African Elephant
Indlovu

© Justin Fox

IGAMA

Indlovu

ISINGENISO

Indlovu yisona silwane ezikhulu kunazo zonke nesisindo samathani ayisikhombisa nobude obungango-7.7m kusuka emahlombe. Indlovu iphila iminyaka ewu-70. Izimpondo zendlovu endala zingaba nesisindo esiwu-50 kuya ku-60kg, zikhona esezake zatholakala zinesisindo esiwu-90kg.

OWANI UMBOKO FUTHI YINI UMSEBENZI WAWO?

Umboko wendlovu yikhala layo kanti futhi liyazwela kangangokuthi likwazi ukunuka amanzi phansi komhlabathi. Unemisipha engaphezu kwewu-50 000. Kuthi ekucijeni emaphethelweni omboko kube nokusamunwe okucosha izimbali, utshani obuqinile, ikwazi nokukhipha iva onyaweni.

IZINDLOVU ZINAMADOLO NOMA IZINDOLOLWANE?

Amalunga okungathi amadolo yisihlakala. Kuye kudidaniswe ngoba sekujwayeleke ukuthi lapho izinyawo zinamalunga khona ngamadolo kanti umehluko phakathi kwethu nezindlovu wukuthi amathambo ethu ezinyawo nezandla awafani kanti awazo ayefana,

AWANI AMAZINYO ENDLOVU?

Awokubamba ukudla nokulwa nezinye izinkunzi nokuzivikela. Amazinyo angenhla akhula angaqedi indlovu ize ibe neminyeka ewu-60. Isikhumba sendlovu siwu-3cm ukuba ugqinsi kepha siyazwela.

ZIDLA NHLOBONI YOKUDLA

Izindlovu zidla kakhulu. Ngosuku zikwazi ukudla utshani obuwu-272kg, namacembe esihlahla athambile. Indlovu ikwazi ukuphuza amanzi angamalitha awu-200 ngesikhathi esisodwa. Indlovu ikwazi ukukhipha ubulongwe obuwu-150kg ngosuku.

MAYELANA NOKUZALA

Indlovu izala ngesikhathi esithize onyakeni. Ikwazi ukuzala izinyane elilodwa eminyakeni emibili kuya kwemine. Ikhulelwa izinyanga eziwu-22. Izinyane uma lizalwa liba nesisindo esiwu-100kg, linceliswe izinyanga eziwu-18 kuya kweziwu-22. Izinyane eliyintandane linceliswa yindlovu enobisi noma ezesifazane ezimbalwa ziyincelise. Izindlovu zingomama abanesineke emazinyaneni azo. Kuningi okusafanele kufundwe ngezindlovu. Amazinyo endlovu ahluma ngezinyanga eziwu-16 kepha aqala ukubonakala ngaphandle emva kwezinyanga eziwu-30.
Emuva kokunceliswa, izinyane emva kweminyaka emine kuya kwemihlanu, lihlala nomndeni olizalile. Elesifazane likhula selineminyaka ewu-11 liqhubeke lihlale nomdeni kuthi awesilisa akhule eseneminyaka ewu-12 kuya kwewu-15 bese ayaxoshwa emndenini, yize esuke esekhulile kodwa aqala ukukhwela eseneminyaka ewu-25 kuya kwe-30 noma esemadala kunaloko.

INDLELA EZIPHILA NGAYO

Izinkunzi zezindlovu zenza umhlambi wazo zodwa, zihambe zodwa. Zakha imihlambi eqinile ngawesilisa namathole bese leyo mihlambi iholwe eyesifazane endala. Ngaphandle kokuphuza amanzi amaningi, ziyathanda ukubhukuda nokudlala odakeni. Le mihlambi kwake kwacatshangwa ukuthi iholwa yinkunzi kanti iholwa yindlovukazi. Inkunzi iye ivakashele le mihlambi ukuyohlola ukuthi zikhona izinsikazi esezilungele ukukhwelwa. Ezihlobene ziyakwazi ukuhlalisana.

IBONAKALA KANJANI INDLOVU ETHUSAYO KUNEHLASELA NGEMPELA?

Kubalulekile ukukhumbula ukuthi izindlovu zihlakaniphe kakhulu. Imvamisa uma ithusa inyakazisa izihlahla, ishunqise uthuli, ikhalise umboko yenze imisindo ivule namadlebe. Kepha enolaka inikina ikhanda ibhule izindlebe. Ihlasela okwangempela uma yonke imizamo yokuthusa isihlulekile, lapho isizizwa ingaphephile. Yehlisa izindlebe ikhanda nomboko kubheke phansi uma iqeda ukuhlasela.

IZINDLOVU ZIZISHAYA KANJANI IZINDLEBE UMKANYE?

Akuyona indlela indlovu ekhombisa ngayo ukuthukuthela lena. Izibhulela ukuzipholisa nokususa izimbuzane.

ZITHOLAKALA KUPHI

Zake zatholakala e-Afrika yonke izindlovu kodwa inani lazo seliyehla manje. ENingizimu Afrika zivikelwe yi-Addo Elephant neKruger National Park eziningi. Ngenxa yokuvikelwa, inani lezindlovu selikhule kusuka ku-120 ngo-1920 kuya ku-10 000

AMAPHUZU ABALULEKILE

Izindlovu sezihlukaniswe ngamaqembu amabili, ezijwayelekile ama-African Bush Elephant nezincanyana ama-African Forest Elaphant.