Iingenelo Zamahlathi Ashinyeneyo

NGOWE-1844, umphengululi ongumGrike uKonstantin von Tischendorf wafumana amaphepha ali-129 emibhalo-ngqangi yamandulo emgqomeni wenkunkuma kumzi woonongendi. UTischendorf wahamba nala maphepha axabiseke kakhulu, yaye ngoku abumba inxalenye yeCodex Sinaiticus—enye yeyona mibhalo-ngqangi ebalaseleyo yeBhayibhile.

Obo butyebi bafunyanwa kuselithuba. Amahlathi ashinyeneyo—anexabiso elingakhathalelwanga kangako—anelishwa. Minyaka le ebudeni bexesha lonyaka xa kubalele, abafuyi kwanabalimi ababhadulayo babasa umlilo omkhulu odangazela de kukhanye isibhakabhaka. UAl Gore, ngoku ongusekela-mongameli waseUnited States, owazibonela ngawenyama umlilo omkhulu okwiAmazon, wathi: “Le ntshabalalo ayikholeleki. Yeyona nto imbi yakhe yenzeka embalini.”

Akufane kwenzeke ukuba sitshise into esiyaziyo ukuba ixabisekile. Into ebuhlungu ngamahlathi ashinyeneyo kukuba ayatshatyalaliswa ngaphambi kokuba kuqondwe indlela axabiseke ngayo, ngaphambi kokuqonda indlela asebenza ngayo, kwanangaphambi kokwazi oko akuquletheyo. Ukuntumeka amahlathi ashinyeneyo kunjengokubasa ithala leencwadi kuba ufudumeza indlu—ungakhange ukhangele oko kuqulethwe zezo ncwadi.

Kwiminyaka yakutshanje izazinzulu ziye zaqalisa ukufunda ezi “ncwadi,” inkcazelo eninzi equlethwe ngala mahlathi ashinyeneyo. Anikela “inkcazelo” ebangela umdla.

Ihlathi Elingafani Namanye

Umbhali waseSpeyin uGonzalo Fernández de Oviedo ngowe-1526 wathi: “Imithi yeeIndies yinto engenakucaciswa, ngenxa yobuninzi bayo.” Kwiinkulungwane ezintlanu kamva oko wakuthethayo kuseyinyaniso. Umbhali uCynthia Russ Ramsay ubhala esithi: “Amahlathi ashinyeneyo, yeyona ndawo yahlukileyo, eyona intsokothileyo, neyona ingaqondwa kakuhle emhlabeni.”

Umfundi wezebhayoloji ngamahlathi akweleenjiko uSeymour Sohmer uthi: “Asimele siyilibale into yokuba sazi kancinane okanye asazi nento le ngendlela inkoliso yamahlathi akweleenjiko afumileyo enziwe ngayo kwanendlela asebenza ngayo, singasathethi ke ngezinto eziphila apho.” Izinto ezininzi eziphila apho kwanendlela entsonkothileyo ezihlobene ngayo zenza ukuba umsebenzi wabaphengululi ube ngomkhulu gqitha.

Amahlathi anemozulu epholileyo asenokuquka kuphela iindidi zemithi ezimbalwa kwihektare. Kwelinye icala, isiqingatha sehektare samahlathi ashinyeneyo, sisenokuxhasa eyahlukahlukeneyo engama-80, nangona isimbuku semithi kwihektare enye kuphela singumlinganiselo wama-700. Ekubeni ukucalucalula izinto ezahlukahlukene ngolo hlobo kungumsebenzi onzima noyindinisa, kuphela ziziqwenga zamahlathi ashinyeneyo ezimbalwa ezingaphezu kwehektare enye eziye zahlolisiswa. Noko ke, ezo ziye zahlolwa zinemiphumo emangalisayo.

Uninzi lwemithi eyahlukahlukeneyo luyinzuzo gqitha kubantu abaninzi abahlala emahlathini—ngaphezu kwayo nayiphi na indlela abantu abaye bacinga ngayo. IU.S. National Academy of Sciences ithi indawo eqhelekileyo eziiskwe khilomitha ezilishumi yamahlathi ashinyeneyo amandulo isenokuba nezidalwa ezanyisayo ezahlukeneyo ezinokuba li-125, izirhubuluzi ezili-100, iintaka ezingama-400, neentlobo zamabhabhathane ali-150. Ngokwentelekiso, siphawula ukuba umNtla Merika wonke kuphela ufumana okanye utyelelwa ziindidi zeentaka ezingaphantsi kwe-1000.

