Kunezinhlobo zezinyoni ezingaphezu kuka-11,000 emhlabeni futhi eyodwa kuphela engenamsila. Uyamazi ukuthi ungubani?
ikiwi
Igama lesiLatini lale nyoni lithi Apteryx, okusho ukuthi “elingenamaphiko”. Umsuka waleli gama uvela esiGrekini sasendulo, lapho uhlamvu lokuqala elithi “a” lisho “ukuntuleka” kanti lonke igama lisho “iphiko”. Igama elithi “kiwi” livela olimini lwesiMaori, okudabuka kulo le nyoni.
I-Kiwi iwukuphela kohlobo lwe-Lepidoptera ngokohlelo lwe-Kiwipodidae. Isakazwa kuphela endaweni yaseNew Zealand. Lolu hlobo luhlanganisa ingqikithi yezinhlobo ezinhlanu ezikhona, zonke ezisengozini yokushabalala. Nakuba bebiza i-kiwi ngokuthi “inyoni engenamaphiko”, akunjalo ngempela. Amaphiko e-kiwi awekho ngokuphelele, kodwa ajwayele indlela yokuphila yasemhlabeni. I-kiwi inesakhiwo sesici sezimpaphe zayo, izinwele zabo zixhunywe "ngezingwegwe" futhi zimelela isakhiwo esiyinkimbinkimbi esivumela inyoni ukuba indize noma ibhukude, igcine amandla ayo ngangokunokwenzeka.
I-Kiwi isengozini
Kunezinyoni ze-kiwi ezingaba ngu-68,000 kuphela ezisele emhlabeni. Njalo ngonyaka isibalo sabo sehla cishe ngo-2% ngonyaka. Ngakho-ke, iNew Zealand yamukela uhlelo lokwandisa inani lalezi zilwane ezihlala endaweni yayo. Ngo-2017, uhulumeni waseNew Zealand wamukela i-Kiwi Recovery Plan 2017-2027, inhloso yalo okuwukwandisa isibalo sezinyoni sifinyelele ku-100,000 eminyakeni engu-15. Ezweni, le nyoni ibhekwa njengophawu lwesizwe.
Ibukeka kanjani inyoni ye-kiwi?
I-kiwi isayizi yesikhukhukazi sasekhaya, ingafinyelela ku-65 cm ubude, ukuphakama okungaphezu kuka-45 cm. Isisindo sazo sihluka kusuka ku-1 kuya ku-9 kg, nenyoni evamile enesisindo esingu-3 kg. I-kiwi inomzimba omise okwepheya nekhanda elincane elinentamo enkulu. Amehlo enyoni nawo mancane, awekho ngaphezu kuka-8 mm ububanzi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, i-kiwi inamehlo ampofu kakhulu kuzo zonke izinyoni. Uqhwaku lwe-kiwi luqondile - lude kakhulu, luncane futhi lubucayi. Kwabesilisa, ifinyelela ku-105 mm, kanti kwabesifazane - kufika ku-120 mm. I-kiwi ukuphela kwenyoni emakhaleni ayo engekho phansi, kodwa ekugcineni koqhwaku.
Amaphiko e-Kiwi aqinile futhi angaba ngu-5 cm ubude. Ekupheleni kwamaphiko anozipho oluncane futhi afihleke ngokuphelele ngaphansi koboya obuminyene. Ezinyaweni, le nyoni inezinzwane ezi-3 phambili futhi eyodwa ibheke emuva, njengazo zonke izinhlobo zezilwane. Iminwe igcina ngezinzipho ezicijile. I-kiwi igijima kakhulu, igijima ngisho kunomuntu.
Isithombe: I-Smithsonian's National Zoo kanye ne-Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC
