West Coast National Park
Facts and practical information
The West Coast National Park lies 88 km north of Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is 36,259.8 hectares in size. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the west and the R27 coastal road, and runs from the town of Yzerfontein in the south up to the Langebaan Lagoon. The park was proclaimed in 1985. The park is particularly well known for its bird life and for the spring flowers which occur in the months from August to September, especially in the Postberg flower reserve section of the park. The park, with the islands in Saldanha Bay, has been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area. ()
Best Ways to Experience the Park
Wildlife
AnimalsSee what popular animal species you can meet in this location.
Secretarybird
The secretarybird or secretary bird is a large, mostly terrestrial bird of prey. Endemic to Africa, it is usually found in the open grasslands and savanna of the sub-Saharan region. John...
Birds
Martial eagle
The martial eagle is a large eagle native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is the only member of the genus Polemaetus. A species of the booted eagle subfamily, it has feathering over its tarsus.
Birds
Steppe eagle
The steppe eagle is a bird of prey. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. It was once considered to be closely related to the non-migratory tawny eagle and the two forms...
Birds
African penguin
The African penguin, also known as the Cape penguin or South African penguin, is a species of penguin confined to southern African waters.
Birds
Black crowned crane
The black crowned crane, also known as the black crested crane, is a bird in the crane family Gruidae. It occurs in dry savannah in Africa south of the Sahara, although in nests in somewhat...
Birds
Western Cape