Nangona kunofumaneka iintlobo ntlobo zezityalo nezilwanyana kwindawo enkulu enamahlathi ashinyeneyo, ezinye zifumaneka kuphela nje kudederhu lwentaba enye. Yiloo nto ebangela zibe sengozini engako. Ngexesha abagawuli babegqiba ukugawula ithambeka lentaba e-Ecuador kwiminyaka embalwa ngaphambili, kwakunyamalele izityalo ezahlukahlukeneyo ezikhula kuloo ndawo kuphela ezingama-90.

Phantsi kweemeko ezimbi ezinjalo, iUnited States Interagency Task Force kuMahlathi eleeNjiko icebisa ngelithi: “Ibutho lezizwe ngokukhawuleza limele lithabathe inyathelo elikhawulezileyo ngale ngxaki ukuba ezi zinto zixabisekileyo mhlawumbi nezingenakuphinda zibekho kwakhona ziya kukhuselwa ekutshatyalalisweni ekuqaleni kwenkulungwane ezayo.”

Kodwa kusenokuphakama umbuzo: Ngaba ezi zinto zendalo zibaluleke kangako? Ngaba ukutshatyalaliswa kwamahlathi ashinyeneyo kuyabuchaphazela ubomi bethu?

Ukutya, Umoya Ococekileyo Namayeza

Ngaba uqalisa usuku ngesitya seecornflakes, mhlawumbi ngeqanda elibilisiweyo, kwanekomityi yekofu? Ukuba kunjalo, ngendlela engangqalanga uyangenelwa kumahlathi akweleenjiko. Ingqolowa, ikofu, inkuku ebeke iqanda, kwanenkomo yobisi—zonke zivela kwizilo nakwizityalo zamahlathi akweleenjiko. Ingqolowa ivela eMzantsi Merika, ikofu isuka e-Ethiopia, izikhukukazi zasekhaya zazivela kwintaka yasendle yaseAsia, yaye iinkomo zasederi zivela kwiibanteng ezisengozini zaseMzantsi-mpuma Asia. Incwadi ethi Tropical Rainforest ithi: “Ngokupheleleyo ama-80 ekhulwini ezinto esizityayo zivela kweleenjiko.”

Umntu akanako ukuyityeshela imvelaphi yokutya kwakhe. Zombini izilimo kwanemfuyo zisenokuba buthathaka ngenxa yokuzalelana ngokugqithiseleyo. Kumahlathi ashinyeneyo, kwanezinto ezahlukahlukeneyo eziphilayo, kusenokufumaneka izinto eziyimfuneko nezahlukahlukeneyo ngokwemfuza ukuze komelezwe ezi zityalo okanye izilwanyana. Ngokomzekelo, ingcaphephe yezityalo yaseMexico uRafael Guzmán uye wafumanisa uhlobo olutsha lwengca olufanayo nengqolowa yezi mini. Oko wakufumanayo kwabavuyisa abalimi kuba le ngca (Zea diploperennis) iyakwazi ukumelana nezifo ezihlanu kwezisixhenxe ezibulala isilimo sengqolowa. Izazinzulu zinethemba lokusebenzisa le ngca intsha ekuveliseni uhlobo lwengqolowa eza kumelana nezifo zengqololwa.

Ngowe-1987 urhulumente waseMexico wakhusela iintaba apho le ngqolowa yasendle ifumaneka khona. Kodwa ngenxa yokutshatyalaliswa kwamahlathi amaninzi, izinto eziphilayo ezixabisekileyo njengale ngokungathandabuzekiyo ziyatshabalala, kwanangaphambi kokuba zaziwe. Kumahlathi akuMzantsi-mpuma Asia, kukho uhlobo lweenkomo eziliqela zasendle ezinokuqinisa ukukhula kwemihlambi yasekhaya. Kodwa zonke ezi zinto ziphilayo zisecicini lokutshatyalaliswa ngenxa yokutshatyalaliswa kwendawo yazo.

Umoya ococekileyo ubaluleke kwanjengokutya esikutyayo. Njengokuba nabani na okunandiphayo ukuhamba kancinane ehlathini eye waphawula, imithi inemisebenzi exabiseke kakhulu yokuzalisa isibhakabhaka ngeoksijini. Kodwa xa itshiswa, kuphuma ikharbhon ekwifomu yekharbhon diokside kwanekharbon monokside. Zombini ezi gesi zibangela ingxaki.

Bambi baqikelela ukuba izinto ezenziwa ngumntu seziye zayiphinda kabini ikharbhon diokside kumoya womhlaba. Nangona ungcoliso olubangelwa yimizi-mveliso luye lwabekwa ityala, kuthiwa ukutshiswa kwamahlathi kuye kwabangela ama-35 ekhulwini ayo yonke ikharbhon diokside ekhoyo. Yakuba isemoyeni, ikharbhon diokside ibangela oko kubizwa ngokuba ngumphumo wegreenhouse, nto leyo izazinzulu ziqikelela ukuba iya kubangela iingxaki ezinkulu zobushushu emhlabeni.

