The details
The key conservation areas of West Coast National Park are the Langebaan Lagoon and the offshore islands in Saldanha Bay, which together form the Langebaan Ramsar site, a wetland of international importance.
The lagoon has a rich diversity of marine invertebrates and seaweeds and supports approximately 10% of the coastal wader population in South Africa. The offshore islands provide important nesting areas for several red-listed seabird species.The management focus has since broadened to include the terrestrial surroundings as representative sites of the ecosystem of the West Coast Region. In 1987, the first expansion of the park occurred, including a dune reclamation scheme from what was farmland.
Today the park - including the lagoon, islands, and Postberg areas - cover some 40 000ha and in the spring it has a hugely popular Wildflower display.