UMary Allen
Umkhomo obulalayo uwuhlobo olukhulu lwamahlengethwa emhlabeni futhi, njengawo wonke amahlengethwa, i-cetacean. Ibizwa nangokuthi i-orca noma umkhomo obulalayo. Abasolwandle banikeze umkhomo obulalayo igama elithi “umkhomo obulalayo” ngoba ubukeka unonya lapho umkhomo obulalayo ujaha inyamazane yawo.
Imikhomo ebulalayo ifinyelela kumamitha ayishumi ubude futhi ngokuvamile inesisindo esingamathani amaningana. Ithani liyi-1000 kilograms, njengoba nesisindo semoto encane. Bangaphila iminyaka engama-90. I-dorsal fin yemikhomo ebulalayo ingaba cishe ngamamitha amabili ubude, ibukeka kancane njengenkemba, futhi iphinde ibanike igama layo. Ngenxa yombala wayo omnyama nomhlophe, imikhomo ebulalayo kulula ukuyibona. Zinomhlane omnyama, isisu esimhlophe, kanye nebala elimhlophe ngemuva kweso ngalinye.
Imikhomo ebulalayo isatshalaliswa emhlabeni wonke, kodwa iningi lihlala emanzini apholile eNyakatho Pacific, naseNyakatho ye-Atlantic, kanye nolwandle olupholile e-Arctic nase-Antarctic. EYurophu, imikhomo ebulalayo ivame kakhulu ngasogwini lwaseNorway, kanti embalwa yale mikhomo nayo itholakala oLwandle iBaltic naseningizimu yeNorth Sea.
Iphila kanjani imikhomo ebulalayo?
Imikhomo ebulalayo ivame ukuhamba ngamaqembu, ihamba ngesivinini esingamakhilomitha ayi-10 kuye kwangama-20 ngehora. Lokho kushesha njengebhayisikili elinensayo. Bachitha isikhathi sabo esiningi eduze nogu.
Umkhomo obulalayo uchitha isikhathi esingaphezu kwesigamu sosuku ufuna ukudla. Njengomkhomo obulalayo, udla ikakhulukazi izinhlanzi, izilwane ezincelisayo zasolwandle ezifana nezinja zamanzi, noma izinyoni zasolwandle ezifana nama-penguin. Ngamaqoqo, umkhomo obulalayo uzingela neminye imikhomo, iningi lawo okungamahlengethwa, okungukuthi imikhomo emincane. Imikhomo ebulalayo ayivamile ukuhlasela abantu.
Akukho okuningi okwaziwayo mayelana nokuzala. Izinkomo ze-Killer whale zivuthwa ngokocansi cishe eminyakeni eyisithupha kuya kweyishumi ubudala. Ukukhulelwa kuthatha unyaka owodwa kuya kowodwa nengxenye. Lapho izalwa, ithole le-killer whale lingamamitha amabili ubude futhi linesisindo esingamakhilogremu angu-200. Incela ubisi lukanina unyaka noma emibili. Nokho, isivele idla ukudla okuqinile ngalesi sikhathi.
Kusukela ekuzalweni okukodwa kuya kokulandelayo kungathatha iminyaka emibili kuya kweyishumi nane. Inkomo ye-killer whale ingazala amawundlu amahlanu kuya kwayisithupha ekuphileni kwayo. Nokho, cishe ingxenye yawo iyafa ngaphambi kokuba ibe nentsha.