Izinyoni ezimbili zezinhlanzi ziqapha ichweba elithambile, iphethini lazo elihlukile lomnyama, omhlophe kanye noboya be-chestnut likhazimula ngesibindi elangeni lasekuseni. Ngokungazelelwe, izinyoni ziphonsa amakhanda azo emuva ngomsindo ohlabayo novusa inkanuko. Ogwini lwesihlabathi olungezansi, isilo esikhulu sengwenya esidla kahle siyaphaphama, sethukile sisuka ebuthongweni baso. Sinyathela phakathi kwezihlahla eziqinile, siwela emanzini phambi kwesikebhe, singabonakali ngaphandle kwamehlo amabili omlindi abheka phezulu kobuso ukuze aqaphe ukunyakaza kwethu.
Isiqhingi saseRubondo sifihlwe ekhoneni eliseningizimu-ntshonalanga yeLake Victoria, ichibi lesibili ngobukhulu emhlabeni, ulwandle oluphakathi nezwe oluphakathi kweTanzania, i-Uganda neKenya. Njengoba ineziqhingi ezincane eziyishumi nanye ngaphansi kwephiko layo, iRubondo ivikela izindawo eziyigugu zokuzalela izinhlanzi. I-tilapia emnandi yakha ukudla okuyinhloko kwama-otter anamabala aphuzi adlala emachwebeni amatshe esiqhingini, kuyilapho i-Nile perch edla inyama, eminye inesisindo esingaphezu kuka-100kg, iheha abadobi bezilwane zokuzijabulisa abafuna ukubamba irekhodi lomhlaba.
I-Rubondo ingaphezu nje kwendawo emangalisayo yamanzi. Amabhishi anesihlabathi angenalutho ahlala eduze kwengubo yehlathi elingakaze libonwe, lapho i-bushbuck enamabala ihambisa khona imikhumbi kodwa ithule phakathi kwenqwaba yama-tamarind, amasundu asendle, namakhiwane e-sycamore ahlanganiswe nekheji lezimpande ezilandelanayo. I-sitatunga yasemanzini embozwe ngama-shaggy, kwenye indawo eyi-antelopes engabonakali kakhulu, ibonakala kalula, hhayi kuphela emaxhaphozini e-papyrus evame ukuhlala kuwo, kodwa nangaphakathi kwehlathi.
Izinyoni zigcwele yonke indawo. Imihlambi yama-parrot ampunga ase-Afrika – akhishwe esiqhingini ngemuva kokuba ethathwe kubathumeli abangekho emthethweni – ayakhala ngendlela ehlekisayo njengoba ephaphazela ngamandla phakathi kwezihlahla. Ukukhanya okukhanyayo kwe-malachite kingfisher ehlezi phansi emhlangeni kuncintisana nomsila omuhle, ogelezayo we-paradise flycatcher njengoba undiza ehlathini logwini lwechibi. Ama-heron, ama-stork kanye nama-spoonbill ayanda emaphethelweni echibi elinamaxhaphozi, anezelwa izinkulungwane zabantu abavela e-Eurasia ngesikhathi sasebusika sasenyakatho. Amaphunga e-jasmine yasendle, ama-orchid ahlukene angu-40 kanye nephunga elimnandi nelingenakuchazwa elivela ehlathini.
Amaphesenti angamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye epaki ayihlathi elinomswakama; okusele kusuka endaweni evulekile yotshani kuya ezindaweni eziseduze kwechibi ze-papyrus. Izinhlobo eziningana zezilwane ezincelisayo zomdabu - imvubu, inkawu ye-vervet, i-genet kanye ne-mongoose - zabelana ngendawo yazo yokuhlala evikelwe nezinhlobo ezethulwe njenge-chimpanzee, i-colobus emnyama nemhlophe, indlovu kanye nendlulamithi, zonke ezizuza ngokungafinyeleleki kweRubondo.
