UMary Allen
Isigeniso: Ubhejane noma Indlovu?
Uma kukhulunywa ngezilwane zasemhlabeni ezinkulu kunazo zonke emhlabeni, amagama amabili afika engqondweni: ubhejane kanye nendlovu. Zombili lezi zilwane ezincelisayo zaziwa ngobukhulu bazo obumangalisayo, amandla, nezici eziyingqayizivele. Kodwa iyiphi enkulu ngempela? Kulesi sihloko, sizohlola usayizi, isimo somzimba, ukuziphatha, kanye nokudla kwakho kokubili obhejane nezindlovu ukuze sinqume ukuthi yimuphi umpetha wesisindo esinzima sombuso wezilwane.
Usayizi kaRhino: Amaqiniso kanye nezibalo
Obhejane baziwa ngokubukeka kwabo okuqinile nokukhulu, abanesikhumba esiwugqinsi nezimpondo ezinkulu emakhaleni abo. Kodwa zinkulu kangakanani? Isilinganiso sesisindo sobhejane osekhulile sisuka ku-1,800 kuya ku-2,700 kg (4,000 kuya ku-6,000 lbs), kuyilapho isilinganiso sobude ehlombe singamamitha angu-1.5 kuya ku-1.8 (amafidi amahlanu kuya kwangu-5). Nokho, kunezinhlobo ezahlukene zobhejane, futhi ubukhulu babo bungahluka. Isibonelo, ubhejane omhlophe uwuhlobo olukhulu kunawo wonke, onamaduna anesisindo esingafika ku-6 kg (2,300 lbs) futhi emi ngamamitha angu-5,000 ubude (1.8 amafidi) ubude ehlombe.
Usayizi Wendlovu: Amaqiniso Nezibalo
Izindlovu zona zaziwa ngeziqu zazo ezinde, izindlebe ezinkulu kanye nemizimba emikhulu. Izindlovu esezikhulile zingaba nesisindo kusuka ku-2,700 kuya ku-6,000 kg (6,000 kuya ku-13,000 lbs) futhi zime zifike kumamitha angu-3 (amafidi angu-10) ubude ehlombe. Izindlovu zase-Afrika zinkulu kunozakwabo base-Asia, kanti abesilisa banesisindo esingafika ku-5,500 kg (12,000 lbs) futhi bame ngamamitha angu-4 (amafidi angu-13) ubude ehlombe. Izindlovu zezinsikazi zincane kancane, zinesisindo esiphakathi kuka-2,700 kuya ku-3,600 kg (6,000 kuya ku-8,000 lbs) kanye nokuphakama okuphakathi kwamamitha angu-2.4 kuya ku-2.7 (8 kuya ku-9 amafidi) ehlombe.
Ukuqhathaniswa Kwezisindo Ezimaphakathi
Uma kukhulunywa ngesisindo, izindlovu ngokusobala ziyisilwane esikhulu. Isisindo esijwayelekile sikabhejane singama-2,000 kg (4,400 lbs), kanti isisindo esijwayelekile sendlovu singama-4,500 kg (10,000 lbs). Lokhu kusho ukuthi izindlovu zingaba nesisindo esiphindwe kabili kunesikabhejane, okwenza kube yibona abawinile kulesi sigaba.
Ukuqhathaniswa kwe-Average Heights
Mayelana nokuphakama, nokho, umehluko phakathi kobhejane nezindlovu awubalulekile kangako. Nakuba izindlovu zinde ngokwesilinganiso, ezinye izinhlobo zifinyelela kumamitha angu-4 (amafidi angu-13) ehlombe, obhejane abekho kude. Isilinganiso sobude bukabhejane singamamitha angu-1.8 (6 amafidi), okufushane nje kuphela kunobude obujwayelekile bendlovu.
