Kuwo wonke umlando wokuphila emhlabeni wethu, akekho oke wahlupheka njengezilwane. Okwenzeka ezilwaneni ezifuywayo emapulazini ezimboni mhlawumbe kuwubugebengu obubi kakhulu emlandweni. Indlela yokuthuthuka komuntu igcwele izidumbu zezilwane ezifile.
Ngisho nokhokho bethu abakude be-Stone Age, ababephila emashumini ezinkulungwane zeminyaka edlule, base bevele benecala lezinhlekelele eziningi zemvelo. Lapho abantu bokuqala befika e-Australia eminyakeni engaba ngu-45 edlule, ngokushesha baxosha amaphesenti angu-000 ezilwane ezinkulu ezazihlala kuyo onqenqemeni lokuqothulwa. Lona bekuwumthelela wokuqala obalulekile abakwa-Homo sapiens ababa nawo ku-ecosystem yeplanethi - hhayi okokugcina.
Cishe eminyakeni eyi-15 edlule, abantu bahlanganisa amazwe aseMelika, baqothula cishe amaphesenti angu-000 ezilwane ezincelisayo ezinkulu kule nqubo. Ezinye izinhlobo eziningi zezilwane ziye zanyamalala e-Afrika, Eurasia, naseziqhingini eziningi eziseduze nogu lwazo. Ubufakazi bemivubukulo obuvela kuwo wonke amazwe bulandisa indaba efanayo edabukisayo.
Umlando wokuthuthuka kokuphila eMhlabeni ufana nenhlekelele ezigcawini eziningana. Ivula ngesigcawu esibonisa inani labantu abacebile nabahlukahlukene bezilwane ezinkulu, ezingenawo umkhondo we-Homo Sapiens. Esigcawini sesibili, abantu bayavela, njengoba kufakazelwa amathambo awonakele, imikhonto nemililo. Kulandela isigameko sesithathu ngokushesha, lapho abantu bengenela inkundla futhi iningi lezilwane ezinkulu, kanye neziningi ezincane, sezinyamalele.
Ngokuvamile, abantu bacekela phansi cishe amaphesenti angu-50 azo zonke izilwane ezincelisayo ezinkulu emhlabeni ngisho nangaphambi kokuba batshale insimu kakolweni yokuqala, bakha ithuluzi lokuqala lensimbi yokusebenza, babhala umbhalo wokuqala futhi benza uhlamvu lwemali lokuqala.
Ingqopha-mlando elandelayo ebudlelwaneni babantu nezilwane kwaba uguquko lwezolimo: inqubo esashintsha ngayo sisuka kubazingeli abayimizulane saba abalimi abahlala ezindaweni ezihlala unomphela. Ngenxa yalokho, kwavela uhlobo olusha lwempilo eMhlabeni: izilwane ezifuywayo. Ekuqaleni, lokhu kungase kubonakale kuwushintsho oluncane, njengoba abantu bekwazile ukufuya izinhlobo ezingaphansi kuka-20 zezilwane ezincelisayo nezinyoni uma kuqhathaniswa nezinkulungwane ezingenakubalwa eziye zahlala “zasendle”. Nokho, njengoba amakhulu eminyaka ayedlula, le ndlela yokuphila entsha yanda.
Namuhla, ngaphezu kwe-90% yazo zonke izilwane ezinkulu zifuywa ("ezinkulu" - okungukuthi, izilwane ezinesisindo esingamakhilogremu ambalwa). Thatha, isibonelo, inkukhu. Eminyakeni eyizinkulungwane eziyishumi edlule, kwakuyinyoni engavamile indawo yayo yokuhlala yayilinganiselwe ezindaweni ezincane eNingizimu Asia. Namuhla, cishe wonke amazwekazi neziqhingi, ngaphandle kwe-Antarctica, kunezigidigidi zezinkukhu. Inkukhu efuywayo mhlawumbe iyinyoni evame kakhulu emhlabeni wethu.
Uma impumelelo yohlobo oluthile ikalwa ngenani labantu, izinkukhu, izinkomo nezingulube kungaba ngabaholi abangaphikiswa. Maye, izinhlobo ezifuywayo zikhokhele impumelelo yazo engakaze ibonwe ngokuhlanganyela ngokuhlupheka okungakaze kubonwe ngaphambili. Izilwane ziye zazi izinhlobo eziningi zobuhlungu nokuhlupheka phakathi nezigidi zeminyaka edlule. Nokho uguquko lwezolimo lwadala izinhlobo ezintsha zokuhlupheka ezaba zimbi kakhulu njengoba isikhathi siqhubeka.
