Sable
Ipunzi Ekulu Enzima

© Nigel Dennis

Igama

Ipunzi Ekulu Enzima [Hippotragus niger]

Ukukwakheka Nokuvela Kwayo

Lomhlobo omkhulu nomuhle wenyamazana. Zaziwa ngokuba nesikhumba sombala onzima okurhanyazelako, amathumbu amhlophe, kanye namabala amhlophe asebusweni. Ezisikazi namakonyanazo ziba nombala onzotho okunzima.
Zoke eziduna nezisikazi zinomdlengo wamaboya anzima aqinileko amagega nentamazo. Ikunzinzazo iphakame ngesilinganiso esiyimitha yinye nane (1.4 m), kanye nesilinganiso sobudisi obumakhilogremu amakhulu amabili namasumi alikhomba (270 kg), kodwana ezisikazi zincani. Zoke zineempondo ezide ezigobenele ngemuva. Iincenye zeempondo zayo ziyatjhelela begodu zibukhali okuhlabako.
Ubude beempondo zeenkunzi ezidala bungaba yimitha yinye nambili (1.2 m). Iimpondo zalezo ezisikazi zifitjhani begodu zimatsikana kunalezo zeduna.
Ineendlebe ezibomvu ngemuva begodu zifitjhani kunalezo zomhlobo we-roan antelope. Amalamjana avamise ukuthoma ukumila iimpondo nakaneenyanga embili zobudala.

Ukudla/Idayethi

Ziphila ngokudla utjani. Zizwana nokudla imihlobohlobo yotjani efana notjani obubovu (red grass), utjani obuhlabako (speargrass),neminye imihlobo yotjani ye-Brachiaria, Urochloa kanye ne-Panicum.
Kesinye isikhathi zivamise ukudla umqobosi nokhunye okumila ngemanzini. Lomhlobo wenyamazana edla iimilo ezivuthiweko ngokuthi iziqunte eenhlokweni nofana iziruthule. Zivamise ukupupura amathambo weengcuba asele emangweni ukwenzela bona zanelise isidingo sokurhalela i-phosphorous.

Ukuzalanokukhulisa

Ezisikazi zivamise ukuba sesigabeni sokungajrhwa nazineminyaka emithathu yobudala, begodu zizala ikonyana lokuthoma emnyakeni wesithathu yomubdala. Zivamise ukuzala ikonya elilodwa ngemva kwesikhathi sekambiso yokumitha esimalanga amakhulu amabili namasumi alikhomba.
Isilinganiso sobudisi bekonyana elizalwanabo buba makhilogremu alisumi nekhomba (17 Kg). Amakonya afihlwa eenkhothini ezide iimveke embili azelwe, begodu unina uwavakatjhela njalo ayowamunyisa nokuwakhululisa.
Amakonyana akhombisa ukurhalela ukudla utjani esigabeni esisesephasi khulu begodu unina uwaphuhlisa ibele enyangeni yobunane yobudala.

Ukuziphatha

Zitjhagala khulu ngeenkhathi zekuseni nangemva kwamadina, kodwana zisela amanzi ngamadina. Lomhlobo weenlwani othanda ukuphila ngomhlambi, begodu imihlambayo iyahluka ngesibalo.
Ngesikhathi sokuzala lezo ezimithi ziyaphuma emhlambini owakheke ngamakonyana, kanye nalezo ezingazaliko. Ngesikhathi sokuphuma kobusika zibuthana eendaweni lapho kutjhe khona umlilo nofana emidzweleni.
Iinkunzi eziphethe nezilawula imihlambi zivamise ukukhipha amakonyana aduna emhlambini nakaneminyaka emithathu begodu alungele ukujarha.

Ikhaya/Indawoyokuhlala/Isikhundla

Zizwananeendawoezivulekilekozomhlobowamahlathi we-savannahnofanaemidweleni, ngombanakulaphozikhetha khan kuhleutjaniobukhulengokulingenekokanyenobuvuthiweko.

Lapho Zitholakala Khona

Umlando ngokuba khona kwazo uveza bona zinciphile. ESewula Afrika ukusabalala kweenyamazanezi ipilwazo isengozini begodu ziyindlala khulu zitholakala e-Kruger National Park.
Zibonakala nakezinye iindawo ezivikelekileko begodu nekungizo lapho zibuyiselwe khona nofana lapho engazange zitholakale khona ngaphambilini.