Indlulamithi iyisilwane esimangalisayo, esihle kakhulu, inemilenze emincanyana nentamo ephakeme. Uhluke kakhulu kwabanye abamele umhlaba wezilwane, ikakhulukazi ukuphakama kwakhe, okungakwazi idlule amamitha amahlanu... it isilwane eside kunazo zonke phakathi kwalabo abahlala emhlabeni. Intamo yayo ende iyingxenye yobude bomzimba isiyonke.
Intshisekelo yendlulamithi ivela kokubili ezinganeni nakubantu abadala, kungani edinga imilenze emide nentamo. Mhlawumbe kungaba nemibuzo embalwa uma izilwane ezinentamo enjalo zivame kakhulu ezilwaneni zomhlaba wethu.
Kodwa izindlulamithi zinezinye izici zesakhiwo ezihluke kakhulu kwezinye izilwane. Intamo ende iqukethe ama-vertebrae ayisikhombisa, inani elilinganayo lazo kunoma yisiphi esinye isilwane, kepha ukwakheka kwawo kukhethekile, kunqunyelwe kakhulu. Ngenxa yalokhu, intamo ayiguquki.
Inhliziyo inkulu, ngoba umsebenzi wayo ukunikeza zonke izitho ngegazi, futhi ukuze igazi lifinyelele ebuchosheni, kufanele likhuliswe ngamamitha ayi-2,5. Ukushaya kwegazi indlulamithi icishe iphindwe kabilikunezinye izilwane.
Amaphaphu endlulamithi nawo makhulu, cishe iphindwe kasishiyagalombili kunomuntu omdala... Umsebenzi wabo ukukhipha umoya nge-trachea ende, izinga lokuphefumula liphansi kakhulu kunalelo lomuntu. Futhi ikhanda lendlulamithi lincane kakhulu.
Kuyathakazelisa ukuthi izindlulamithi zilala kakhulu lapho zimile, ikhanda lazo lincike kwi-croup. Kwesinye isikhathi izindlulamithi zilala phansi ukuphumuza imilenze yazo. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, kunzima kakhulu ukuthola indawo yentamo ende.
Ososayensi bahlobanisa ukugqama kwesakhiwo sendlulamithi nokudla, okususelwa kumahlumela amancane, amaqabunga kanye namaqabunga ezihlahla. Izihlahla zide impela. Ukudla okunjalo kukuvumela ukuthi uphile ezimweni ezishisayo, lapho kunezilwane eziningi ezidla ngotshani, kanti ehlobo, i-savannah ishe ngokuphelele. Ngakho-ke kuvela ukuthi izindlulamithi zisesimweni esihle ngokwengeziwe.
I-Acacia ukudla okuthandwa kakhulu izindlulamithi.... Lesi silwane sibopha igatsha ngolimi lwaso bese lisidonsela emlonyeni walo, likhiphe amaqabunga nezimbali. Ukwakheka kolimi nezindebe kuyinto yokuthi indlulamithi ayinakubalimaza emithanjeni yomunga. Inqubo yokondla imthatha amahora ayishumi nesithupha noma ngaphezulu ngosuku, futhi inani lokudla lifinyelela kuma-30 kg. Indlulamithi ilele ihora elilodwa kuphela.
Intamo ende nayo iyinkinga. Isibonelo, ukuphuza nje amanzi, indlulamthi ivula imilenze yayo ibanzi igobeke. I-pose isengozini kakhulu futhi indlulamthi ingaba kalula yizisulu zezilwane ngezikhathi ezinjalo. Indlulamithi ingahamba ngaphandle kwamanzi isonto lonke, icime ukoma kwayo oketshezi olukhona emaqabungeni amancane. Kepha lapho ephuza, lapho-ke uphuza amalitha angama-38 amanzi.
Kusukela esikhathini sikaDarwin, kukholakala ukuthi intamo yendlulamithi yathola ubukhulu bayo ngenxa yokuziphendukela kwemvelo, ukuthi izindlulamithi ngezikhathi zangaphambi komlando zazingenayo intamo kanokusho. Ngokomqondo, ngesikhathi sesomiso, izilwane ezinentamo ende zazisinda, futhi lesi sici sazuza inzalo yazo. UDarwin waphikisa ngokuthi noma yisiphi isilwane esinezinyawo ezine ezingabonakali singaba yindlulamithi. Isitatimende esinengqondo impela, ngaphakathi kohlaka lwethiyori yokuziphendukela kwemvelo. Kepha ubufakazi bemivubukulo buyadingeka ukukuqinisekisa.
Ososayensi nabacwaningi kufanele bathole amafomu wesikhashana ahlukahlukene. Kodwa-ke, izinsalela zamathambo ezindlulamithi zanamuhla azihlukile kakhulu kulezo eziphila namuhla. Futhi amafomu wesikhashana asuka entanyeni emfushane aye kokude awatholakali kuze kube manje.
