Imbali Ngendalo Yase Richtersveld

Izilwanyana Zamandulo

©Shem Compion

iRichtersveld ayisiyondawo unokuthi uye kuyo ukuba ufuna ukubona izilwanyana ezikhulu. Awungeze ubone nesinye kwizilwanyana ezikuluhlo lwe big 5. Kodwa ke, nangona komile kulendawo, kukho uluhlu lwezilwanyana ezincinci ezinammanqina amanee, ezihrubuluzayo izinambuzane, kwakunye neendidid ezahlukeneyo zeentaka ezinokubanomtsalane kubantu abathile. Kodwa ke phambi kokuba sijonge izilwanyana onokuzibona kulemihla, masiqale sijonge izilo ezazikade ziphila kulendawo.
Ngokoshicilelo lwe fosili ezifunyenwe apha (amathambo ezilwanyana zakudala), kufunyaniswe ukuba kule ngingqi kwaye kukho amahashi amandulo, iindlovu,iimpuku ezinkulu, amafudo amakhulu, ooxam abanemilomo emifutshane, amabhere-zinja alumayo, iinciniba ezinkulu kunye nezinye izilo ezinika umdla. Lemizila nobungqina bezilwanyana zamandulo bubonwa ngamathambo ezi zilwanyana, imingxuma, kwakunye nemikrwelo emithini (ebizwa nge dendrites ngesiNgesi) nentama umhlaba ochumileyo ozele yimithi eyenza amahlathi. Ulwandle lwalufudumele ngezomini, kwaye sele kusuka kufunyanwa namazinyo ka kreba akudala kwakunye namakhoba-shells ee-oyster angaqhelekanga-Ezi zafunyanwa ngu William Patterson ngomnyaka ka 1779.

Imifanekiso Eyoyikayo

Kumaxesha asandula kudlula, aBathwa bazoba imifanekiso ematyeni akulengingqi (Njonga umfanekiso ngezantsi). Le ‘mifanekiso’ yoyikayo ibonakalisa ukuba iingonyama, imikhombe, iimvubu nkqu neendlovu zazikade zijikeleza kulendawo. Kodwa ke, kulemihla, zinqabile izilwanyana ezinkulu sele kuxhaphake ezi izilwanyana zincinane.
Kukho ubungqina obubaliswayo nobubhaliweyo bokuba amathafa ase Namaqualand kunye nase Richtersveld ayekade ezele yimihlambi emikhulu ye springbok kwakunye nezinye iindidi ze antelope. Ngomnyaka ka 1892, umantyi owayehlala eSpringbokfontein (nesele ibizwa nge Springbok ngoku) ubhale ukuba wabona ‘izigidi’ zezi zilo zithozamileyo. Ngelishwa ke, lemihlambi sele iyimbali nje ngoku. Zakhawuleza zatshatyalaliswa kukuzingelwa, izifo (ezifana nobhubhane wesifo se Rinderpest sangomnyaka ka 1896) kwakunye nokufika kwabantu kulendawo.
Noxa kunjalo ke, usenokuzibona iigemsbok (oryx), klipspringer, duiker, vaalribbok and steenbok kulo mmandla. Nangona ezizilwanyana zixhaphake kakhulu kumacala anemigodi agadiweyo, angakumda welizwe lase Namibia- Nalapho abantu bangavumelekanga ukuhamba kuyo yonke le ndawo. Iqhwarhashe elinqabileyo lohlobo lwe Hartmanns, nalo lukhona kule ndawo.

Translated by Zizipho Silwana