Njalo ngonyaka, phakathi kwezinyanga zikaMeyi noSepthemba, lesi silwane esibabazekayo sifika osebeni lweCaribbean yaseMexico ukusimangaza ngosayizi waso omkhulu nokudla kwaso kwasekuqaleni. Uyamazi?
1. I- ushaka whale (I-Rhincodon typus) iyinhlanzi enkulu kunazo zonke ekhona emhlabeni, ingafinyelela kumamitha ayi-18 ubude!
2. Lezi zinhlobo zithanda amanzi angaphezulu afudumele, noma lezo zindawo lapho kunezinhlayiya zamanzi acebile acebile ngomsoco, ngoba lezi zimo zithanda ukukhula komhlaba plankton lapho ifutha khona. Lesi ngesinye sezizathu esenza ukuthi kube nabantu abaningi kangaka emanzini aseHolbox (iQuintana Roo), ehlobo.
3. Amabala abakhona oshaka be-whale akhiqize amagama endawo ahlukahlukene njenge i-domino noma inhlanzi yezintokazi, ebhekisa kumdlalo webhodi. Umuntu ngamunye wethula iphethini eyingqayizivele yamabala evumela ukuhlonza kwabo ngawodwana, kufana neminwe yabo yeminwe ngoba ayishintshi ngokukhula. Futhi bangaba nomsebenzi "wokunxenxa umphakathi".
4. I-whale shark imvamisa iyinhlobo ehlala yodwa, yize kwesinye isikhathi ibonwa ihlangene nezikole ze-horse mackerel, imisebe yama-manta nabanye oshaka be-whale.
5. Umkhomo awunazo izici ezivamile nemikhomo ejwayelekile ngaphandle kobukhulu bayo kuphela nokuthi idla kuphela iplankton encane eyiqoqayo ngomlomo ovulekile. Imvamisa izondla noma ingaphansi kancane kobuso, ihlunga izinto ezincane (i-plankton) ezisemanzini ngemishayo yayo.
6. Oshaka be-Whale yizilwane ezi-viviparous futhi ngezinye izikhathi izingane zabo zingabonakala zibhukuda nezindala. Yize kungakabikho zifundo eziqondile zebhayoloji yabo yokuzala, oshaka besifazane be-whale babhalwe ukuthi bakhulelwe izingane ezingafika ku-300!
7. I-whale shark ithobekile futhi imnene futhi ayethuki uma itholwa abatshuzi noma ababhukudi.
8. Ulwazi oluncane olwenziwe kuze kube manje, luthatha ukuthi impilo ende yoshaka be-whale ifinyelela eminyakeni eyikhulu.
9. Ukusatshalaliswa kokhaka whale kuhlanganisa wonke amanzi asezindaweni ezishisayo (ngaphandle koLwandle iMedithera), okungukuthi, lawo manzi atholakala phakathi kwawo womabili amazwe ashisayo omhlaba, futhi akhonjwa ngamazinga okushisa afudumele.
10. Ngokwe-Official Mexican Standard NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2001, lesi silwane esihle singaphansi komkhakha we-Threatened, futhi njengamanje sivikelwe ama-ejensi kazwelonke nemithetho elawula ukubonwa koshaka lomkhomo njengeConanp (ngegama layo elifingqiwe elithi National Commission Wezindawo Ezivikelwe Zemvelo) kanye noMthetho Jikelele Wezilwane Zasendle.
