Kunkuru

Kunkuru wata dabba ce daga cikin rukunin dabbobin da ake kira reptiles, wato dabbobin da ke da sanyi a jiki, masu saɓa kamar macizai, kada da kadangaru. Dabbobi ne da ba sa iya daidaita zafin jikinsu da kansu, sai dai yanayin da suke ciki ne ke ƙayyade yadda zafin jikinsu zai kasance. Saboda haka, a lokacin sanyi sukan riƙa bin duk wurin da rana take domin su ɗumama jikinsu, yayin da a lokacin zafi kuma sukan nemi inuwa ko ruwa domin sanyaya jikinsu.

Kunkuru na ɗaya daga cikin dabbobin da ke da natsuwa, juriya, da tsawon rai. Dabba ce mai tafiya a hankali amma da tabbaci da yaƙini, wadda ke nuna halin haƙuri da kwanciyar hankali. Wannan dabi’a ta sa a wasu al’adu ake ɗaukar kunkuru a matsayin alamar natsuwa, hikima, da tsawon rai.

Babban abin da ya fi bambanta kunkuru da sauran dabbobin rukunin reptiles shi ne saɓar jikinsa ko fatarsa. Wato wani ɓangori ne mai ƙarfi, mai tauri da ke rufe jikinsa gabaɗaya. Wannan ɓawon yana aiki a matsayin garkuwa da kariya daga maƙiya, daga dukan abu, daga zafi, da kuma haɗarin yanayi. Tsarin ɓawon yana da ban mamaki saboda yana haɗe da kasusuwa na jikinsa; wato ƙashin bayansa da ƙashin ƙirjinsa duk sun haɗu sun zama wani abu guda mai ƙarfi.

Siffar kunkuru

Jikin kunkuru yana daga cikin mafi ban sha’awa a cikin dabbobin rukunin reptiles saboda tsarin halittarsa mai ƙarfi da ban mamaki. Jikinsa yana da sassa biyu manya da ake kira da carapace (ɓawon sama) da plastron (ɓawon ƙasa). Waɗannan sassan biyu suna haɗuwa a gefen jikinsa suna kafa wata cikakkiyar garkuwa mai ƙarfi da ke kare dukkan sassan jikin.

Ɓawon sama, yana ɗauke da ƙasusuwa da launin fata mai santsi ko kuma ɗan kauri bisa nau’in kunkurun. Yawanci yana da zane-zane ko layuka da ke bambanta da kowane irin kunkuru. Ɓawon  ƙasa, yana kare cikinsa da ƙafafunsa daga ƙasa. Haɗin waɗannan bangarori biyu ke ba kunkuru kariya daga kowane ɓangare.

Kunkuru yana da kai, ƙafa huɗu, da wutsiya. Waɗannan sassan suna da ƙarfi kuma suna taimaka masa wajen motsi da kare kai. Amma idan ya ji haɗari, yana iya janye waɗannan sassan cikin ɓawonsa gabaɗaya. Wannan siffa ta musamman tana taimaka masa ya tsira daga maƙiya kamar zaki, kare, ko jemage. Wasu nau’o’in kunkuru na iya rufe bakin ɓawonsu gabaɗaya ta yadda babu wani ɓangare da zai bayyana. Hakan ya zama ɗaya daga cikin mafi ƙarfi tsarin kariya a cikin dabbobi.

Ƙafafu da tsarin tafiya

Idan aka dubi ƙafafun kunkuru, ana iya gane irin nau’in kunkurun da ake magana akai.

Kunkurun ruwa yana da ƙafafu masu kama da fin (flipper), waɗanda suke da fata mai faɗi tsakanin yatsun ƙafafun. Wannan na taimaka masa sosai wajen iyo a cikin ruwa cikin sauƙi da sauri.

Kunkurun ƙasa kuma yana da ƙafafu masu kauri, masu ƙashi da ƙwari, suna kama da na giwaye. Wannan siffa tana taimaka masa wajen tunkarar ƙasa mai duhu, ƙura, da tsakuwa.

Kunkurun da ke rayuwa a doron ƙasa da cikin ruwa (terrapin) kuwa suna da ƙafafu da suka haɗa siffofi biyu, suna iya taimakawa wajen tafiya a ƙasa da kuma yin iyo a cikin ruwa.

Kunkuru na tafiya cikin nutsuwa da sanyin jiki. Ba ya yin sauri, amma yana tafiya da tabbacin isa inda yake so. Wannan salon tafiya yana nuna tsarin rayuwarsa mai cike kwanciyar hankali da haƙuri.

Kai, ido da hanci

Kunkuru yana da kai mai ɗan ƙaramin girma, amma mai matuƙar ƙarfi. Idanunsa biyu suna da ƙarfin ganin nesa, musamman a cikin haske. Yawancin kunkuru suna iya gane launuka, musamman kore da ruwan ƙasa, waɗanda ke taimaka musu wajen bambance ciyayi da sauran abinci.

