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The Living Planet Campaign



President Mandela Pledges Cape Park as Gift to The Earth

June 4th, 1998

A carpet of wild flowers covers the Coastal Fynbos region of South Africa's West Coast National Park

GLAND, Switzerland-- In honour of World Environment Day on June 5, South African President Nelson Mandela today designated the newly created Cape Peninsula National Park as a Gift to the Earth. Through these gifts, which are part of the conservation organisation WWF's Living Planet Campaign, governments, international organisations, individuals and corporations work together to achieve unprecedented levels of nature conservation.

The new park includes the spectacular Table Mountain and stretches all the way to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope. It is home to some 2285 plant species of which 105 are endemic, and an even greater number of endemic animal species. The park will also protect the Cape Floral Kingdom - one of the world's richest and most diverse regions for wild fauna and flora.

"WWF has greatly assisted South African National Parks through the establishment of the Table Mountain Fund," President Mandela declared. "I am therefore happy to announce that the proclamation of this new national park will be a South African "Gift to the Earth' in terms of WWF's Living Planet Campaign. South Africa, as a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity, is committed to playing its role in the conservation of the global environment."

On a personal note he added, "For centuries Table Mountain has been a symbol of our mother city, Cape Town. During the many years of incarceration on Robben Island, we often looked across Table Bay at its magnificent silhouette....To us on Robben Island, Table Mountain was a beacon of hope. It represented the mainland to which we knew we would one day return."

Welcoming the announcement WWF's President Emeritus, The Duke of Edinburgh, observed, "President Mandela's proclamation....ensures the conservation of the natural environment of Table Mountain and of the whole of the Cape Peninsula. The future of this unique and beautiful place has now been made secure for the people of South Africa and the world. It is indeed a most far-sighted "Gift to the Earth'."

The Cape Sugarbird (Promerops caffer) is the main pollinator of the endemic protaecheas flowers in the Fynbos region, South Africa.

Major threats such as invasive alien vegetation, ever increasing development and the uncontrolled use of the Cape Peninsula area have led to a rapid disappearance of unique life forms such as the endangered Table Mountain ghost frog. Another one of the fascinating "missing links" in the animal kingdom is the very rare peripatus which is found in cool forested ravines under litter and decaying logs.  Several other endemic invertebrates, like the Table Mountain cave shrimp and the cave dwelling Table Mountain camel cricket have no living relatives elsewhere in Africa. The genes of these species are unique and have now been protected for future generations.

For more information, please contact
Ronel Beukes at WWF South Africa:
Tel +27 21 8872801, Fax +27 21 8879517
or Javier Arreaza at WWF International +41 22 3649550