Boulders Penguin Colony, Simon's Town, South Africa
S 34° 11.743 E 018° 26.945
34H E 264940 N 6213200
Boulders is the name of the area where African penguins can be viewed.
Waymark Code: WMJ958
Location: Western Cape, South Africa
Date Posted: 10/13/2013
Views: 14
Table Mountain National Park includes a diverse range of individual locations which, combined, are the National Park. There are locations called Silvermine (a wonderful hiking area with beautiful fynbos landscapes), Signal Hill and Lion's Head (a manficient mountain that can be hiked to acquire views of Cape Town and the harbour), many beaches including the Cape Peninsula, and also this popular segment, a beach populated with African penguins!
Boulders Penguin Colony is near the city of Simon's Town, and is the location where in 1983 some penguins chose to relocate. Over the years, the colony increased until in 2005 (the apparent peak year) there were 3,900 penguins here. There have been declines in the populations since that time, and today there is an estimated 2,100 birds at Boulder (representing 2011 figures). In comparison, the full world-wide census of African penguins in 1956 was 150,000 breeding pairs, which declined to 26,000 breeding pairs worldwide in 2009.
Visitors to Boulders Visitor Centre are able to enjoy a walk on a sturdy boardwalk directly to the beach to experience the birds upclose. So close, in fact, visitors are warned that penguins do bite, so please keep your hands to yourself! The penguins roam free, and can come into direct contact with visitors, who are urged to avoid the birds. They will endure the rigors of their life best if they are kept as wild as possible.
The penguins are quite enjoyable to watch, and seem to have comedic personalities, bobbing their heads or swiveling them to catch a better view, or just waddling thru the soft sand. Many will also be observed napping in sandy bowls, shaded by tall grasses, or interacting with the flock on a sunny rock. They also spend a lot of time at sea, as the fish they consume are located far off the beach.
Park Name: Table Mountain National Park- Boulders Penguin Colony
Natural Park: yes
Recreation Area: no
Wildlife Refuge: yes
Other Park Type not listed above:
Observation of wildlife, flora & fauna.
Park Website: [Web Link]
Type of Listing: Visitor Center
Fees in Local Currency: 14.00 (listed in local currency)
Dates of Access: From: 01/01/2013 To: 12/31/2013
Hiking: no
Bicycling: no
Horseback Riding: no
Off-Roading: no
Swimming: no
Snorkling/Scuba: no
Boating: no
Rock Climbing: no
Fishing: no
Other Activities:
Enjoy the boardwalk to the beach where you can view wildlife, primarily penguins and sea birds.
Historic/Cultural Park: Not Listed
Other Type Detail: Not listed
Hours available: Not listed
Camping: Not Listed
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Visit Instructions:A log will require a recent photograph at the coordinates. Some of these locations will be placed for the scenery, so a gpsr will just ruin the picture.
If you don't have a digital camera post a descriptive log.