A gaban kansa akwai ƙofofin hanci biyu, waɗanda suke aiki wajen shakar iska da jin ƙamshi. Wannan yana taimaka masa wajen gano abinci ko gano maƙiyi daga nesa.

Kodayake ba shi da kunne da ake iya gani a waje, kunkuru yana jin sauti ta wata hanya ta musamman. Jin sauti na zuwa ta cikin ƙasusuwa da fatar kansa, inda yake iya lura da girgiza ko motsi a ƙasa ko cikin ruwa. Wannan tsarin yana taimaka masa wajen gane abin da ke kewaye da ita, musamman lokacin da yake cikin ruwa.

Wutsiya da launin jiki

Kunkuru yana da wutsiya mai gajarta wadda ke fitowa daga ƙarshen ɓawon da ke ƙasa. Wannan wutsiya tana taimakawa wajen daidaita tafiyarsa da motsinsa, musamman ga kunkurun cikin ruwa. Wasu nau’o’in kunkurun ma suna amfani da wutsiya wajen kare kai daga maƙiya ƙanana.

Launin jiki da ɓawon kunkuru yana bambanta bisa jinsin kunkuru da muhalli. Akwai masu launin kore, ruwan kasa, baki, ko rawaya, wasu kuma suna da haɗaɗɗen zane mai kama da layuka ko ƙyalli. Wannan launi ba kawai ado ba ne, yana kuma taimakawa wajen ɓoye wa maƙiya, musamman a cikin ciyayi ko a ƙarƙashin ruwa.

Tsarin numfashi da jin zafi

Kunkuru yana numfashi ta hanci, amma ba shi da ƙirji mai faɗi kamar dabbobin rukunin mammals. Saboda haka, yana amfani da ƙashin ciki da ƙafafu wajen taimaka wa numfashi. Kunkurun ruwa, yana iya riƙe numfashi na tsawon lokaci, mintuna 30 zuwa awa ɗaya, saboda yana rage saurin bugun zuciya a lokacin nutsuwa.

Rayuwar kunkuru

Kunkuru na daga cikin dabbobin da suka fi nuna juriya da daidaituwa da muhalli. Wannan dabba tana iya rayuwa a wurare daban-daban, gwargwadon nau’inta da yanayin jikinta. Wasu kunkuru na rayuwa a cikin ruwa, wasu a ƙasa, yayin da wasu ke iya zama a tsakanin ruwa da ƙasa. Wannan bambanci ne ke sa masana kimiyya suka rarrabe su zuwa rukuni uku:

• Kunkurun ruwa

Waɗannan sukan rayu a teku, koguna, ko tafkuna. Sun fi dacewa da ruwa saboda jikinsu ya daidaita da iyo; ƙafafunsu sun zama kamar fin (flipper) masu taimaka musu wajen motsi cikin ruwa da sauri. Sukan fito ƙasa ne kawai lokacin da za su haƙa rami domin ajiye ƙwai.

• Kunkurun ƙasa

Su kuma suna rayuwa ne a ƙasa busasshiya, ciyayi, da dazuzzuka. Suna da ƙafafu masu kauri da ƙarfi, waɗanda ke taimaka musu wajen tafiya a doron ƙasa mai dutse ko ƙura. Ɓawonsu kuma ya fi na sauran kunkuru kauri, domin kare su daga zafi da maƙiya.

• Kunkurun terrapin

Su ne kunkuru masu iya rayuwa a wurare masu ruwa da ƙasa duka. Suna daɗewa a cikin ruwa, amma kuma suna iya fita doron ƙasa domin shakatawa ko neman abinci.

Kunkuru dabba ce mai sanyin jiki, jinin jikinsa yana bin yanayin zafin muhalli. Idan rana ta yi zafi, jikinsa yana ɗumi; idan kuma yanayi ya yi sanyi, jikin nasa yana sanyaya. Saboda haka, kunkuru yana yawan fitowa cikin rana domin ɗumama jikinsa, musamman da safe. Wannan ɗumama jikin a rana tana taimaka masa wajen narkar da abinci da kuma motsa jiki.

A lokacin sanyi mai tsanani, musamman a wuraren da ake da hunturu, wasu kunkuru kan shiga wani yanayi na barci mai tsawo da ake kira hibernation. A wannan lokaci, sukan ɓoye kansu cikin ramuka, ƙasan duwatsu, ko cikin laka a ƙarƙashin ruwa. Zuciyarsu da numfashinsu sukan yi rauni sosai, jikinsu ya yi sanyi, sannan su rage cin abinci har sai lokacin sanyi ya wuce. Da zarar yanayin zafi ya dawo daidai, sai su farka su ci gaba da rayuwa.