Uma uthi nhlá, kungase kubonakale sengathi izilwane ezifuywayo ziphila kangcono kunezihlobo nokhokho bazo basendle. Izinyathi zasendle zichitha izinsuku zazo zifuna ukudla, amanzi nendawo yokuhlala, futhi ukuphila kwazo kuhlala kusongelwa amabhubesi, izilokazane, izikhukhula kanye nesomiso. Imfuyo, kunalokho, izungezwe ukunakekelwa nokuvikelwa kwabantu. Abantu bahlinzeka imfuyo ngokudla, amanzi nendawo yokuhlala, belapha izifo zabo futhi bayivikele ezilwaneni ezidla ezinye nasezinhlekeleleni zemvelo.
Yiqiniso, izinkomo namathole amaningi agcina esesilaheni ngokushesha noma kamuva. Kodwa ingabe lokhu kwenza isiphetho sabo sibe sibi kunesezilwane zasendle? Kungcono yini ukushwabadela ibhubesi kunokubulawa ngumuntu? Ingabe amazinyo engwenya anomusa kunezinsimbi zensimbi?
Kodwa okwenza ukuba khona kwezilwane ezifuywayo kudabukise kakhulu akukhona ukuthi zifa kanjani, kodwa, ngaphezu kwakho konke, ukuthi ziphila kanjani. Izici ezimbili ezincintisanayo ziye zalolonga izimo zokuphila zezilwane zasemapulazini: ngakolunye uhlangothi, abantu bafuna inyama, ubisi, amaqanda, isikhumba, namandla ezilwane; ngakolunye uhlangothi, abantu kufanele baqinisekise ukuphila kwabo isikhathi eside nokuzala.
Ngokombono, lokhu kufanele kuvikele izilwane ebuhlungwini obudlulele. Uma umlimi esenga inkomo yakhe ngaphandle kokumnika ukudla namanzi, ukukhiqizwa kobisi kuzokwehla futhi inkomo izofa ngokushesha. Kodwa, ngeshwa, abantu bangabangela ukuhlupheka okukhulu ekufuyeni izilwane ngezinye izindlela, ngisho nokuqinisekisa ukuphila kwazo nokuzala kwazo.
Umsuka wenkinga ukuthi izilwane ezifuywayo zizuze ifa kokhokho bazo basendle izidingo eziningi ezingokwenyama, ezingokomzwelo nezingokwenhlalo ezingenakwaneliswa emapulazini. Abalimi bavame ukuzishaya indiva lezi zidingo: bavalela izilwane emakhejini amancane, banqume izimpondo nemisila, futhi bahlukanise omama nenzalo. Izilwane zihlupheka kakhulu, kodwa ziphoqeleka ukuthi ziqhubeke nokuphila futhi zizalane ngaphansi kwezimo ezinjalo.
Kodwa ingabe lezi zidingo ezinganeliswa aziphambene yini nezimiso eziyisisekelo zokuziphendukela kwemvelo kukaDarwin? Inkolelo-mbono yokuziphendukela kwemvelo ithi wonke umzwelo nezifiso zavela ngenxa yesithakazelo sokuphila nokukhiqiza. Uma kunjalo, ingabe ukuzala okuqhubekayo kwezilwane zasemapulazini akubonisi yini ukuthi zonke izidingo zazo zangempela ziyaneliswa? Inkomo ingaba kanjani “nesidingo” esingabalulekile ngempela ekuphileni nasekuzaleni?
Kuyiqiniso impela ukuthi yonke imizwelo nezifiso zavela ukuze kuhlangatshezwane nokucindezela kokuziphendukela kwemvelo kokusinda nokukhiqiza. Kodwa-ke, lapho lokhu kucindezela kususwa, imizwa engokwemvelo kanye nezinxushunxushu ezakhekile azihwamuki ngaso leso sikhathi. Ngisho noma bengasafaki isandla ekusindeni nasekuzaleni, bayaqhubeka nokubumba isipiliyoni sesilwane.