Ikharbhon monokside iyingozi nangakumbi. Ngulaa mxube wenkungu nomsi oyityhefu ebulalayo ofumaneka kumahlomela edolophu. Kodwa umphengululi uJames Greenberg wothuka ukufumana “ikharbhon monokside phezu kwamahlathi eAmazon elingana nekumahlomela edolophu yaseUnited States.” Ukutshiswa kwamahlathi eAmazon ngokungenankathalo kuye kwangcolisa kwaeso sibhakabhaka imithi yayiyilelwe ukuba isicoce!

Phezu kwako nje ukuba ngumthombo wokutya nomoya ecocekileyo, amahlathi ashinyeneyo asenokuba ngumthombo wamayeza ahlukahlukeneyo. Ikota yawo onke amayeza oogqirha abawancomelayo asuka kwizityalo ezikhula kumahlathi akweleenjiko. Kumahlathi asoloko enamafu aseAndes kufumaneka iquinine, enyanga isifo seengcongconi; kummandla weAmazon, icurare, esetyenziswa ekuthambiseni izihlunu xa kusenziwa utyando; yaye eMadagascar, intyantyambo ebomvu iperiwinkle, incindi yayo esindisa abaninzi abanesifo ileukemia. Phezu kwayo nje le miphumo ibangela umdla, kuphela sisi-7 ekhulwini kwizityalo zonke zakweleenjiko eziye zahlolisiswa enoba zingasetyenziwa kusini na njengamayeza. Yaye ixesha liyaphela. IUnited States Cancer Institute ilumkisa ngelithi “ukuxhaphaka kokuncitshiswa kwamahlathi afumileyo akweleenjiko kusenokuliphazamisa ngokunzulu iphulo lokulwa umhlaza.”

Kukho eminye imisebenzi ebalulekileyo eyenziwa ngamahlathi ashinyeneyo—nangona ukubaluleka kwayo kungafane kuxatyiswe de amahlathi abe akakho. Phakathi kwayo kukulungelelanisa imvula nobushushu kwanokuthintela ukukhukuliseka komhlaba. Incwadi ethi The Emerald Realm: Earth’s Precious Rain Forests inikela le ngxelo: “Zininzi gqitha iingenelo zamahlathi akweleenjiko ngaphezulu lee kokuba sinokuqonda namhlanje. Kodwa siyazi kwangoku ukuba ixabiso lawo alinakubalwa.”

“Siya Kugcina Kuphela Oko Sikuthandayo”

Ukutshabalalisa izinto ezisixhasa ngokwenene eneneni bubudenge. Ngaphezu kweminyaka engama-3000 eyadlulayo, uThixo wayalela amaSirayeli ukuba agcine imithi yeziqhamo xa esilwa nedolophu yotshaba lwawo. Wawanika isizathu esicace gca: “Uya kudla kuwo.” Ukongezelela, “imithi yasendle asingobantu ukuba ingqingwe nguwe.” (Duteronomi 20:19, 20, The New English Bible) Kunokuthethwa okufanayo nangamahlathi ashinyeneyo angqongiweyo.

Ngokucacileyo, amahlathi ashinyeneyo, njengemithi yeziqhamo, axabiseke ngakumbi xa eshiywe emile kunaxa egawuliwe. Kodwa kweli hlabathi lanamhlanje, iingenelo zokwexeshana ngokuqhelekileyo ziyakugqwesa ukuxabiseka kwexesha elide. Noko ke, imfundo isenokuguqula izimo zengqondo. Isazi ngendalo saseSenegal uBaba Dioum sithi: “Eneneni siza kugcina kuphela oko sikuthandayo; siya kuthanda kuphela oko sikuqondayo; yaye siya kuqonda kuphela oko sikufundileyo.”

UTischendorf wawaba loo maphepha akudala kwiNtlango yaseSinayi kuba wayeyithanda imibhalo-ngqangi yamandulo yaye wayefuna ukuyilondoloza. Ngaba abantu abaninzi ngokwaneleyo baya kufunda ukuthanda amahlathi ashinyeneyo kuselithuba ukuze bawasindise?

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 27]

Ukuntumeka amahlathi ashinyeneyo kunjengokubasa ithala leencwadi kuba ufudumeza indlu—ungakhange ukhangele oko kuqulethwe zezo ncwadi

[Ibhokisi/Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 24, 25]

Ukulondoloza Izidalwa Zamahlathi

UJESÚS ELÁ wayezingela iigorila kwanezinye izilwanyana zamahlathi ashinyeneyo aseAfrika kangangeminyaka enokuba li-15. Kodwa akasazingeli. Uye waba ngumkhenkethisi kwipaki yomyezo wendalo obekelwe bucala ukuze kukhuselwe iigorila zasemazantsi e-Equatorial Guinea ezingama-750.

