UMary Allen
Imikhomo ihlala olwandle kodwa ayizona izinhlanzi. Ziwuhlelo lwezilwane ezincelisayo ezizala amazinyane azo ephila emanzini. Ziphinde ziphefumule umoya ngamaphaphu azo, kodwa futhi zingatshuza ngaphansi kwamanzi isikhathi eside ngaphandle kokudonsa umoya. Lapho zikhuphuka zizokhipha umoya omdala, uvame ukuzibona zikhukhumeza namanzi.
Ungasho ukuthi imikhomo iyizilwane ezincelisayo ngesikhumba sayo. Ngoba abanazo izikali. Esinye isici i-fluke yabo, okuyigama elibizwa ngokuthi i-caudal fin. Ume uphambana, kuyilapho amaphiko oshaka nezinye izinhlanzi emi aqondile.
Imikhomo eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka yizinhlobo ezinkulu zemikhomo, ikhula ibe ngamamitha angama-33 ubude. Ngakho-ke ziyizilwane ezinkulu nezisinda kakhulu emhlabeni. Ezinye izinhlobo ezifana namahlengethwa nama-porpoise zikhula kuphela zibe amamitha amabili kuya kwamathathu.
Kwenziwa umehluko phakathi kwemikhomo enamazinyo nemikhomo ye-baleen. Imikhomo ye-Baleen efana ne-blue whale noma i-humpback whale noma i-gray whale ayinawo amazinyo kodwa i-baleen. Lawa ngama-horn plate abawasebenzisa njengesisefo ukuze bahlunge ulwelwe nezinkalankala ezincane emanzini. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, imikhomo enamazinyo, ihlanganisa imikhomo yamasperm, amahlengethwa, nemikhomo ebulalayo. Badla izinhlanzi, izimvu zamanzi noma izinyoni zasolwandle.
Yini ebeka imikhomo engozini?
Ngenxa yokuthi izinhlobo eziningi zemikhomo zihlala emanzini ase-arctic, zinamafutha amaningi. Ivikela emakhazeni. Esikhathini esidlule, imikhomo yayivame ukuzingelwa ngoba amafutha awo ayesetshenziswa: njengokudla, amafutha esibani noma ukwenza insipho ngawo. Namuhla cishe wonke amazwe akuvimbile ukudotshwa kwemikhomo.
Imikhomo ihlala emihlambini futhi ixhumana ngaphansi kwamanzi isebenzisa imisindo ebizwa nangokuthi "amaculo omkhomo". Nokho, umsindo wemikhumbi emikhulu noma imisindo yemishini engaphansi kwamanzi udida imikhomo eminingi. Lesi esinye sezizathu ezenza kube nemikhomo embalwa futhi ibe mbalwa.
Ingozi yesithathu ivela kubuthi obusemanzini. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, izinsimbi ezisindayo namakhemikhali awenza buthaka imikhomo. Imfucumfucu yepulasitiki nayo iyingozi enkulu ngoba imikhomo iyigwinya ngayo.
Izala kanjani imikhomo?
Imikhomo eminingi ilungele ukukhwelana kanye ngonyaka. Lokhu futhi kuhlobene nokufuduka kwazo olwandle. Imikhomo ilokhu ishintsha ubudlelwano bayo.
Imikhomo yesifazane ithwala amaphuphu awo esiswini phakathi kwezinyanga eziyisishiyagalolunye neziyi-16. Ngokuvamile, kuba yiwundlu elilodwa kuphela. Ngemva kokuzalwa, ingane yomkhomo kufanele ize phezu kwamanzi ukuze iphefumule.
Njengezilwane ezincelisayo, imikhomo emincane ithola ubisi kunina, ngokuvamile olunganele kokubili. Ngakho-ke, elinye lamawele ngokuvamile liyafa. Ngenxa yokuthi amazinyane awanazo izindebe zokuncelisa, umama uluthela ubisi emlonyeni womntwana. Unemisipha ekhethekile yalokho. Isikhathi sokuncela sithatha okungenani izinyanga ezine, kwezinye izinhlobo isikhathi esingaphezu konyaka.
Kuye ngohlobo, umkhomo kufanele ube neminyaka eyisikhombisa kuya kweyishumi ngaphambi kokuba ufinyelele ekuvuthweni kobulili. I-sperm whale ineminyaka engu-20 ubudala. Lesi ngesinye sezizathu zokuthi kungani imikhomo izala kancane kakhulu. Imikhomo ingaphila iminyaka engu-50 kuya kweyikhulu.