Ama-alligator—Ayivelakancane, Amhlophe, Futhi Anamehlo Aluhlaza!
UMBIKO olandelayo uCurt Burnette awulungiselela i-Audubon Institute ulandisa ngama-alligator amhlophe aphawulekayo.
“Lama-alligator anesikhumba esimhlophe namehlo aluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka awumkhiqizo woshintsho lwezici zofuzo ze-alligator yaseMelika kodwa awalona uhlobo oluhlukile. Lolushintsho lwezici zofuzo lubizwa ngokuthi ubu-leucism, ngakho-ke lawa ama-alligator ohlobo lobu-leucism. Ama-albino anesikhumba esimhlophe namehlo aphuzi ngokubomvana. Izilwane zohlobo lobu-leucism zinamehlo anemibala eshintshashintshayo. Ubu-albino buyivelakancane kodwa ubu-leucism buyivelakancane ngisho nakakhulu. Nakuba ubu-leucism butholakala nakwezinye izinhlobo ezimbalwa zezilwane, ama-gator amhlophe angama-alligator okuqala aziwayo ohlobo lobu-leucism.
“Kunama-gator angu-18 amhlophe, wonke atholakala esidlekeni esisodwa ngasekupheleni kuka-August, ngo-1987. Atholwa abadobi abathathu baseCajun eduze naseHouma, eLouisiana, eningizimu-ntshonalanga yeNew Orleans. Cishe ayenesonto elilodwa kuya kwamabili ubudala lapho awokuqala elethwa e-Audubon Zoo ngo-September 5, 1987. Ngaphandle kwalawa angu-18 amhlophe, kwathunjwa angu-7 azalwa nawo anombala ovamile futhi inani elingaziwa lavamile labaleka. Lesidleke satholakala endaweni ye-Louisiana Land and Exploration Company (LL&E). Nakuba indawo esatholakala kuyo lesidleke igadiwe futhi kwaqoqwa amaqanda achanyuselwa, awekho amanye ama-gator amhlophe aye atholakala.
“Wonke lama-gator angu-18 amhlophe nazalwa nawo angu-7 avamile angamaduna. Lokhu kungenzeka ngoba ubulili bezinyane le-alligator buxhomeke ezingeni lokushisa kwesidleke futhi kanjalo wonke angaba amaduna, izinsikazi, noma ingxubevange. Njengoba kubhalwa lokhu, lama-gator afinyelela ekuvuthweni ngokobulili (iminyaka engu-5 kuya kwengu-6). Ubukhulu bawo engu-18 buyahlukahluka kusukela kumafidi amahlanu [imitha nengxenye] namaphawundi angu-50 kuya kwangu-60 [amakhilogremu angu-22 kuya kwangu-27] kuya kumafidi angaphezu kwangu-8 [amamitha angu-2,4] namaphawundi angu-250 [amakhilogremu angu-113]. Lokhu kubangelwa izindlela ezihlukene zokuwanakekela. Ama-gator akhuliswe epulazini lama-alligator lase-LL&E akhula ngokushesha okukhulu.
“I-LL&E inama-gator angu-14 amhlophe futhi ngomusa yanikela ngamane kuyi-Audubon Institute. Okwamanje lenhlangano ibukisa ngamabili e-Audubon Zoo nangamabili e-Aquarium of the Americas. Ama-alligator amabili kubolekiswana ngawo azungeze kwamanye ama-zoo nasezindaweni zokugcina izilwane zasemanzini futhi kakade aseye kulezindawo ezingaphezu kweshumi nambili e-U.S. nakweyodwa eJapane.
“Lama-gator amhlophe aye aduma futhi athandwa emhlabeni wonke. Ukutholakala kwawo kwasakazwa emhlabeni wonke ku-CNN. Aye avezwa kaningana ezinhlelweni zethelevishini kuhlanganise ne-Today Show, i-Nashville Network, i-Tonight Show, i-CBS Morning News, uhlelo i-Late Night with David Letterman, i-Christian Broadcast Network, i-MTV, nasezindabeni nezinhlelo zasekuseni ezihlukahlukene zakwamanye amazwe. Izihloko zamaphephandaba nomagazini emhlabeni wonke ziyawaveza ngezinye izikhathi. Eminyakeni embalwa edlule umagazini othile waseFrance wanyathelisa isihloko nezithombe zawo futhi ukusabela komphakathi kwakukuhle kangangokuba kwanyatheliswa esinye isihloko esiphathelene nawo.
“Kungani kunama-gator amhlophe ambalwa kangaka kodwa kungekho owake wawabona ngaphambili? Ngaphandle nje kokuba imikhiqizo yoshintsho lwezici zofuzo oluyivelakancane, ama-alligator ohlobo lobu-leucism nalawo angama-albino asesimweni esihlukile nesiyingozi kunama-alligator avamile. Lapho izinyane le-gator lichanyuselwa, lingama-intshi angu-8 kuya kwangu-10 [amasentimitha angu-20 kuya kwangu-25] kuphela ubude. Unina walama-gator ugada isidleke okwesikhashana kodwa ngokushesha lama-gator amancane ayazimela. Amazinyane ama-gator avamile asanda kuchanyuselwa anemithende ephuzi nemnyama futhi afana nendawo ewazungezile. Izinyane elimhlophe lingabonakala kalula futhi libe isisulu sezilwane eziningi ezidla ezinye.
“Amaqiniso amabili okugcina athakazelisayo nangavamile ngama-gator amhlophe: amabala awo amnyama nobunjalo bawo. Ambalwa kakhulu kulama-gator amhlophe achanyuselwa enamabala amnyama. Amaningi ayengenawo nhlobo. Nokho, njengoba ekhula, amaningi aqala ukuba nezindawo ezimnyama. Cishe wonke lamabala ayetholakala ekhanda nasentanyeni kuphela. Kuye kwakwenza kwaba lula ukuwahlukanisa, nakuba amanye engakaze nakancane abe namabala.
“Okokugcina, bonke abaye basebenza ngama-gator amhlophe bayavuma ukuthi anolaka namawala kakhulu kunama-alligator avamile. Akekho oqinisekayo ukuthi lokhu kubangelwa yini, kodwa aphathwa njengokungathi ayizingwenya ezisheshayo nezihluthukayo kunokuba aphathwe njengama-alligator angasheshi namnene kakhudlwana. Lena ngenye yezimfihlo eziningi zalezimangaliso ezimhlophe ezihlala emaxhaphozini!”—NguCurt Burnette, we-Audubon Institute.
[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 16]
Photos: Audubon Zoo, New Orleans