UJesús uthi: “Ndiyakunandipha ukuba semahlathini ashinyeneyo xa ndingazingeli. Kum ihlathi linjengedolophu yam kuba ndiziva ndisekhaya apha yaye liyandixhasa ngayo yonke into endiyifunayo. Kumele senze nantoni na ukuze silondoloze amahlathi ukwenzela abantwana bethu.”

UJesús, owabelana nabanye ngothando lwakhe ngamahlathi, unethamsanqa. Ngoku ufumana imali engakumbi ekukhuseleni iigorila kunokuzizingela. Ekubeni abakhenkethi belivuyela ilungelo lokubona izilwanyana zasendle ezinjalo, iipaki zisenokubanika ingeniso abantu basekuhlaleni yaye abakhenkethi baya kuhlala beneenkumbulo zezidalwa ezininzi. Kodwa ngokulondoloza “obu bomi” bungummangaliso, incwadi ethi Tropical Rainforest icacisa isithi, kufuneka “umhlaba omkhulu, oquka, ngokomzekelo, iindawo ezinkulu ezinamanzi.”a

Kutheni iipaki kufuneka zibe nkulu kangako ukuze zibe yindawo efanelekileyo yokukhusela izilwanyana? UJohn Terborgh, kwincwadi yakhe ethi Diversity and the Tropical Rain Forest, ubonisa ukuba inani leejaguars (malunga nama-300 ezindala ezanyisayo) zifuna malunga neeskwe khilomitha ezingama-7500. Uqukumbela esithi: “Ngokwale ngxelo kukho iipaki ezimbalwa emhlabeni ezinendawo eyaneleyo yokugcina ii-jaguars.” Izingwe zinokufuna kwanendawo ephangalele ngakumbi. Izingwe ezanyisayo (izilwanyana ezingama-400) zisenokufuna indawo enkulu engangeeskwe khilomihta ezingama-40 000.

Ngokubekela ecaleni iindawo ezizingelayo ezinjengezi zezilwanyana, indawo yonke yamahlathi ashinyeneyo ngokufanayo anokukhuselwa. Njengengenelo eyongezelelekileyo, ezi zilwanyana zinendima enkulu ekugcineni impilo yezilwanyana zasekuhlaleni.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi/Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 8, 9]

Izidalwa Ezinkulu Nezincinane

1. Uninzi lweentothoviyane zamahlathi ashinyeneyo zinemibala emihle. Ezinye izinambuzane ziyakwazi ukujika iimbonakalo zazo kangangokuba akunakuzibona ngokulula

2. Amabhabhathane zezona zidalwa zibonwa msinyane nezona ziethe-ethe kumahlathi ashinyeneyo

3. Iqela leenkawu ezijinga kumasebe ngamasebe amakhulu yenye yezinto ezibangela umdla kula mahlathi

4. Nangona ijaguar kungenakukhanyelwa ukuba yinkosi yamahlathi ashinyeneyo aseMerika, zimbalwa izazi ngezemvelo eziye zayibona endle

5. Iorchid e-ethe-ethe ihombisa amahlathi anamafu amanzi aphezu kweentaba zakweleenjiko

6. Zingaphantsi kwama-5000 izingwe ezisele endle

7. Uqongqothwane irhinoceros waseNtshona Afrika uneempondo ezoyikekayo kodwa awunabungozi

8. Nangona iigorila zizizidalwa ezikhuselekileyo, inyama yazo isafumaneka kwiimarike zaseAfrika. Esi silwanyana sikhulu sizolileyo sidla umfuno yaye sihamba hamba ehlathini ngokwamaqela eentsapho

9. Iiocelots zazifunwa apho bezikho ngenxa yesikhumba sazo esihle gqitha

10. Izikhwenene ziphakathi kwezona ntaka zingxolayo nezona zingaboyikiyo abantu ehlathini

11. Njengokuba amehlo ayo amakhulu ebonisa, igalago ikhangela ukutya kwayo ebusuku

[Inkcazelo]

Foto: Zoo de la Casa de Campo, Madrid

Foto: Zoo de Baños

[Inkcazelo]

Foto: Zoo de Baños

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 23]

Amahlathi ashinyeneyo avelisa (1) i-“cacao,” (2) intyantyambo ebomvu i-“periwinkle,” eluncedo ekunyangeni i-“leukemia,” (3) neoli eyenziwe ngeziqhamo zesundu (4) Ukutshatyalaliswa kwamahlathi kukhokelela ekuphihlikeni komhlaba