Izidingo ezingokomzimba, ezingokomzwelo, nezenhlalo zezinkomo, izinja, nabantu zanamuhla azibonisi isimo sabo samanje, kodwa kunalokho ukucindezela kokuziphendukela kwemvelo okhokho babo ababhekana nakho emashumini ezinkulungwane zeminyaka edlule. Kungani abantu bethanda amaswidi kangaka? Hhayi ngoba ekuqaleni kwekhulu lama-70 kufanele sidle u-ayisikhilimu noshokoledi ukuze siphile, kodwa ngenxa yokuthi lapho okhokho bethu be-Stone Age behlangana nezithelo ezimnandi, ezivuthiwe, kwaba nengqondo ukudla okuningi ngangokunokwenzeka, ngokushesha ngangokunokwenzeka. Kungani intsha iziphatha budlabha, ingena ezimpini ezinodlame futhi igebenga izingosi eziyimfihlo ze-inthanethi? Ngoba balalela imithetho yasendulo yofuzo. Eminyakeni engu-000 eyedlule, umzingeli osemusha owabeka ukuphila kwakhe engozini ngokujaha isilwane esikhulukazi wayezodlula zonke izimbangi zakhe futhi athole isandla sobuhle bendawo - futhi ufuzo lwakhe lwadluliselwa kithi.
Umqondo ofanayo wokuziphendukela kwemvelo ulolonga izimpilo zezinkomo namankonyane emapulazini ethu emboni. Okhokho babo basendulo babeyizilwane zomphakathi. Ukuze baphile futhi bazalane, kwakudingeka baxhumane ngokuphumelelayo, babambisane futhi baqhudelane.
Njengazo zonke izilwane ezincelisayo zomphakathi, izinkomo zasendle zithole amakhono adingekayo okuxhumana nabantu ngokudlala. Imidlwane, amakati, amathole kanye nezingane ziyakuthanda ukudlala ngoba ukuziphendukela kwemvelo kuye kwafaka lesi sifiso kuzo. Endle, izilwane kwakudingeka zidlale—uma zingadlali, bezingeke zifunde amakhono okuxhumana nabantu abalulekile ukuze ziphile futhi zizalane. Ngendlela efanayo, ukuziphendukela kwemvelo kuye kwanikeza imidlwane, amakati, amathole, nezingane isifiso esingenakuvinjelwa sokuba eduze nonina.
Kwenzekani lapho abalimi manje bethatha ithole elincane kunina, balifaka ehhokweni elincane, beligomela izifo ezihlukahlukene, balinike ukudla namanzi, bese kuthi lapho inkonyane seliphenduke inkomo endala, balifake emadlozini? Ngokombono oqondile, leli thole alisadingi izibopho zomama noma umngane womshado ukuze liphile futhi lizalane. Abantu banakekela zonke izidingo zesilwane. Kodwa ngokombono oqondile, inkonyane lisenesifiso esinamandla sokuba nonina futhi lidlale namanye amathole. Uma lezi zifiso zinganeliseki, inkonyane ihlupheka kakhulu.
Lesi yisifundo esiyisisekelo somqondo wokuziphendukela kwemvelo: isidingo esakhiwa ezinkulungwaneni zezizukulwane ezedlule siyaqhubeka nokuzwakala ngokuzithoba, noma ngabe asisadingeki ukuze siphile futhi sizalane okwamanje. Ngeshwa, uguquko lwezolimo lunikeze abantu ithuba lokuqinisekisa ukusinda nokukhiqizwa kwezilwane ezifuywayo, kuyilapho bengazinaki izidingo zabo ezizimele. Ngenxa yalokho, izilwane ezifuywayo ziyizilwane eziphumelela kakhulu zokuzalanisa, kodwa ngesikhathi esifanayo, izilwane ezibuhlungu kakhulu ezake zaba khona.
