Izilo zase Richtersveld

Izilo Ezikhulu zase Richtersveld

©Jacques Marais

Izilo ezikhulu, nezinamanqina amane e Richtersveld ziquka ezi: iingcuka, ingci, ingqawa/ingada kunye ne ngwe (nangona ezi zinqabe kakhulu). Usenokufumana nee mpungutye ezinomqolo omnyama,zase Koloni, kunye nempungutye enendlebe zelulwane, ichathaza kunye namaqaqa (zikwabizwa nge zorilla). Ezinye ke izilwanyana zingaquka amagala (suricates), igenet ezincinci ezinamachokoka kunye neendidi eziliiqela zonomatse. Kusapho lwee mfene ke kukho iichacma baboons kunye ne vervet monkeys (ifumaneka kakhulu ngakumlambo we Orange River).

Amalulwane, shrews, iimpuku,oocwethe, imivundla kunye ne gerbils zixhaphakile kule ndawo yase Richtersveld. Kukwakho neendidi ezahlukeneyo zempuku (striped field mouse, karoo bush rat, Brant’s whistling rat (!), round-eared elephant shrew, striped mouse, long-tailed pygmy mouse, Namaqua rock mouse, tree rats), unogwaja, umvundla, unomatse womhlaba, Namaqua dune molerat, intuku, intenetya (hyrax), impuku-dassie (nengahlobenanga ne dassie) kunye neencanda. Iigerbils ziquka iiNamaqua short-tailed gerbil kunye ne hairy-footed gerbil. Kukwakho neendidi ezininzi zamalulwane.

Ezihrubuluzayo

©Jacques Marais

Xa sisiya kwezihrubuluzayo ke (ezinamaqweqwe) kunye nezilwanyana eziphila emanzini (ezimnyubuluzi), iiherpetologist zizakuchulumanca kukuva ukuba kukho iindidi ezahlukeneyo zezilwanyana ezihrubuluzayo nezi tsiba tsiba eRichtersveld. Ezi zilwanyana ziquka elona fudo lakhe labalincinci ehlabathini,iNamaqua okanye iPadloper enamachokoza (esele zigqibile ukukhula zinobude obumalunge ne 100mm).
Usenokufumana ne fudo elinekona ezine (okanye emile geometric) kwakunye nefudo elibizwa nge Namaqua tent tortoise. Iindidi zamacikilishe ziquka iNile Monitor enkulu (okanye iwaterlikkewaan), Karoo girdled lizard, armadillo girdled lizard, Smith’s desert lizard kwakunye nelinqabileyo elibizwa nge Cape flat lizard.

Amalovane ke wona kunye neendidi ezihlukeneyo zonqinishe, ungafumana iNamaqua chameleon engaqhelekanga (ilovane elihamba kwigrabile endaweni yokuhlala emithini). Kukwakho nezindidi zonqinish:Namib web-footed gecko, giant ground gecko, Smith’s desert gecko, Austin’s dune gecko, kwakunye nesandula kufunyanwa ileaf-toed gecko, kwakunye neqela lee skinks. Lendawo inezona ndidi zininzi zahlukeneyo ze gecko, ehlabathini, ibe phofu yona iyindawo encinane.

Iinyoka zona zinqabile, kodwa ezo zikhoyo zona zinobungozi. Ezi ziquka amaphimpi kwakunye neendidi ezahlukeneyo zamarhamba asentlango (puff adder, horned adder, desert mountain adder kunye ne Namaqua dwarf adder).

Amasele neeNtaka

Azikho ninzi kangako iindidi zezilwanyana ezi phila emanzini kule ndawo yase Richtersveld, njengoko ezi zilwanyana zivamise ukudinga amanzi ukuze zizale. Noxa kunjalo, kukho iindidi ezisibhozo zamasele. Unintsi lwazo lwaziwa ngokuzigrumbela phantsi komhlaba, zivele kuphela emva kweemvula ezinkulu. Ezi ndidi ziquka iKaroo toad, esemngciphekweni wokutshabalala iNamaqua rain frog kunye nesandula ukufunyanwa iParadise toad. Ukuvela ngesiquphe kwala masele emva kwemvula ezinkulu, kwenza imbali yalengingqi ikholeleke, nethi lamasele aziswa kule ngigqi ngamafu asuka elwandle.
Ngaphezulu, iindidi ezahlukeneyo zeentaka (ezingama 197) nazo sele zifunyenwe kule ndawo yase |Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Trans-frontier Conservation Area.

Ezi ntaka zifumaneka kakhulu ngase mlanjeni we Orange Rivwe, ngakwindawo ezazime amanzi kwakunye nase zintabeni. Ezi ndidi ziquka ookhetshe, Ukhozi olumnyama,Ingcwangube, Ifubesi elinamachokoza. Ukhozi olunesifuba esimnyama, ukhozi lwentlanzi,kunye nefubesi lase Koloni, intambanane, inkwali,ingqwangi, iNamaqua sandgrouse, umNdweza, ingaba ngaba redchested cuckoo, African hoopoe, the Cape bulbul, Redeyed bulbul, tractrac chat, mountain chat, longbilled lark, dusky sunbird, swallowtailed bee-eater, redknobbed coot (nevakala ngathi lixhego elidala elikrwada), fierynecked nightjar, pied kingfisher, kwakunye neendidi ezahlukileyo ze swifts,kunye neqela lee nkonjane kunye neqela leenciniba (nesele ziyinxalenye enkulu yezemfuyo ngoku kulendawo)

Translated by Zizipho Silwana