UMary Allen
I-puffin yeyosapho lweentaka ezintywilayo zaselwandle. Ukwabizwa ngokuba nguPuffin. Ihlala kuphela kumantla ehemisphere kumazwe afana neGreenland, iIceland, iSkotlani, iNorway, neCanada. Ngenxa yokuba zininzi ii-puffins e-Iceland, uyi-mascot yase-Iceland. EJamani, ungayifumana kwisiqithi saseNorth Sea saseHeligoland.
Iipuffin zinemizimba eyomeleleyo, iintamo ezimfutshane kunye neentloko ezityebileyo. Umlomo unonxantathu ngokwemilo xa ujongwe ecaleni. Intamo, umphezulu wentloko, umva, kunye nomphezulu wamaphiko zimnyama. Isifuba kunye nesisu zimhlophe. Imilenze yayo i-orenji-bomvu. Izilwanyana ezindala zi-25 ukuya kwi-30 centimeters ubude kwaye zinobunzima obufikelela kwi-500 grams. Imalunga nobunzima njengepizza. Ngenxa yenkangeleko yayo, ikwabizwa ngokuba yi "Clown of Air" okanye "i-Sea Parrot".
Iphila njani i-puffin?
Iipuffin zihlala kumathanga. Oku kuthetha ukuba bahlala kumaqela amakhulu aquka izilwanyana ezifikelela kwizigidi ezibini. Ziintaka ezifudukayo ezibhabhela emazantsi ashushu ebusika.
Ukukhangela iqabane kuqala kulwandle oluvulekileyo, apho bachitha ixesha elininzi lobomi babo. Emva kokuba zifumene iqabane, zibhabhela elunxwemeni zikhangela umngxuma wokuzalela emaweni. Ukuba akukho mngxuma wokuzala wasimahla, zizimbela umngxuma kunxweme olunamatye.
Xa indlwane igqityiwe, imazi ibeka iqanda. Abazali bayayikhusela kwiingozi ezininzi kuba iipuffin zizalela iqanda elinye kuphela ngonyaka. Batshintshana ngokufukama iqanda kunye nokunyamekela intshontsho kunye. Amantshontsho afumana isandael njengokutya. Ihlala kwindlwane kangangeentsuku ezingama-40 ngaphambi kokuba ifunde ukubhabha ihambe.
Itya ntoni i-puffin kwaye ityiwa ngubani?
Iipuffin zitya iintlanzi ezincinci, kunqabile ukuba oononkala kunye neskwidi. Ukuze zizingele, ziziphosa phantsi ngesantya esifikelela kuma-88 km/h, zintywile emanzini, zize zixhwile amaxhoba azo. Xa zintywila, zihambisa amaphiko azo njengokuba thina bantu sihambisa iingalo zethu xa sidada. Imilinganiselo ibonise ukuba iipuffins zinokuntywila ukuya kutsho kwiimitha ezingama-70 ubunzulu. Ingxelo yepuffin ngaphantsi kwamanzi ingaphantsi nje kwemizuzu emibini. I-puffin nayo iyakhawuleza phezu kwamanzi. Iphaphamisa amaphiko ayo kangangezihlandlo ezingama-400 ngomzuzu yaye inokuhamba ngesantya esifikelela kwiikhilomitha ezingama-90 ngeyure.
Iipuffin zineentshaba ezininzi, kuquka iintaka ezidla inyama njengengabangaba. Iimpungutye, iikati, neeermine nazo zinokuba yingozi kubo. Nabantu baphakathi kweentshaba kuba kwezinye iindawo ipuffin iyazingelwa ize ityiwe. Ukuba azityiwa, zinokuphila ukuya kutsho kwiminyaka engama-25.
IWorld Conservation Organization IUCN ibonisa ukuba zeziphi izilwanyana ezisemngciphekweni wokuphela. Zisenokuphela ngenxa yokuba zimbalwa yaye zimbalwa. Ukususela ngo-2015, ii-puffins nazo zithathwa njengengozi.