I-Mapungubwe Ibonakala Ngesimilio:
I-Mapungubwe ibonwa inhlanganisela kaMopane nezimila ze-savanna. Izinhlobo eziningi zokuhlala endaweni epaki ziye zaholela ekuhlukeni kwezinhlobonhlobo zezilwane. Kukhona okungenani izinhlobo zezihlahla zomunga ezingamashumi amabili nane kanye ne-Commiphora eziyisihiyagalombili.
Isihlahla somphane esivame ukubonakala, esitholakala ngamaqabunga asavemvane, sibuye siphinde sibe nethuku emnandi ye-mopani (iMasonza noma iMasonja). Lezi thuku ezidliwayo, ziyadliwa kakhulu esifundazweni saseLimpopo futhi kumele zidliwe yizo zonke izivakashi.
IziQhwaga zePaki
Iziqhwaga zepaki akungabazeki ukuthi ama-baobabs (i-Adansonia digitata). Lezi zihlahla zasendulo zase zikhulile lapho abantu basentabeni yeMapungubwe bengcwaba amakhosi abo, futhi zakhula okubabazekayo kuphela ngobudala. Ziyizindlovu zomhlaba wesitshalo, ezigqamile ngaphezu kwakho konke.
Ukubhinca kwabo okukhulu, ukuphakama kanye namagxolo aphihlizayo kuyinto emangalisayo. Ngezinye izikhathi kuthiwa yizihlahla ezibheke phansi ngoba, uma zingena maqabunga, amagatsha angenakuqhathaniswa acatshangwa ukuthi abonakala njengezimpande ezinamathele esibhakabhakeni.
Ngaphandle kwethafa leLimpopo, lezi zihlahla zikhula zibe yintambo enomdlandla enomdanso ogcwele idolo. Leli hlathi lemithi yomkhuhlane, ama-leadwood, ameva ekamela, nezithelo ze-nyala (mashatu) yindawo enhle yokudlala yezinkawu nezinyoni eziningi.
Izigodi Nokhalo
Indawo evelele epaki ayijwayelekile futhi iyamangalisa. Eminyakeni eyizinkulungwane, lokho okwake kwaba yindawo ephakeme, manje sidliwe kude ukuze idale indawo yezintaba ezihamba phambili namagquma. Emaphethelweni eLimpopo, izinsalela zalolu daba ziya emgwaqeni omkhulu owehla emfuleni.
Ukuphakama kwamamitha kusuka kumakhulu amathaathu kuya ku-780 ngaphezulu kwezinga lolwandle. Amagquma angasese kanye nokhalo esifundazweni, njengeMapungubwe, adalwe lapho uhlaka lochoba luye lwaqhekeka kakhulu, kwaze kwaba yilapho kushiywe khona inqwaba yamadwala. La madwala abomvu (achazwe ngokuthi 'ukucasula izintamba zasendle') ahlanganisa utshani obuphuzi ezigodini okunikeza isivakashi umqondo ocacile wombala.
Okuqukethwe Isiqiwu
Nakuba izikhangiso zayo eziyinhloko zingamasiko kunezilwane, isiqiwu siqukethe okune kwezilwane ezinhlanu ezinkulu. Inyathi kuphela elahlekile, ngenxa yokwesaba isifo somlenze nomlomo. Amabhubesi atholakale ngezikhathi ezithile, kodwa kucatshangwa ukuthi izilwane ezafudukayo ukusuka ohlangothini lweBotswana futhi azihlali endaweni ngokunaphakade.
Kunezinhlobo eziningi zembabala epaki, kufaka phakathi: i-eland, inkonkoni, iphiva, imbabala yasehlathini, impunzi, i-hartebeest ebomvu, ugakla, impala, i-klipspringer, i-steenbok ne-gemsbok.
Ezinye izilwane zihlanganisa ingwe, indlovu, idube, isirafu, ingulube yamahlathi, imfene, ama-badgers, ama-sivets, i-caracal ,nengungumbane. Ingulule, inja yasendle, ubhejane omhlophe nempisi nazo ziye zabonakala, kodwa azivamile. Ipaki iqukethe amagundane, izilwane ezihuquzelayo, izinyoni nezinambuzane, kuhlanganise nezincane ezinhlanu. Leyo yinduku yezindlovu, ibhungane yebhongo, umaluki, ingwe nentuthwane yebhubesi.
Akuzona zonke lezi zidalwa ezincane ezingenabungozi, noma kunjalo. Inhlwathi nama-mamba amnyama ajwayelekile, kanti okungenani izinhlobo zofezela eziyisishiyagalolunye ziye zabonakala epaki. NgoNdasa kuya kuNhlaba yisikhathi esihle kakhulu sokubuka izilwane; NgoLwezi kuya kuNdasa kungcono kakhulu ukubuka izinyoni.
Translated by Nsika Khoza