Emakhulwini ambalwa eminyaka adlule, njengoba ezolimo zendabuko ziye zathatha indawo kwezolimo zezimboni, isimo siye saba sibi nakakhulu. Emiphakathini yendabuko efana neGibhithe lasendulo, uMbuso WaseRoma, noma iShayina yasendulo, abantu babenolwazi oluncane kakhulu lwe-biochemistry, izakhi zofuzo, isayensi yezilwane, kanye ne-epidemiology - yingakho amandla abo okukhohlisa ayelinganiselwe. Emadolobheni angeNkathi Ephakathi, izinkukhu zazigijima ngokukhululeka emagcekeni, zicosha imbewu nezikelemu ezindundumeni zikadoti, futhi zakha izidleke ezinqolobaneni. Uma umlimi onesifiso sokuvelela ezama ukuvalela izinkukhu eziyi-1000 ehhokweni lezinkukhu eliminyene, kungenzeka kuqubuke ubhadane olubulalayo lomkhuhlane wezinyoni, luqede zonke izinkukhu, kanye nezakhamuzi eziningi. Akekho umfundisi, isangoma noma inyanga ebingakuvimbela lokhu. Kodwa ngokushesha nje lapho isayensi yanamuhla ichaza izimfihlo zezinto eziphilayo zezinyoni, amagciwane kanye nama-antibiotics, abantu baqala ukudalula izilwane ezimweni ezimbi kakhulu zokuphila. Ngosizo lwemithi yokugoma, izidakamizwa, amahomoni, izibulala-zinambuzane, amasistimu omoya aphakathi nendawo kanye nezinto ezisebenza ngokuzenzakalelayo, manje sekungenzeka ukuthi kuboshwe amashumi ezinkulungwane ezinkukhu emahhokweni amancane ezinkukhu futhi kukhiqizwe inyama namaqanda ngendlela engakaze ibonwe.
Isiphetho sezilwane ezindaweni ezinjalo zezimboni sesibe enye yezindaba zokuziphatha ezicindezela kakhulu zesikhathi sethu. Njengamanje, izilwane eziningi ezinkulu zihlala emapulazini ezimboni. Sicabanga ukuthi iplanethi yethu ihlala ikakhulukazi amabhubesi, izindlovu, imikhomo namaphengwini nezinye izilwane ezingavamile. Kungase kubonakale ngaleyo ndlela ngemva kokubuka amafilimu e-National Geographic, Disney nezindaba zezingane, kodwa iqiniso alinjalo. Kunamabhubesi angama-40 kanye nezingulube ezifuywayo ezingaba yizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-000 emhlabeni; indlovu eyodwa kanye nezinkomo ezifuywayo eziyizigidigidi ezingama-1; 500 million penguins kanye nezinkukhu eziyizigidi eziyizinkulungwane eziyi-000.
Yingakho umbuzo oyinhloko wesimilo yizimo zokuba khona kwezilwane zasemapulazini. Ithinta iningi lezidalwa ezinkulu zomhlaba: amashumi ezigidigidi zezidalwa eziphilayo, ngasinye esinomhlaba wangaphakathi oyinkimbinkimbi wemizwa nemizwelo, kodwa eziphila futhi zife emgqeni wokukhiqiza wezimboni.
Isayensi yezilwane yadlala indima ebuhlungu kule nhlekelele. Umphakathi wesayensi usebenzisa ulwazi lwawo olukhulayo lwezilwane ikakhulukazi ukuze uphathe kangcono izimpilo zabo ekusebenzeleni imboni yabantu. Kodwa-ke, kuyaziwa futhi kusukela kulezi zifundo ukuthi izilwane zasemapulazini ziyizidalwa ezizwelayo ngokungangabazeki ezinobudlelwane obuyinkimbinkimbi bezenhlalo kanye namaphethini angokwengqondo ayinkimbinkimbi. Bangase bangahlakaniphi njengathi, kodwa ngokuqinisekile bayazi ukuthi buyini ubuhlungu, ukwesaba nesizungu. Nabo bangahlupheka, futhi nabo bangajabula.
Sekuyisikhathi sokucabangisisa ngalokhu. Amandla omuntu ayaqhubeka ekhula, futhi amandla ethu okulimaza noma ukuzuzisa ezinye izilwane akhula nawo. Iminyaka eyizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezine, ukuphila eMhlabeni kubuswa ukukhethwa kwemvelo. Manje kuya ngokuya kulawulwa izinhloso zomuntu. Kodwa akumelwe sikhohlwe ukuthi ekuthuthukiseni umhlaba, kufanele sicabangele inhlalakahle yazo zonke izidalwa eziphilayo, hhayi nje amaHomo sapiens.