Izihluthulelo ezi-3 Zokulondoloza I-Tobacco Caye

nguMichael Bourie, i-TOF Intern

Ngemva kokuchitha ukhisimusi wokugcina uhlanganiswe ngaphakathi ngigwema iqhwa, nginqume ukuchitha lesi sikhathi sasebusika esidlule e-Caribbean ngenza izifundo zenkambu ye-tropical marine ecology nge-Institute for Sustainable International Studies. Ngachitha amasonto amabili ngihlala eTobacco Caye ngasogwini lwaseBelize. I-Tobacco Caye ithuthukiswe khona kanye e-Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. Cishe ingamahektha-skwele amane futhi inezakhamuzi ezihlala unomphela eziyishumi nanhlanu, nokho isakwazi ukuba nayo, lokho abantu bendawo abakubiza ngokuthi, “umgwaqo onguthelawayeka” (yize ingekho imoto eyodwa endaweni yomfula).

Cishe amakhilomitha ayishumi ukusuka edolobheni eliseduze lechweba laseDangriga, iTobacco Caye isusiwe endleleni yokuphila evamile, yansuku zonke yaseBelize. Ngemva kokugadla kweSiphepho uMitch ngo-1998, ingqalasizinda eningi yaseTobacco Caye yonakaliswa. Iningi lezindawo zokulala ezimbalwa ezise-caye zisalungiswa.

Isikhathi sethu ku-caye asizange sichithe. Phakathi kwama-snorkel amaningi ngosuku, kungaba ngasogwini nasezikhumulweni zemikhumbi, noma ukuhamba ngesikebhe ngokushesha, izinkulumo esiteshini sase-Tobacco Caye Marine Station, ukugibela izihlahla zikakhukhunathi, ukuxhumana nomphakathi wendawo, kanye nokulala ngezikhathi ezithile ku-hammock, babehlale begxile ekufundeni mayelana nezinhlelo zasolwandle ze-Mesoamerican barrier reef.

Nakuba sifunde ukwaziswa okubalulekile kwe-semester emasontweni amabili, izinto ezintathu ikakhulukazi zanamathela kimi mayelana neTobacco Caye nemizamo yayo yokonga olwandle.

Okokuqala, abantu bendawo baye bakha igobolondo le-conch elizungeza umgodi ngomzamo wokuvimbela ukuguguleka okwengeziwe. Unyaka ngamunye, ugu lolwandle luyancipha futhi i-caye kakade encane iba yincane nakakhulu. Ngaphandle komhlume ominyene owawuvame ukubusa isiqhingi ngaphambi kokuthuthuka komuntu, ugu lubhekene nokuguguleka kwamagagasi okweqile, ikakhulukazi ngesikhathi seziphepho. Izakhamuzi ze-tocco caye zisiza ngokunakekela izindawo zokulala, noma zingabadobi. Izinhlanzi ezivame kakhulu nezidumile zomdobi weTobacco Caye yi-conch. Lapho bebuyela e-caye, bakhipha i-conch egobolondweni bese bephonsa igobolondo ogwini. Iminyaka yalo mkhuba empeleni idale umgoqo omkhulu ogwini. Kuyisibonelo esihle somphakathi wendawo uhlangana ndawonye ukusiza ukulondoloza i-caye ngendlela esimeme futhi eco-friendly.

Okwesibili, uhulumeni waseBelize wasungula iSouth Water Caye Marine Reserve ngo-1996. Bonke abadobi baseTobacco Caye bangabadobi abanekhono futhi babejwayele ukudoba ngasogwini lolwandle. Nokho, njengoba iTobacco Caye ilele esiqiwini sasolwandle, bayazi ukuthi kufanele bahambe ibanga elingangekhilomitha ukusuka ogwini bayodoba. Nakuba abadobi abaningi bekhungathekile ngenxa yokuphazamiseka kwesiqiwi sasolwandle, sebeqala ukubona ukusebenza kwayo. Baqaphela ukukhula kabusha kwezinhlobonhlobo zezinhlanzi abangakaze bazibone kusukela beseyizingane, ubukhulu bama-spiny lobster, i-conch, nenqwaba yezinhlanzi zasogwini ziyanda, futhi ngokombono wesinye isakhamuzi, inani elandayo lezimfudu zasolwandle ezizalela ogwini. Ugu lweTobacco Caye okokuqala ngqa eminyakeni engaba yishumi. Kungase kube ukuphazamiseka okuncane kubadobi, kodwa indawo yokulondoloza amanzi ngokusobala inomthelela omkhulu, omuhle ohlelweni lwendalo yasolwandle.
 

Okwesithathu, futhi muva nje, ukuhlasela kwe-lionfish kuthinta ezinye izinhlanzi eziningi. I-lionfish ayiveli e-Atlantic Ocean ngakho-ke inezilwane ezidla ezinye zemvelo ezimbalwa kakhulu. Futhi iyinhlanzi edla inyama futhi idla izinhlanzi eziningi ezitholakala e-Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. Emzamweni wokulwa nalokhu kuhlasela, iziteshi zasolwandle zendawo, njenge-Tobacco Caye Marine Station, zikhuthaza i-lionfish ezimakethe zendawo zezinhlanzi ukuze zandise isidingo futhi zinxenxe abadobi ukuba baqale ukudoba inqwaba yale nhlanzi enobuthi. Lesi esinye isibonelo sezinyathelo ezilula imiphakathi eseziqhingini zaseBelize ezithathayo ukuthuthukisa nokulondoloza lesi simiso esibalulekile sezinto eziphilayo zasolwandle.

Izithombe zihlonishwa nguMichael Bourie

Isithombe 1: Umgoqo wegobolondo lekhontshi

Isithombe 2: ukubuka okuvela ku-Reef's End Tobacco Caye

Isithombe 3: I-Tobacco Caye

Isithombe 4: I-Mufasa i-Lionfish