Abashayeli bemikhumbi babhekene nenkinga enkulu ebangelwa izilwanyana nezimila zasolwandle ezinamathela emikhunjini. Lokhu kwenza imikhumbi ingahambi ngokushesha, idle kakhulu uphethiloli futhi idinge ukukhandwa kaningana. Ososayensi bazama ukuthola isixazululo sale nkinga ngokuhlola imvelo.

Cabanga ngalokhu: Ucwaningo lubonise ukuthi isikhumba somkhomo onamaphiko amade (i-Globicephala melas), siyakwazi ukuzihlanza. Sineminkenke emincanyana eyenza ukuba onoshobishobi bezilwane ezinamathelayo bangakwazi ukubambelela kuso. Le minkenke igcwele uketshezi olujiyile olubulala ulwelwesi oluluhlaza namabhakthiriya. Njalo lapho umkhomo webuza, ukhiqiza uketshezi olusha.

Ososayensi bazama ukukopela indlela isikhumba somkhomo esizihlanza ngayo ukuze baqhamuke nezindlela zokuvimbela izilwanyana nezimila zasolwandle ukuba zinganamatheli emikhunjini. Ngaphambili, kwakusetshenziswa opende ukuze kuliwe nale nkinga. Omunye wopende ababesetshenziswa kakhulu awusavunyelwe ngenxa yezingozi obuzibangela ezintweni eziphila olwandle. Abacwaningi bacabanga ukuthi bangayixazulula le nkinga ngokwenza izimbobo emzimbeni womkhumbi ezikhipha ikhemikhali engeke ibangele izingozi, bese bebeka inetha locingo phezu kwalezi zimbobo. Leli khemikhali liyajiya lapho lihlangana namanzi, kwakheke isivikelo esinjengesikhumba emkhunjini. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi lesi sikhumba esiwugqinsi olungamamilimitha angaba ngu-0.7, siyasuka emkhunjini sihambe nazo zonke izilwanyana nezimila ebesezinamathele kuwo. Kube sekwakheka isikhumba esisha.

Ucwaningo olwenziwe lubonise ukuthi le ndlela inganciphisa ukunamathela kwezilwanyana nezimila emikhunjini ngezinga eliphindwe izikhathi eziyikhulu. Lokhu kungaba inzuzo kakhulu ezinkampanini zemikhumbi ngoba kuyabiza ukukhipha umkhumbi emanzini ukuze uhlanzwe.

Ucabangani? Ingabe kwavele kwazenzakalela ukuba umkhomo ube nesikhumba esikwazi ukuzihlanza, noma kunothile owawudala ngale ndlela?