Aardvark
Isambane

© Nigel Dennis

Igama

Isambane [Orycteropus afer]

Ukwakheka nokuvela kwayo

Zinomzimba wesilinganiso sobude obumasenthimitha alikhulu nesumi (110 cm), kanye nokuphakama ukumasenthimitha amasumi asithandathu (60 cm), kuthi umsila ubumude ngamasenthimitha amasumi asithandathu ukuya kamasumi alikhomba (60-70 cm). Inesikhumba sombala obukhobe okuqarheke ngomlotha nofana ubumlotha obuqarheke nombala ozotho kanye neemaboya nofana iinhluthu ezinghwarako ezisarulana. Isikhumba soya siqinile ukwenzela ukuyivikela eenunwaneni. Umhlobo omncani wefarigi lo unelingemva eliphakame ukudlula ilingaphambili. Iimilenzayo eqinileko le imbeswe naboya anzotho kuthi iinyawo zangaphambili zibe nemizwani emine kanti-ke zangemuva zona zibe nemizwani emihlanu, yoke imizwani ineenzipho ezide. Iinzwani zaphambili izisebenzisela ukwemba, begodu isenzisa iinzwanezi ukukhamba.
Ihlokwayo yide begodu imatsikana begodu esiphethweni sayo ifana netjhubhu, yakheke njengeye farigi, injalo nje imbeswe maboya nofana iinhluthu ezimhlophe ezide ngamamilimitha amasumi amabili nahlanu ukuya kamasumi amahlanu (25-50 mm). Iindlebe zona zikulu begodu ziyarhunyela encenyeni yesiphetho sazo. Zinemsila eqinileko kanti nayo iyarhunyele esiphethweni sawo ibe matsikana. Umehluko omkhulu ngesilwanesi kukuthi amazinywaso ambalwa nofana mancani ngenani nakacathaniswa newezinye iinlwani zomhlobo omunyisako, kanti-ke kilezo ezikulu atholakala kwaphela emuva emhlathini. Anjalo nje amazinyo la akakahlangani nofana akakabambani nomhlathi, begodu akhula ipilwayo yoke ngaphandle kokujama. Nanyana kunjalo amazinyo la akakhuli woke ngesikhathi esisodwa. Amazinyola akheke ngendlela yekholomu, begodu akanayo nemirabhu. Amazinyo la akakambeswa ziinsini nofana isikhumba esicinileko njengezinye iinlwani zomhlobo omunyisako, kunalokho ambeswe lilarha nofana inyama enamathelako nofana esasamende.

Ukudla

Ziphila ngokudla umuhlwa kanye neminye imihlobo yeenunwana. Zivamise ukudla ebusuku begodu zilandelela iindlela zomuhlwa hlangana neenkhundleni zawo. Zivamise ukudla ngokuthi zithanyele phasi ngepumulwazo begodu zikhamba ngendlela emazombezombe. Ngobusuku unye zivamise ukukhamba ibanga elingabalelwa emakhilomitheni alisumi nesithandathu zizumana nokudla. Zivamise ukudla ngokuthi zigirize iqubi elakhiwe mumuhlwa ngokusebenzisa amaziphazo aqinileko. Isebenzisa ilimu layo elide nelikghona ukululeka ngobude obumamilimitha amakhulu amathathu (300 mm), lona liqinile begodu linamathe anamathelako eyiwasebenzisela ukubamba umuhlwa ngobunengi bese iwudle. Kanti-ke zithanda nomunye umhlobo wekhabe. Ngebanga lomhlobo wokudla eziphila ngakhoku amazinyo wemhlathini ayarhunyela begodu abe spara, okufana namapeksi wokuneka enzelwe ukuphula iindleke zeenunwana eziqinileko.

Ukuzala nokukhulisa

Nokho azinaso isikhathi esisodwa ezijarhana ngaso. Ngemva kwesikhathi sekambiso yokumitha esiziinyanga ezilikhomba zivamise ukuzala idzinyana linye. Kanti-ke idzinyanelo lizalwa linombala obukhobe begodu linganamaboya. Amadzinyana la ahlala ngemigodini isikhathi esingaba ziimveke ezingaba mbili ngaphambi kobana aphume nabonina. Unina uvamise ukuwaphuhlisa ibele nakaneenyanga ezilikhomba kuthi wona athome ukudla okuqinileko lokha nakaneenyanga entathu zobudala. Amadzinyana la akhula ngokwaneleko ukufikela esigabeni sokungajarhwa nakaneminyaka emibili yobudala.

Ukuziphatha kwayo

Lomhlobo wesilwani esikhamba sodwa khulu begodu sitjhagala ngomnyama, nanyana zivamise ukothamela ilanga emyango yemigodazo. Emini zilala zizisonge nofana zizindulunge okwebhalo. Zimhlobo weenlwani ezirhubhako nezembako, begodu zisebenzisa iinyawo zaphambili ukwenza lokho, zisebenzisa iinyawo zaphambili ukuthambisa lapho zirhubha khona kuthi zemiva iinyawo zisebenze ukusula lokho okurhujiweko zikusunduzele emuva kanye nemahlangothini. Zirhubha imigodi ngeenzathu ezihlukahlukeneko, ezifaka hlangana ukuthola ukudla, ukwenza indlu kanye nokwenza ikhaya eliphephileko lapho ingakhulisela khona amadzinyanayo.
Imigodazo ivamise ukuba midek ngamamitha alisumi natathu (13 m), injalo nje ineendawo ezihlukeneko zokulala kanye nezihlukeneko zokuphuma nokungena, kanengi lokha nazithuthako imigodi le ivamise ukusetjenziswa ziimfarigi zomango kanye nabodahla nofana iimpungutjha. Zinekgho elisezingeni eliphezulu lokuzwa kodwana zinomraro ngokubona. Okhunye okurarako ngayo kukuthi ikghona ukuthaya ngemanzini, kanti lokha nayithuselwako nofana isahlelwa ivamise ukubhodla nofana ukuroroza kanye nokuhlaba umkhozsi weemfarigi.

Lapho zitholakala khona

Umhlobo lo wesilwane utholakala eendaweni ze-Sub-Suharan Afrika in Savana, eenkhothini, kanye nemahlathini avulekileko lapho ihlathakhona ivamise ukuthamba begdou kunokudla okwaneleko kanye namanzi. Azitholakali kenye nenye indawo enamatje neyomileko ezifana namarhalawumbha. Zinjalo nje zinomukghwa wokungazwani khulu namahlathi.