I-Katavi, ehlukanisiwe, engaphazanyiswa futhi engavamile ukuvakashelwa, iyihlane langempela, inikeza imiphefumulo embalwa enesibindi efika lapho ngokunambitheka okujabulisayo kwe-Afrika njengoba kumelwe ukuba yayinjalo eminyakeni eyikhulu edlule. Ipaki lesizwe lesithathu ngobukhulu eTanzania, litholakala eningizimu-ntshonalanga yezwe ekude, ngaphakathi kwengalo enqunyiwe yeRift Valley ephela endaweni ejulile, ejulile yeLake Rukwa.
Ingxenye enkulu yeKatavi isekela isembozo esingenazo izici eziningi sehlathi le-brachystegia elixakile, ikhaya lezinhlobo ezinkulu kodwa ezingaqondakali zezilwane zasendle, i-sable kanye ne-roan antelopes ezitholakala endaweni.
Kodwa okugxilwe kakhulu ekubukeni izilwane ngaphakathi kwepaki uMfula iKatuma kanye nezindawo ezigcwele izikhukhula ezifana neLake Katavi neChada ngezikhathi ezithile. Ngesikhathi semvula, la machibi aluhlaza, anamanzi ayindawo yokukhosela izinyoni eziningi zasemanzini, futhi asekela nokugcwala okukhulu kwezimvubu nengwenya eTanzania.
Kungesikhathi sesomiso, lapho amanzi ezikhukhula ebuyela emuva, lapho iKatavi ifika khona ngempela. IKatuma, encishisiwe yaba yimfucumfucu engajulile, enodaka, yakha umthombo wamanzi okuphuza ongamakhilomitha amaningi nxazonke, kanti izindawo ezigcwele izikhukhula eceleni zisekela ukuhlangana kwezilwane okungengabo abakholelwa.
Kulinganiselwa ukuthi izindlovu ezingu-4,000 zingahlangana kule ndawo, kanye nemihlambi eminingana yezinyathi ezingaphezu kuka-1,000, kuyilapho inqwaba yendlulamithi, idube, impala kanye ne-reedbuck ihlinzeka ngokuqoqwa okulula kwezilwane eziningi zamabhubesi kanye nemindeni yezimpisi ezinamabala ezihlala ezindaweni zazo ezihlangana emathafeni agcwele izikhukhula.
Umbukiso wezilwane zasendle oyingqayizivele eKatavi unikezwa yizimvubu zayo. Ngasekupheleni kwesizini eyomile, izilwane ezingafika ku-200 zingase zishaye ndawonye kunoma yiliphi ichibi eliseceleni komfula elinobubanzi obanele. Futhi njengoba izimvubu eziningi zibuthana endaweni eyodwa, nokuncintisana kwamadoda kuyaqina - ukulwa okunegazi endaweni kuyinto yansuku zonke, lapho indoda enqotshiwe iphoqeleka ukuba ihlale emathafeni avulekile ize iqoqe ukuzethemba okwanele ukuze ibeke enye inselele.
