ISIBONAKALISO SEMPONDO: I-Springbok
ISpringbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) iyisilwane esisobala, esinokukhanga okukhulu, esivame ukuhlala e-Afrika nasempumalanga neBhalwe. Leli zinkanyezi leli limnandi liphila ezindaweni ezahlukene ezifana nezinkanyezi, imifula, nezindawo ezikahle ezisemaphandleni. Kukho izinzuzo eziningi zokuba khona kwe-springbok ezizweni ezahlukene kwaleli. Lezi zibani zaziwa kakhulu ngokuphuma kwazo emhlabeni, futhi ziye zaba yizimpawu zezwe laseNingizimu Afrika.
ISpringbok iyaziwa ngokusebenza kwayo okujabulisayo kwezokuthutha, okwenziwayo ngokuhamba kakhulu ngezinyawo. Ekuqaleni, lezi zibani zaziwa ngendlela yokuphuma emkhathini, lapho zikhombisa khona izikhumbuzo ezinhle zokuphila. Lokhu kubizwa ngokuthi i-‘pronking’ – abantu baziqhenya ngempilo ehlangene ne-springbok.
Izibani ze-springbok zinesici sokukhiqiza izincithakalo eziphakeme kakhulu ze-oxalate, ezitholakale endaweni ezenzakalayo. Izinyoni zibhalwe kabanzi, futhi zikhona ngemithwalo enkulu kuzo ezikhathini zakudala nasezimfundiseni. Abantu springbok bafunde nge-springbok, ngomlando nogogo bazo – lezi zibani zisebenze njengezimpawu zenkululeko nokuzimela.
ISpringbok ibaluleke kakhulu ezindaweni zemvelo ngenxa yokuthuthukiswa kwezimali. Umkhiqizo we-springbok ushintshwe kakhulu, kodwa izinyoni ziwusizo ekwandiseni umnotho wendawo. Izindawo zempilo yendawo zikhula futhi zigcwele izimvula, okwakha amahlathi ahlanzekile kulezo zindawo ezikhethiweyo.
ISpringbok ibaluleke kakhulu ezinhlelweni zokuphila komphakathi. Ibizwa ngegama « i-springbok » eNingizimu Afrika, kanti ibonwa njengomfanekiso ozokhumbula osingathile umzabalazo wokwakha izwe. Ayinankinga nezinye izilwane ezithathwa njengesigcawu. Ngokomlando, ibonwa njengesibopho sezwe elithi iNingizimu Afrika, futhi ukuchithwa kwayo kuthinta ikhono lokuphila kwabantu.
Ngokuvamile, isithombe se-springbok sikhangisa izilwane eziningi emhlabeni, futhi i-springbok iyingxenye ebalulekile yokwakha umhlaba ophilayo. Izindawo ezitholakalayo zokubuka i-springbok zithokozisa izivakashi, zenze izindlela ezimnandi ezikhumbulekayo kanye nemicimbi ethokozisayo.
