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Inkhondlo elimqasa

© Nigel Dennis

Igama

Inkhondlo Elimqasa [Pedetes capensis]

Isingeniso

Ibizo lendabuko lomhlobo lo wesilwani liyahlangahlanganisa, ngombana umhlobo lo wesilwani akusiwo umqasa kodwana likhondlo. Isilwanesi nofana ikhondlweli livamise ukudliwa babantu be-Afrika ngendlela ejayelekileko yokudliwa komqasa ojayelekileko ozunywa iphasi loke.

Ukuvela nokwakheka

Umzimba nehloko yesilwanesi ubalelwa emamilimitheni amakhulu amane (400 mm) kuthi umsila ube mude ngamamilimitha amakhulu amane namasumi amane (440 mm). Inesilinganiso sobudisi obumakhilogremu amathathu, begodu kusilwani esikghona ukweqa khulu, likhondlo lomhlobo onemilenze emibili esiphandenesi. Ngemilenze emide yemuva kanye neenyawo zaphambili ezifitjhani, ibonakala njengesilwani esibizwa nge-Dwarf Kangaroo.
Ineendlebe ezide nehloko efana neyomqasa. Incenye yomzimbayo esehla inombala ozotho okuqarheke ngombala osarulana, nofana umbala onzima oyela kobomvu. Zinomsila onencenye yesiphetho esinzima. Zombili eduna nesikazi ziyafana, begodu emathunjini umbalazo uhluka ukusuka komhlophe ukuya kosarulana nofana ofana nelamuna.

Ukudla/Idayethi

Ziphila ngokudla imirabhu yotjani, isiqu sawo, imbewu, neemlilo ezifana nemirabhu ezimila ngaphasi kwehlabathi, amakari, begodu izwana nokuzuma utjani obuhlaza obande ngezakhamzimba namanzi. Nasizuma ukudla sikhamba ngazo zoke iinyawo, kodwana sihlala ngeenyawo zemuva kanye nomsila nasidlako, ibese idla ngokusebenzisa iinyawo zaphambili.

Ukuzala nokukhulisa

Akusiwo umhlobo wesilwani esizala ngesikhathi esithileko sonyaka, ivamise ukuzala idzinyana linye ngemva kwesikhathi sekambiso yokumitha esimalanga amasumi alikhomba. Ezisikazi zivamise ukuzala amadzinyana amahlandla amathathu ngonyaka owodwa. Amadzinyana azalelwa ngemgodini, begodu azalwa anamaboya aneleko.
Amadzinyana akghona ukubona nokukhambakhamba ngemva kokuzalwa. Amadzinyana avamise ukuphila ngebisi laka nina ukufikela eemvekeni ezilikhomba zobudala kanye nesilinganisweni esilikhilogremu elilodwa nantathu (1.3 kg). Zivamisa ukulungela ukujarhana enyangeni yobunane yobudala.

Ukuziphatha

Zikghona ukusebenzisa iinyawo zazo zemuva ukugijimi lokha nazibalekela amanaba, afana neenyoni eziyingozi kanye neenhlosi. Zizwana nokuphila eendaweni ezinotjani obufitjahani, lapho kuneemilo ezingakaminyani kanye nesandeni nofana ehlabathini lapho zikghona ukwemba nokurhubha khona.

Lapho zitholakala khona

Ngaphandle kweendaweni ezimarhalawumba kanye namahlathakhona, isilwanyanesi sisabalele ngendlela ebanzi eSewula Afrika, ngokutholakala eendaweni ezindlalekileko ezinganazulu, nalezo ezisiquntu seendawo zesomiso.

Ibuthelelolwazi ngomangwazo

Isilwaneni sithathwa njengokudla okuqakathekileko ebantwini abanengi benarhakazini ye-Afrika begodu lokho kwenza bonyana ubujamo bazo bungakarisi enarhakazini neemphandeni zayo.