KWIMINYAKA engamawaka amathathu eyadlulayo, umlawuli waseTshayina wenza umyezo waza wawubiza ngokuba nguMyezo Wobukrelekrele. Kulo myezo kwakukho izilwanyana ezininzi kwaye wawugubungela ummandla weehektare ezingama-607 ubukhulu. Yayinqabe gqitha imiyezo enjalo ngelo xesha.

Noko ke, namhlanje izigidi zabantu ziyakwazi ukuya kwimizi yogcino zilwanyana ehlabathini jikelele. Incwadi ethi Zoos in the 21st Century ithi: “Ekubeni incipha ngamandla imihlaba engaphazanyiswayo ngabantu lisanda nenani labemi abahlala ezidolophini, imizi yogcino zilwanyana sele iyeyona ndawo inceda abaninzi bakwazi ukubona izilwanyana baze bafunde ngazo.”

Imizi yokugcina izilwanyana inceda abantu babone ezinye zezilwanyana ezibangela umdla nezinomtsalane zikwindawo ebufana naleyo zihlala kuyo ngokwemvelo. Kule mizi unokubona amabhabhathane amahle ephaphazela egadini okanye ubone iiphengwini kuzenzele womkhenkce ofana nalowo ukwiAntarctic.

Unokuhamba kwihlathi elincinane leikweyitha ubone ezinye zezilwanyana kunye neentaka ezihlala apho. Unokungena kwigumbi elimnyama uze ubone izinto ezenziwa zezinye izilwanyana ebusuku. Kweminye yale mizi unokubona imiboniso yeentaka ezitya inyama zibhabha okanye ubukele [iidolfini] zisenza uqulukubhede. Sele iyinto yezolo ukuvalelwa  kwezilwanyana eziyingozi kwizindlu ezincinane, ngoku zigcinwa kwindawo ezithe gabalala ezahlulwa yimijelo nje yamanzi ebantwini.

Bambi abalweli bamalungelo ezilwanyana abayiginyi into yokuba izilwanyana zithatyathwe endle zize zigcinwe kwindawo engeyoyamvelo. Bathi oku kuzithintela zingahambi ngokukhululekileyo kuze kuphazamise nethuku lazo.

Xa bezithethelela, abanini bale mizi bathi badlala indima enkulu yokuzilondoloza nokufundisa ngazo. UJaime Rull weFaunia eMadrid eSpeyin uthi: “Injongo yethu kukufundisa abantu ukuba bazihlonele izilwanyana. Sifuna ukunceda abakhenkethi banqwenele ukulondoloza izilwanyana, ekubeni bengena kuqhubeka bephila ngaphandle kwazo.” Olunye uhlolisiso lubonisa ukuba eminye imizi yogcino zilwanyana ikhuthaza abantu ukuba bakhusele izilwanyana ezisengozini yokuphela.

Ezinye izilwanyana ezinqabileyo—njengepanda—kubonakala ukuba zithandwa gqitha ngabantu. UNoelia Benito weMadrid’s Zoo Aquarium uthi: “Bonke abantu abeze apha bafuna ukubona iipanda ezimbini esinazo. Esi silwanyana sithandwayo siye saba luphawu esilusebenzisayo kwiinzame zokuhlangula  iintlobo zezilwanyana ezisecicini lokuphela. Sinethemba lokuba ezi panda ziza kuzala, nakuba zingayixabisanga into yokukhwelana.”

Ngokwahlukileyo kwiipanda, izilwanyana ezininzi zizala nje lula kule mizi, oko kubangelwa kukuphuculwa kweemeko nokufumana ingqalelo yoogqirha bezilwanyana. Le mpumelelo iye yabaval’ umlomo abo bafuna ukuba imizi yogcino zilwanyana ingafaki sandla kwimiba yezilwanyana ezisecicini lokuphela. Ukongezelela ekulondolozeni izilwanyana eziza kuboniswa, imizi yogcino zilwanyana emininzi izama ukunceda ekuzaliseni ezo zisecicini lokuphela ngethemba lokuba ziya kubuyiselwa endle ngenye imini.

Oyena nobangela wokutshabalala kwezilwanyana zasendle kukuphelelwa kwazo yindawo yazo ezihlala kuyo ngokwemvelo. Imizi yogcino zilwanyana imaxhaphetshu ixhasa iinkqubo zokulondolozwa kwezi ndawo, isebenzisana neendawo ezinezilwanyana kumazwe anamahlathi amakhulu. *

Ekubeni inkoliso yabantwana inomdla ngokwemvelo kwizilwanyana, ukutyelela kule mizi ngempela-veki okanye xa intsapho isekhefini kunceda abazali bakwazi ukufundisa abantwana babo ngendalo kaThixo. Bangafumana ithuba lokubukela indalo kunye.

Kwasekuqaleni kwembali, uluntu belusoloko lunomdla kwizilwanyana. Lo ngumdla omele uvuselelwe ebantwaneni, kuba indalo isinceda sifunde ngeempawu zoMdali. Ukutyelela kule mizi kunokusinceda sizihlonele ngakumbi yaye siziqonde izidalwa ezimangalisayo ezikulo mhlaba usesichengeni sokonakala.