Kukho ngaphezu kwe-11,000 iintlobo zeentaka emhlabeni kwaye inye kuphela engenamsila. Ngaba uyazi ukuba ingubani?
ikiwi
Igama lesiLatini lale ntaka nguApteryx, ngokoqobo lithetha "amaphiko". Imvelaphi yeli gama livela kwisiGrike samandulo, apho unobumba wokuqala "a" uthetha "ukunqongophala" kwaye lonke igama lithetha "iphiko". Igama elithi "kiwi" livela kulwimi lwesiMaori, indawo eyazalelwa kuyo le ntaka.
I-Kiwi kuphela kwe-genus kwintsapho ye-Lepidoptera ngokulandelelana kwe-Kiwipodidae. Isasazwa kuphela kwintsimi yaseNew Zealand. Olu didi luquka iindidi ezintlanu zizonke, zonke zisemngciphekweni wokuphela. Nangona bebiza i-kiwi ngokuthi "intaka engenamaphiko", akunjalo ncam. Amaphiko e-kiwi awakho ngokupheleleyo, kodwa aye aqhelana nendlela yokuphila yasemhlabeni. I-kiwi inesakhiwo esineempawu zeentsiba zayo, iinwele zabo zidibaniswe "neegwegwe" kwaye zimele isakhiwo esiyinkimbinkimbi esivumela ukuba intaka ibhabhe okanye ibhukude, igcine amandla ayo kangangoko kunokwenzeka.
IKiwi isengozini
Kukho malunga ne-68,000 yeentaka ze-kiwi eziseleyo emhlabeni. Nyaka ngamnye inani labo lehla nge-2% ngonyaka. Ngoko ke, iNew Zealand yamkele isicwangciso sokwandisa inani lezi zilwanyana ezihlala kwintsimi yayo. Ngo-2017, urhulumente waseNew Zealand wamkela iSicwangciso soBuyiselo se-Kiwi 2017-2027, injongo yoko kukwandisa inani leentaka ukuya kwi-100,000 kwiminyaka eyi-15. Kweli lizwe, le ntaka igqalwa njengomfanekiso welizwe.
Ibukeka njani intaka yekiwi?
I-kiwi ubukhulu benkukhu yasekhaya, inokufikelela kwi-65 cm ubude, kubude obungaphezu kwama-45 cm. Ubunzima babo buhluka ukusuka kwi-1 ukuya kwi-9 kg, kunye neentaka eziqhelekileyo ezinobunzima be-3 kg. Ikiwi inomzimba omile okwepere kunye nentloko encinci enentamo enkulu. Amehlo entaka nawo mancinci, akukho ngaphezu kwe-8 mm ububanzi. Ukongezelela, i-kiwi ineyona ntaka ingaboni kakuhle kuzo zonke iintaka. Umlomo wekiwi ukhethekileyo - ude kakhulu, ubhityile kwaye ubuthathaka. Kwindoda, ifikelela kwi-105 mm, kwaye kwabasetyhini - ukuya kwi-120 mm. Ikiwi kuphela kwentaka empumlo yayo ingekho emazantsi, kodwa kwincam yomlomo.
Amaphiko eKiwi anqabile kwaye malunga ne-5 cm ubude. Ekupheleni kwamaphiko anozipho oluncinci kwaye zifihlwe ngokupheleleyo phantsi koboya obukhulu. Ezinyaweni, le ntaka ineenzwane ezi-3 ukuya phambili enye ijikelwe ngasemva, njengolunye uhlobo. Iminwe iphela kwiziphoso ezibukhali. Ikiwi ibaleka kakhulu, nangaphezu komntu.
Ifoto: IZiko leZoo leSizwe likaSmithsonian kunye neZiko leBhayoloji yoLondolozo, Washington, DC
