Celebrating Nelson Mandela Day

Posted in: Conservation

67 Minutes for Wildlife: Honouring Mandela Through Conservation

Every year on 18 July, South Africans and people around the world mark Nelson Mandela Day by dedicating 67 minutes of their time to acts of service. This represents the 67 years Mandela spent fighting for justice, freedom, and human dignity. At Africam, we believe this spirit of service should extend to the natural world, a world that Madiba deeply respected and hoped future generations would cherish and protect. Mandela’s words are a call to action. Especially now, as Africa’s most iconic species face grave threats from poaching, habitat destruction, and climate change.

He once warned:

“If we do not do something to prevent it, Africa’s animals, and the places in which they live, will be lost to our world, and her children forever.”

Nelson Mandela understood that the fate of wildlife and the fate of people are deeply intertwined. He didn’t see conservation as an elite pursuit, but as a form of justice and community empowerment. Back in the early 1990s, Mandela supported community-based ecotourism in regions like kaNgwane, enabling local people to benefit from the protection of wildlife through jobs and sustainable development. He believed that when communities are empowered to protect their environments, conservation becomes a tool for dignity. In 2001, Mandela inaugurated a cross-border wildlife corridor, allowing elephants and other species to move freely between Kruger National Park in South Africa and Limpopo National Park in Mozambique. This visionary project wasn’t just ecological, it was a political reconciliation through nature, a living metaphor for unity and freedom.

He famously said: 

“We must never forget that the people who live in the rural areas and who are the custodians of our natural heritage are the ones most affected by environmental degradation.”

Nelson Mandela at the South Africa–Mozambique border during the inauguration of the Limpopo Transfrontier Park, symbolising regional unity and cross-border conservation.

How You Can Spend Your 67 Minutes for Wildlife

Whether you live in the heart of the bush or far from the wild, there are meaningful ways you can use your time to make a difference today:

• Clean up a local green space: Even a small litter cleanup at a park or river helps protect animals that might be affected downstream.
• Support anti-poaching efforts: Donate to or learn about organisations working to protect rhinos, pangolins, and other vulnerable species.
• Share a conservation message: Use your voice on social media to educate others about the importance of wildlife protection. You could share a favourite Africam sighting or a fact about your favourite animal.
• Volunteer your skills: Are you a writer, designer, or teacher? Offer your time to an environmental group that needs help spreading its message.
• Watch, connect, and appreciate: Take 67 minutes to observe nature – whether it’s through Africam’s live streams or a walk in your area. The more we connect to nature, the more we feel inspired to protect it.

Conservation Is a Collective Act of Service

Just like Mandela’s lifelong commitment to justice, conservation is not a one-day event, it’s an ongoing journey, and Nelson Mandela Day offers us the perfect opportunity to recommit. At Africam, we witness moments of wild beauty every day – a leopard prowling under moonlight, a baby elephant taking its first steps, or a waterhole teeming with life. These are moments worth protecting.

This Mandela Day, let’s honour Madiba’s legacy by protecting the wild freedom he held so dear. Let’s give our 67 minutes not just to each other, but to the incredible creatures we share this world with.