West Coast National Park

West Coast National Park
Granite formations overlooking the Langebaan Lagoon (top). A black-headed heron (middle left). White rain daisies blooming during the spring flower season (middle right). Closeup of a blooming flower field during the spring flower season (bottom left). View over a field during the spring flower season with the Atlantic Ocean in the background (bottom right).
Map
LocationWestern Cape, South Africa
Nearest cityLangebaan
Coordinates33°7′15″S 18°4′0″E / 33.12083°S 18.06667°E / -33.12083; 18.06667
Area362.59 square kilometres (140.00 sq mi)
Established1985
Administered bySouth African National Parks
WebsiteWest Coast National Park - SANParks

The West Coast National Park lies 88 km (55 mi) north of Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa.[a] The park is found inside of the Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserve, part of the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme. 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 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.[1] The park was proclaimed in 1985,[2] and is 36,259.8 hectares (140.000 sq mi) in size.


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  1. ^ "Important Bird Areas factsheet: West Coast National Park and Saldanha Bay islands". BirdLife International. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  2. ^ Chittenden, Hugh (1992). Top Birding Spots in Southern Africa. Southern. p. 367. ISBN 1 86812 419 3.