West Coast National Park
Protected area known for birds and spring flowers.
The West Coast National Park is a protected area located 88 km north of Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It lies within the Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserve, part of the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and the R27 coastal road, stretching from Yzerfontein to the Langebaan Lagoon. The park is notable for its bird life and spring flowers, particularly in the Postberg flower reserve section.
- location
- Western Cape, South Africa
- established
- 1985
- size
- 36,259.8 hectares
- type
- National Park
- notable_for
- Bird life and spring flowers
- biosphere_reserve
- Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserve
Quick Facts
- Location
- Western Cape, South Africa
- Nearest City
- Langebaan
- Area
- 362.59 km2
- Established
- 1985
- Administrator
- South African National Parks
- Website
- https: · www.sanparks.org/parks/west-coast · West Coast National Park - SANParks
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Langebaan Lagoon was proclaimed a marine reserve in 1973, and concerns over its condition led to a 1976 proposal for urgent protection. The Langebaan National Park was declared in 1985, expanded in 1987 with land from the Department of Forestry and neighboring farms, and renamed West Coast National Park that same year. In 2000, the park and lagoon were added to the UNESCO Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserve.
Reader's Guide
The West Coast National Park is significant for its role in conserving the Langebaan Lagoon, a Ramsar site, and its importance as an Important Bird Area identified by BirdLife International. The park protects large antelope such as eland and bontebok, and hosts many Palearctic migrant birds in the lagoon during the austral summer. Its spring flowers, including White rain daisies and Gousblom, bloom from August to September, especially in the Postberg section, which is only open during those months. The park's diverse habitats—fynbos, lagoon, and coastal islands—support a wide variety of flora and fauna, including breeding colonies of Kelp and Hartlaub's gull, Cape gannet, and African penguin.
Did You Know?
- The park lies 88 km north of Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa.
- The Langebaan Lagoon was proclaimed a marine reserve in 1973.
- The Postberg flower reserve section is only open during August and September.
- The park has been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area.
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