Bontebok
I-Bontebok

© Nigel J Dennis

Ibizo

I-Bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus pygargus)

Ukwakheka Kwayo

I-Bontebok iyinyamazana enombala ozotho okungeneleleko, iphakathi naphakathi ngomzimba, inetshwayo elimhlophe ebusweni bayo, inombala omhlophe twa emahlalweni, emathunjini, emadolweni angemva begodu nomsila onepente enzima. Eziduna nezisikazi zazo zineempondo, nalokha iimpondo zalezo eziduna zibudisi begodu zide khulu kunezalezo ezisikazi.

Ukudla Okukhethiweko

Lezi ziinyamazana ezihlala emmangweni, zithanda ummango onobutjani obufitjhazana ngaphakathi kweemila ezisendaweni eneenthukghwana.

Ukukhulisa

Lezi ziinyamazana ezitholakala ngesikhathi esithileko somnyaka. Ezisikazi zakhona ziba majadu ekujarhaneni lokha nazineminyaka emibili ubudala. Isikhathi sokujarhana siba hlangana kwenyanga kaTjhirhweni ukuya phakathi kwenyanga kaNtaka. Amakonyana azalwa ngalinye abelethwa ngesikhathi sikaKhukhulamungu nangenyanga kaSewula ngemva kwesikhathi sokumitha samalanga ama-238 ukuya kuma-254.

Ukuziphatha Kwazo

Zithanda ukukhamba zimhlambi begodu zithanda nokuhlala ndawonye emini. Ezisikazi zona zithanda ukuhlala ndawonye bese kuthi ngesikhathi sokukhulisa kube ngizo ezivikela indawo ehlala lezo ezincani ezingezisikazi ezikhamba ngazimbili ukuya kwezibunane kanye namakonyanazo. Ezincani eziduna zona zihlala zibuthene ziimhlambi omkhulu wempohlo.

Lapha zitholakala khona

I-Bontebok yabe izunywa khulu makholonisti kwathi ngomnyaka we-1830 kwasala kwaphela ama-22. Namhlanjesi avikelwe ephageni i-Bontebok National Park, eyamenyezelwa ngomnyaka we-1931. Ngomnyaka we-1992 umhlambi lo wakhula bewayokufika ku-2000. Ngomnyaka we-1961 omunye umhlambi wesibili wamenyezelwa eduze ne-Swellendam, okuthi namhlanjesi zibe nama-bontebok ama-200-300. Ngokomlando, ukwabiwa kwama-bontebok kwabe kwenziwa kwaphela esewula-tjingalanga eKapa, ukusukela lapho athathwa asiwa kwezinye iindawo ezivikelweko ngaphandle kwendawazo yemvelo.

Amanothi

Ibizo elithi i-Bontebok lisuselwa embaleni begodu lisukela kubahlali bama-Dutch abafika ngeminyaka yabo-1600. Omunye umhlobo wama-Blesbok, emibili leyo yahlangana yazalelana ngamandla begodu kunombono hlangana nabavikeli beenlwana othi akukho ukutshwenyeka kwamambala kwananyana yini eseleko.