Arthur Greene
Izinkawu ezinkulu zase-Afrika zibhekene nokucekelwa phansi ngokuphelele kwendawo yazo yemvelo eminyakeni engama-30 ezayo, kuxwayisa ucwaningo olukhulu.
“Isiphepho” sokuguquka kwesimo sezulu, ukugawulwa kwamahlathi kanye nokwanda kwenani labantu kuzoqothula u-94% wezindawo zazo zokuhlala ngonyaka wezi-2050.
Zonke izinkawu zase-Afrika, ama-gorilla nama-bonobos sezivele zisengozini noma zisengozini enkulu. Lesi sibikezelo singazishiya onqenqemeni lokuthi zishabalale.
Ososayensi abavela emanyuvesi angaphezu kwama-50 bashicilele abakutholile kuphephabhuku ye-Diversity and Distributions.
Babheke imiphumela emibili engahle ibe khona; kuleyo miphumela akukho ngisho nowodwa ophethe izindaba ezinhle ngezimfene zezwekazi.
Esimweni sokuqala, ososayensi babheke umthelela ezindaweni zezimfene uma umhlaba uhluleka ukwenza ushintsho ngesimo sezulu. Uma kunjalo, u-94% wendawo yazo zemvelo izokonakala.
Baphinda babheka umthelela ezindaweni ezihlala izinkawu uma umhlaba uthatha izinyathelo ezibalulekile ngokulwa nokuguquka kwesimo sezulu eminyakeni engama-30 ezayo. Kulesi simo, izimfene zizolahlekelwe cishe ngu-85% wamakhaya azo.
“Kuyinto embi kakhulu ezihlotsheni zethu eziseduze kakhulu zofuzo,” kusho uJoana Carvalho, ongusosayensi wase-UK ohola lolu cwaningo, etshela i-Guardian.
“Uma sengeza ukuguquguquka kwesimo sezulu kwizimbangela zamanje zokulahleka kwensimu, imiphumela iyethusa.”
Ucwaningo luthole ukuthi inkinga yesimo sezulu izokwenza izindawo eziningi eziphansi, okuyindawo yezinkawu eziningi zase-Afrika, zishise, zome futhi kungabe kusahlaleka khona.
Ngenxa yalokhu, izitshalo nezilwane kuzophoqeleka ukuba zikhuphuke. Ezindaweni lapho amagquma ephansi kakhulu khona, inani labantu lizoshabalala.
Kuzoba nezindawo zokuhlala ezilungele izinkawu ezinkulu, kodwa ochwepheshe besaba ukuthi zizofuduka kancane kakhulu ukufinyelela kuzo.
UCarvalho uthe abantu kumele benze umzamo wokubasiza ngokubeka izindawo ezivikelekile lapho bangahlala khona. Izixhumanisi kufanele futhi zibekhona phakathi kwalezi zindawo ukuze ama-primates akwazi ukuhamba ngokuphepha phakathi kwawo.
Kodwa-ke, isivikelo esibaluleke kakhulu esingasinikeza izinkawu ezinkulu zase-Afrika ukuthi amazwe acebile anciphise ukufunwa kwawo kwamaminerali omakhalekhukhwini, izingodo, namafutha esundu. Le mikhiqizo inomthelela omubi ezilwaneni.