Ku Voniwa ka Cape Fox

©Shem Compion
Loko yikurile yi lehe kufika eka 86 kuya eka 97 cm na ntiko wa 2,5 kg kuya eka 4 kg, xihadyani lexi xa Cape Fox (Vulpus chama), lexi tlhelaka xitiveka tani hi Silver Fox, i xin’wana xa leswintsongo swa ndyangu wa canid e Afrika Dzonga. Xiwela eka swihadyani leswinga sirheleriwa, kuya hi The Red List of Mammals of South Africa, Lesotho na Swaziland, switala ku kumeka laha kunga pfuleka, tani hi laha kungana byasi byikulu, laha byasi byinga hangalaka na laha kunga na swihlahla nyana ngopfu ngopfu eka tindzhawu letinga oma ta Karoo, e Kalahari xikan’we nale tindzhawini ta Namib Desert.
Switlhele swi tsarisiwa kuva swikumeka e Kimberley Thorn Bushveld, Eastern Mixed Kama Karoo nale Dry Sandy Highveld Grassland, xikan’we nale ka fynbos biome yale Western Cape, laha mpfula yinaka swinene na nhova leyinga tlhuma. Swirhandza ku fambela kule swinene na tindzhawu letinga tala Jakalas ya ntima enhlaneni (Canis mesomelas).
Switala ku endla masangu vutomi hinkwabyo, laha ya xinuna nay a xisati titalaka kuva tifamba tiri timbirhi hi ximunwana naswona vana vatswariwa endzhaku ka 52 wa masiku, emasunguleni ya ximumu, kwalomu ka September November. Switlhela switiveka kuva switswala vana nale masunguleni ya December. Laha hi xitalo switswalaka nwana unwe hi lembe, kambe kuna minkarhi leyi kungava na vana vambirhi lavanga tswariwaka hi lembe rin’we.
Vana vatala kuva vari 3 kumbe mune loko xitswala, laha xa xinuna xilavelaka swa xisati swakudya endzhaku kuringana mavhiki mambirhi endzhaku ko tswala. Vana vasungula kuti lavela swakudya endzhaku ka mune wa tinhweti hi vukhale naswona vakota kutiyimela hi voxe loko vari na ntlhanu wa tinhweti hi vukhale. Vana vava varinganele timhaka ta masangu kusukela loko vari na nkaye wa tinhweti hi vukhale.

Maendlelo yo Dlaya na Maphamelelo

©Shem Compion
Swiharhi leswi switala ku hlota swakudya navusiku, kambe switlharihe ngopfu eka ti awara letinga hola ta siku. Kuya hiva Predation Management Manual, vavula leswaku swa famba swoxe kumbe hi mintlawa ya swimbirhi, kambe swi hlota swiri swoxe. Aswina ndzhawu yokarhi ya swona, laha kuhlota swifikaka nale ka 3 kuya eka 60 square kilometres.
Swakala swinene kuva Cape Foxes yi onha nhundzu hikuva yidya swihadyani leswintsongo swofana na switsotswani, swinyenyani, swikokovi na makondlo. Loko yotshuka yi hlasele swifuwo, kutala kuva kuri swinyimpfani leswi swahaku tswariwaka swingana 4 wa masiku hi vukhale. E hansi ka swiyimo leswi, swinga dlaya xinyimpfana xinwe laha swingata xikhoma hi nkolo kumbe nhloko. Kungava na masalela ya laha matinu yanga luma kona e nhanwini, makatla kumbe rump ya ntsumbu, kambe akungavi na masalela ya min’wala naswona ntsumbu wutava wunga kokakokiwanga.
Loko swiri ekudyeni, switala ku pfula mbhovo hilaha khwirini ra xiharhi laha swidyaka mbilu ntsena, masi e khwirini (abomasum), laha ku vevukaka eka nenge wale ndzhaku kumbe swihlanganile hinkwaswo. Emakumu ka timbambu nakona ka dyiwa minkarhi yin’wana kambe kungari marhambu. Hambi leswi swikalaka swinene, loko ntlawa wati fox wudya ntsumbu, wudya laha kunga tala nyama kufana na switshamu. Ti fox titala kuvuyela laha kunga dlayiwa kona xiharhi.
Mikondzo yakona yina xivumbeko xa oblong naswona yina masalela ya min’wala kufana nay a mbyana.

Vulawuri

©Nigel Dennis
Cape fox hi xitalo ayi onhi ngopfu eka swifuwo. Kutirhisiwa ka darata leyi sivelaka ti Jakalasi (darata ya mesh leyinga kwalomu ka 1,2 m hiku leha yingana mimbhovo ya 74 mm) kumbe darata ya gezi, kupfaleriwa ka swifuwo exivaleni navusiku, mpfumawulo na rivoningo xikan’we na risema, varisi xikan’we naku hlayisa swifuwo swita pfuna swinene kusivela ku lahlekeriwa.
Kutirhisiwa ka caracal cage traps swapfuna ku phasa swihadyani leswi naswona swikumeke kuva kuri ndlela leyi tirhaka swinene yati Cape foxes.

Translated by Bongani Matabane