Igama
Imvubu [Hippopotamus amphibius]Ukuvela nokwakheka kwayo
Imvubu silwani esikhulu somhlobo omunyisako esiphila ipilwaso ngemanzini, sinesilinganiso sobudisi obungaba banatoni amabili nahlanu (2.5 tonnes). Ikghona ukukhamba ngaphasi kwamanzi lapho umlambo uthoma khona, begodu ingatjhingela imizuzu engaba mihlanu.Ukudla
Imvumbu ilala ngaphakathi nofana eqadi kwamanzi emini, kuthi ebusuku ikhambe idla utjani obuseduze namanzi.Ukuzala nokukhulisa
Iimvubu ezisikazi zizalela ikonyana linye emanzini angasimanengi khulu, ngemva kwesikhathi sekambiso yokumitha esimalanga angaba makhulu amabili namasumi amane (240 days). Ikonyana lemvubu livamise ukufihlwa ekhakheni nofana hlangana nomqobosi, isikhathi esimalangana ambalwa lizelwe, kuthi ngokukhamba kwamalanga unina ayenalo emhlambini wazo.Iimvubu ezisikazi ziba sezingeni lokujarhwa phakathi kweminyaka elikhomba nebunane yobudala. Imvubu ikghona ukuzala amakonyana angaba lisumi ngesikhathi seminyaka yokuphila kwayo engaba masumi amathathu nahlanu weenlwani zomango.
Akusiliqiniso nokho ukuthi imvubu esikazi iguga ikonyana layo, okwenzakalako kukuthi ngesikhathi samakhaza, ikonyana libonakala lilalisa ihlangothi lalo langaphambili phezu kwemvubu edala ukwenzela ukuzifuthumeza ngokothamela ilanga ngombana ubuncani bomzimba wamakonyana wenza bona ezwe amakhaza msinya khulu kunalezo ezidala.
Ukuziphatha
Amakonyana azalelwa ngemanzini begodu akghona ukududuza ngaphambi kokuthi athome ukukhamba. Imvubu yaziwa khulu ngokududuza msinyana begodu inamandla khulu, injalo nje iyasahlela nayilimeleko nofana nayithuselweko.Ithathwa njengesilwani esiyingozi khulu enarhakazini ye-Afrika ngebanga lokubikwa njenge silwani esilimaze kumbi besalulala abantu eemangweni. Iimvubu mhlobo weenlwani ezithanda ukuhlala ndawonye, umhlambazo uvamise ukwakhiwa ngamalunga amahlanu ukuya kamasumi amabili.
Lapho zitholakala khona
Begade zitholakala iSewula Afrika le yoke, kodwana njenganje zitholakala esifundeni saKwaZulu Natala, eMpumalanga, eLimpopo, begodu ziyuye zafakwa esifundeni sePumalanga kanye neseTjhingalanga Kapa.Ibuthelelo lemangweni
Iimvubu zingaba yingozi khulu ebantwini ebangalandeli imithetho yemangweni lapho zihlala khona. Zaziwa khulu ngokuluma beziphule imikhumbi yeengodo ephehlwako kanye neminye imikhumbi emincani.Ziyakhuphuka izehlakalo lapho iimvubu zisahlela khona abantu, kodwana lokhu kuvame ukubangelwa kukuthi abantu basuke bangahloniphi imiyalo nabasendaweni lapho kuneemvubu khona.