A wuraren da babu sanyi sosai, irin wannan yanayi na hibernation ba ya faruwa. Amma maimakon haka, wasu kunkuru sukan shiga wani yanayi na hutawa saboda zafi mai tsanani, wanda ake kira aestivation. Wannan na faruwa ne a lokacin bazara mai tsanani, inda sukan ɓoye a ƙasa don kauce wa zafi.

Kunkuru na iya rayuwa shekaru masu yawa, wasu nau’o’i na kunkurun ƙasa ana kiyasta suna rayuwa har fiye da shekaru 100 zuwa 150, yayin da kunkurun ruwa kuma na iya kaiwa shekaru 70 zuwa 100. Wannan tsawon rai yana da alaƙa da yadda suke cin abinci kaɗan, motsi a hankali, da tsarin jikinsu da ke rage lalacewa cikin sauri.

Wasu daga cikin shahararrun nau’o’in kunkuru sanannu a duniya sun haɗa da:

• Green Sea Turtle – Kunkurun teku mai launin kore, wanda ke cin tsirran ruwa da algae.
• Leatherback Turtle – Kunkuru mai ɓawo mai taushi kamar fata, wanda shi ne mafi girma a dukkan kunkuru.
• Aldabra Giant Tortoise – Babban kunkurun ƙasa daga tsibirin Seychelles, wanda yake iya kaiwa nauyin sama da kilo 200.
• Snapping Turtle – Kunkuru mai ƙarfi da saurin cizo, wanda ke da gashi a baka mai kama da gatari, kuma yana da haɗari idan aka tsokane shi.

Abincin kunkuru

Kunkuru dabba ce mai cin abinci iri-iri, ya danganta da nau’in da kuma wurin da yake rayuwa. Abincinsa ya dogara da yanayin jikinsa, muhallinta, da irin tsarin bakin da yake da shi.

Kunkurun ƙasa yawanci masu cin tsirrai ne. Suna cin ganyaye, ƙwayoyi, rassa ƙanana, da ‘ya’yan itatuwa. A wasu lokuta sukan ci wasu ƙananan ƙwari ko kwari, amma abincinsu mafi yawa ya ƙunshi tsirran daji.

Kunkurun ruwa kuma suna da abinci gauraye, wato suna cin kifaye ƙanana, ƙwaro, dabbobin ruwa ƙanana kamar jellyfish, algae, da tsirran ruwa.

Kunkurun terrapin suna cin duk abin da suka samu a ruwa ko ƙasa, saboda haka su ne mafi bambancin abinci a cikin nau’o’in kunkuru.

Kunkuru na amfani da bakinsa musamman wajen yankar ko ruguza abinci. Duk da cewa ba su da haƙora na zahiri, suna da bakin da ya yi kauri kuma mai kaifi kamar beak, wanda ke yin aikin haƙora. Wannan beak yana taimaka musu wajen yankar ganye, cin ƙwari, ko ruguza ƙwayoyi.

A cikin ruwa, kunkuru sukan ci abinci ta hanyar haɗawa da numfashi saboda ba sa iya tsotsa da ƙarfi. A ƙasa kuma, suna tauna abinci a hankali saboda tsarin jikinsu na natsuwa da rashin gaggawa.

Tsarin haihuwar kunkuru

Kunkuru yana haihuwa ta hanyar ƙwai, kuma wannan yana daga cikin muhimman dabi’un da suka bambanta shi da sauran dabbobin reptiles. Mace ce ke ɗaukar ƙwai, yayin da namiji ke yin tarayya da ita a cikin ruwa ko ƙasa.

A lokacin haihuwa, mace kunkuru tana fita bakin teku ko kuma ƙasa mai laushi inda take haƙa rami da ƙafafunta na baya, wanda zai zama wajen ajiye ƙwai. Wannan aiki yakan ɗauki lokaci mai tsawo, saboda tana yin shi cikin nutsuwa da kariya daga haɗari. Bayan ta gama haƙa raminta, sai ta fara saka ƙwai ɗaya bayan ɗaya har su kai adadi tsakanin 30 zuwa 150, ya danganta da jinsin kunkurun.

Ƙwan kunkuru suna da siffar zagaye kuma suna da ɓawo mai laushi, ba kamar ƙwai na tsuntsaye ba. Bayan ta gama saka su, sai ta rufe ramin da yashi ko ƙasa, sannan ta koma cikin ruwa ko ta tafi daga wurin, ba tare da ta kula da ƙwai ko ‘ya’yan ba.