I-Rhino Anatomy: Izici Zomzimba
Obhejane babukeka ngendlela ehlukile, banesikhumba esiwugqinsi, izimpondo ezinkulu kanye nemizimba emise okomphongolo. Izimpondo zazo zenziwe nge-keratin, into efanayo nezinwele nezinzipho zomuntu, futhi zingakhula zibe amamitha angu-1.5 ubude. Obhejane baphinde babe nokuzwa okubukhali nomuzwa obukhali wokuhogela, okubasiza ukuba bahambe ngendlela ezungezile futhi bagweme ingozi.
I-Elephant Anatomy: Izici Zomzimba
Izindlovu zaziwa ngemiboko yazo emide, empeleni eyisandiso sekhala lazo nodebe lwangaphezulu. Basebenzisa iziqu zabo ukwenza imisebenzi ehlukahlukene, ehlanganisa ukudla, ukuphuza, nokuzijabulisa. Izindlovu nazo zinezindlebe ezinkulu, ezizisebenzisayo ukuqeda ukushisa nokuxhumana nezinye izindlovu. Amazinyo awo, empeleni angama-incisors amade, angakhula abe amamitha angu-3 (amafidi angu-10) ubude futhi asetshenziselwa ukuzivikela nokumba.
Ukuziphatha kukabhejane: Impilo Yomphakathi
Obhejane bayizilwane ezihlala zodwa, ngaphandle komama abanakekela amaphuphu abo. Ziyizidalwa zendawo futhi zizovikela indawo yazo kwabanye obhejane. Baziwa futhi ngokuziphatha kwabo okunolaka futhi bazokhokhisa lokho okucatshangwa ukuthi yizinsongo, okuhlanganisa abantu.
Ukuziphatha Kwendlovu: Impilo Yomphakathi
Izindlovu ziyizilwane ezihlalisana kakhulu, ezihlala ngemihlambi eholwa yinsikazi evelele eyaziwa ngokuthi i-matriarch. Banesimiso sokuxhumana esiyinkimbinkimbi, basebenzisa imisindo, ukuthinta komzimba, nokuthinta ukuze baxhumane. Izindlovu nazo zaziwa ngobuhlakani bazo futhi ziye zabonwa zibonisa uzwela, usizi, ngisho nokuzazi.
I-Rhino Diet: Lokho Abakudlayo
Obhejane bayizilwane ezidla utshani, badla utshani, amaqabunga, izithelo namahlumela. Banohlelo oluyingqayizivele lokugaya ukudla olubavumela ukuba bakhiphe imisoco entweni yezitshalo eqinile, okuhlanganisa ne-cellulose.
Ukudla Kwezindlovu: Ezikudlayo
Izindlovu nazo ziyizilwane ezidla utshani, zidla izinhlobonhlobo zezitshalo, okuhlanganisa utshani, amaqabunga, amagxolo nezithelo. Banesifiso esikhulu sokudla futhi bangadla ukudla okungafika ku-150 kg (330 lbs) wokudla ngosuku. Izindlovu nazo zidinga amanzi amaningi, ziphuza amalitha angama-50 (amalitha ayi-13) ngosuku.
Isiphetho: Iyiphi Enkulu?
Ngokwesisindo, izindlovu ngokusobala ziyisilwane esikhulu, esinesisindo esimaphakathi esingu-4,500 kg (10,000 lbs) uma siqhathaniswa nesisindo esijwayelekile sikabhejane, esingaba ngu-2,000 kg (4,400 lbs). Nokho, uma kuziwa ekuphakameni, umehluko phakathi kwezilwane ezimbili awubalulekile kangako. Nakuba izindlovu zinde ngokwesilinganiso, ezinye izinhlobo zifinyelela kumamitha angu-4 (amafidi angu-13) ehlombe, obhejane abekho kude, nobude obuyisilinganiso obungamamitha angu-1.8 (6 amafidi). Ekugcineni, bobabili obhejane nezindlovu bayizidalwa ezihlaba umxhwele, ngayinye inezici zayo ezihlukile, indlela yokuziphatha, nokudla.