Kutfolwa kwe Cape Fox

©Shem Compion
Ngebudze balendzala yemasentimitha lamashumi lasiphohlongo nesitfupha kuya kumashumi layimfica nesikhombisa nesisindvo sa 2,5 kg kuya ku 4kg, le Cape Fox (Vulpus chama), leyatiwa nge Silver Fox, ngusinye setilwane letincane eNingizimu Afrika. Silwane lesivikelekile lesi, ngekusho kwe The Red List of Mammals of South Africa – Luhla Lolubovu lweTilwane letitala bantfwana labaphilako lwase Ningizimu Afrika, eLesotho nase Swaziland, ivama kuhlala emaveni lavulekile, kufana nendzawo lenetjani, indzawoyetjani lenemacembu emahlatsi nemanyeva nendzawo lenetigodvo letincane, ikakhulu etigodzini te Karoo leyomile, iKalahari kanye netigadla letibutsene te Lihlandze lase Namib.
Phindze kubhaliwe eKimberley Thorn Bushveld – Lihlatsi Lemanyeva lase Kimberely, Eastern Mixed Kama Karoo – I Eastern Kama Lehlanganisiwe ye Karoo ne Dry Sandy Highveld Grassland – Indzawolephakeme Yesihlaba Lesomile eNdzaweniyetjani, kanjalo ne fynbos biome yase Eastern Cape, lenetigaba letiphakeme kanye netitjalo. Tivama kubalekela tindzawo letigcwala bo Jakalazi Labamnyama (Canis mesomelas).
Tivamile kuhlangana ngekwemphilo, letindvuna naletinsikati letenta kubangatimbili ngesikhatsi sentfwasahlobo, kantsi nemidlwane yato italwa cishe emalangeni lamashumi lasihlanu nakubili ngasekupheleni, ekucaleni kwelihlobo, ngakunyanga yeNyoni nenyanga yeLweti. Tiphindze nomakunjalo tatiwa ngekukhokha bantfwana ekupheleni kwenyanga yeNgongoni. Njengoba tiba nebantfwana njalo ngemnyaka, kubekhona tikhatsi lapho kbhalwe sicumbi lesibili sebantfwana ngemnyaka.
Bantfwana bavame kuba yimidlwane lemitsatfu kuya kulemine, naleletindvuna letinika leletindvuna ngesikhatsi semaviki lamabili ekucala ngemuva kwekutala. Lemidlwame ivame kuyaluka kudla naseyinetinyanga letine ngebudzala bese itfola kukhululeka ngesikhatsi inetinyanga letisihlanu budzala. Tivama kutfomba naseyinetinyanga letiyimfica budzala.

Indlela yeKubulala neKupha Kudla

©Shem Compion
Tinguletiyalukako, kepha tiyaluka kakhulu ngemahora lapholile nakukhanya. Ngekusho kwe Predation Management Manual, angatfolwa awodvwa noma ngamabili, kepha lamafox atitingelela wodvwa. Akayitsandzi indzawo, lenetindzawo tekutingelela letivala kusuka kumatsatfu kuya kumakhilomitha lamashumi lamatsatfu ngetikwele.
Kuyindlala ngema Cape Fox kutsi ente kulahleke sitoko, njengoba avame kutingela tilwane letincane, kufana netilwanyana, tinyoni, tilwane tengati lebandzako letitalela emacandza, emagundvwane lamakhulu kanye ne carrion. Uma ahlasela imfuyo, kuvame kuba timvu letisandza kutalwa letinemalanga lamane budzala. Ngaphansi kwesimo lesinje, tikhona kwenta kubulala sinye futsi tivama kuhambela lentsamo noma lenhloko yalesilwane. Umbhalo wematinyo lamancane uvame kusala entsanyeni, emahlombe noma ekugcineni lokusemuva kwemtimba, kepha kutobabete imibhalo yetingalo futsi nalomtimba utobe ungakahudvulwa.
Umatidla, tivama kwenta kuvuleka lokuncane ngaseceleni kwemtimba walesilwane bese tikhona kudla lenhlitiyo, timunye lesisu (abomasum), imilente yangemuva lelula noma inhlangano yaloku. Lolokusekucaleni kwetimbambo ngalesinyesikhatsi kuyadliwa, kepha kute ematsambo. Etimeni letingakajwayeleki, lapho khona licembu lema fox lidla umtimba, letibunu nato tiyadliwa. Lama fox avama kubuyela ayobulala.
Letinyatselo tawo timise kwetinhlangotsi letine letingalingani futsi nemibhalo yetingalo lefana netinyatselo tenja.

Kunakekela

©Nigel Dennis
Ema Cape fox akavami kwenta umonakalo lomkhulu ngesitoko. Sebentisa fenisi wajakalazi (fenisi wetikwele longu 1,2 m kuya etulu nekuvuleka lokumashumi lasikhombisa nakune ngema milimitha) noma fenisi wagesi, kuvalela tilwane esibayeni ebusuku, umsindvo, kukhanya kanye neliphunga, umelusi kanye netilwane tekugadza konkhe kungaba sivikelo sekulahlekelwa.
Kusetjentiswa kwelikasi lekucipha icaracal kanye nekudla lokusetjentiselwa kubamba tilwane kutfolwe kutsi nguyona ndlela lesebentiswa kuma Cape Fox.

Translated by Phindile Malotana