Lokacin da ake ɗauka kafin ƙwan su ƙyanƙyashe yakan ɗauki makonni 6 zuwa 12, ya danganta da yanayin zafi da danshi. Zafin ƙasa yana da muhimmanci sosai a wannan lokaci, domin yana iya ƙayyade jinsin kunkurun da zai fito. Idan zafin ya yi yawa, yawanci ‘ya’yan mata ne ke fitowa; idan kuma zafi ya yi ƙasa, yawanci maza ne ke fitowa. Wannan abin mamaki ne da ke nuna yadda yanayi ke taka rawa a tsarin haihuwar kunkuru.

Da zarar ƙwai sun ƙyanƙyasu, ƙananan kunkuru sukan fara tserewa cikin sauri zuwa ruwa ko wurin da danginsu ke rayuwa. Wannan tafiyar ta farko ita ce mafi haɗari a rayuwarsu, domin yawancin su sukan zama ganima ga tsuntsaye, kifaye, ko dabbobin da ke tsaka da farauta. Sai kaɗan daga cikinsu ne ke tsira su girma su zama manya.

Wannan tsarin haihuwa da rashin kula da ‘ya’ya bayan fitar su daga rami yana nuna irin juyin halitta da ke taimaka wa kunkuru su tsira a yanayi mai cike da haɗari. Kowane nau’i na macen kunkuru tana saka ƙwai masu yawa domin tabbatar da cewa ko da ɗaya daga cikinsu ne ya tsira, jinsinta zai ci gaba da wanzuwa.

Alfanun kunkuru

Kunkuru na da matuƙar muhimmanci ga ɗan Adam ta fuska daban-daban kamar al’adu, kimiyya, muhalli, da kuma magani.

• Fagen al’adu

A fannin al’adu, kunkuru na ɗaya daga cikin dabbobin da ake ɗaukarsu a matsayin masu natsuwa, hikima, da ɗaukar hankali. A wasu al’ummomin Afirka, Asiya da ƙasashen Gabas, ana ganin kunkuru alama ce ta tsawon rai da kwanciyar hankali saboda jinkirinsa da rayuwarsa mai tsawo.

Wasu tatsuniyoyi da labaran gargajiya sun bayyana kunkuru a matsayin dabba mai basira wadda ke yin abubuwa cikin natsuwa. Haka kuma, a al’adun Sinawa da Indiyawa, ɓawon kunkuru zagayayye yana wakiltar duniya ko halittar sararin samaniya saboda sifarsa ta musamman.

• Fagen abinci da magani

A fannin abinci da magani, wasu al’ummomi suna amfani da naman kunkuru, man jikinsa, ko bawonsa wajen yin wasu nau’o’in magungunan gargajiya. Ana danganta amfani da waɗannan sassa wajen maganin cututtuka irin su cututtukan fata, ciwon jijiya, da rage zafin jiki. Duk da haka, masana muhalli da hukumomin kiwon namun daji suna jan hankalin jama’a cewa irin wannan amfani yana barazana ga rayuwar kunkuru, domin yana rage yawan jinsunan da ke tsira daga lalacewa.

• Fagen kimiyya

A fannin kimiyya kuma, kunkuru na taka muhimmiyar rawa wajen nazarin juyin halitta, musamman wajen fahimtar yadda dabbobin ruwa da ƙasa ke musanya rayuwa tsakanin waɗannan wurare. Masana sun yi amfani da kunkuru wajen gano dangantakar halittar reptiles da sauran jinsunan dabbobi. Haka kuma, ana amfani da shi wajen nazarin tsarin numfashi, kwanciyar hankali, da yadda wasu halittu ke daidaita yanayin zafi a jikinsu.

• Fagen muhalli

A fannin muhalli, kunkuru yana taimakawa wajen kiyaye daidaiton halittun ruwa da ƙasa. Kunkurun ruwa na cin algae, ƙananan ƙwayoyin halittun ruwa, da ganyaye wanda hakan ke taimakawa wajen tsaftace tafkuna da koguna. Kunkurun ƙasa kuma na cin tsirrai, ƙwari, da ƙwayoyin ƙasa wanda ke taimakawa wajen inganta amfanin ƙasa. Ta wannan hanya, kunkuru yana taka muhimmiyar rawa wajen daidaita tsarin samuwar abinci da kuma tabbatar da dorewar yanayi.

Manazarta

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). (2024). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Testudines.  International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Lovich, J. E., & Ennen, J. R. (2013). A reassessment of global turtle declines: Slow and steady wins the race. Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 8(2), 141–157.

Rhodin, A. G. J., Iverson, J. B., Bour, R., Fritz, U., Georges, A., Shaffer, H. B., & van Dijk, P. P. (2021). Turtles of the world: Annotated checklist and atlas of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution, and conservation status (9th ed.). Chelonian Research Foundation and Turtle Conservancy.

World Wildlife Fund (WWF). (2023). Sea turtles: Threats and conservation. World Wildlife Fund.

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