlobo.
Isikhova sibeka amaqanda amaninzi, sihlala sishiyana ngeentsuku ezimbalwa. Inani lixhomekeke kwiintlobo kunye nokunikezelwa kokutya. I-barn owl inokuzala kabini ngonyaka ukuba kukho iimpuku ezaneleyo zokutya. Ixesha lokufukamela limalunga nenyanga. Ngeli xesha, inkunzi inika imazi yayo ukutya.
Izikhova ezincinci zineminyaka eyahlukeneyo ngokuxhomekeke kwixesha leqanda lazo. Yiyo loo nto zinobukhulu obahlukeneyo. Amaxesha amaninzi kuphela abasele bebadala. Ngapha koko, usapho lwesikhova oluncinci olunabantwana abathathu lufuna malunga nama-25 eempuku ngobusuku ngabunye. Abasoloko bephumelela ukubasukela.
Amantshontsho amadala aqanduselayo ayishiya indlwane aze akhwele emasebeni ngaphambi kokuba afunde ukubhabha. Ngokukhawuleza xa bekwazi, abazali babo babafundisa ukuzingela. Ekwindla izilwanyana ezincinci zishiya abazali bazo kwaye zikhangele intsebenziswano yazo ekupheleni kobusika.
Ngubani obeka esichengeni izikhova?
Izikhova ezinkulu azinawo amarhamncwa endalo. Izikhova ezincinci zizingelwa zezinye izikhova, kodwa nangamaxhalanga kunye nokhetshe, kodwa nazikati. I-Martens ayifuni nje ukutya izikhova ezincinci, kodwa kunye namaqanda kunye nezilwanyana ezincinci ezivela kwiindlwane.
Kumazwe ethu, zonke izikhova zomthonyama zikhuselekile. Ngoko abantu abavumelekanga ukuba bazingele okanye babenzakalise. Sekunjalo, izikhova ezininzi ziyafa ngenxa yokuntlitheka kweemoto noololiwe, okanye ngenxa yombane kwiintambo zombane. Ngoko ke, endle, ezi ntaka ziphila malunga neminyaka emihlanu kuphela, ngoxa kumyezo wezilwanyana zinokuphila iminyaka engama-20. Noko ke, zisesichengeni kakhulu ngenxa yokuba iindawo zazo zokuhlala zendalo ziya zinyamalala ngakumbi nangakumbi.