Brief for design and construction of climate-controlled structure to cover palaeontological dig site at the West Coast Fossil Park (WCFP). View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize 1. PURPOSE  The purpose of this request for quote is to invite experienced service providers to submit quotes for the production of a purpose built climate-controlled structure to protect the palaeontological dig site in the WCFP.   The fossils on display in the dig site have been protected by modified agricultural tunnels since 1999, and it has become e ..read more

In celebration of Tourism Month 2022, the West Coast Fossil Park (WCFP) partnered with Wesgro to host the West Coast Tourism Showcase on Thursday, 22 September. It was an opportunity for participating tourism businesses and the local community to (re)introduce visitors to the region’s culture, heritage and legendary hospitality. The showcase coincided with the 24th anniversary of the WCFP’s opening. It remains one of very few sites where fossil remains can be viewed in situ and ranks amongst the best education and palaeo-tourism destinations in the world. Scientifically, the WCFP represents p ..read more

With the ever changing  environment there are less and less welcoming places for birds. The West Coast Fossil Park remains one place birds can safely come to.  Rock kestrel with prey Different areas of the Fossil Park attract a variety of birds from Larks in the drier open area, to water birds at the dams. Migrant birds return year after year to nest.  European Bee Eater arriving for the summer Black winged kite with nesting material Booted Eagle collection nesting material During September it is not unheard of to log 70 species in a single morning. Cape Robi ..read more

Even though the West Coast Fossil Park’s (WCFP) main claim to fame is its preservation and display of 5-million-year old fossils, it is also a hub for conservation and rehabilitation of the current eco system.  Given the park’s history as a phosphate mine between the 1940s and 1993, this has been an absolutely invaluable contribution to preserving the sensitive natural heritage of South Africa’s West Coast.  According to a paper by Honours Student, Lisa Nupen, mining had dramatically altered the landscape and vegetation of the area. Among other things, mine pits produced unnaturally ..read more

Winter school holidays are here! While your kids are no doubt elated to be free from classes and homework for almost a month, you may be dreading the boredom slump that’s almost sure to set in by week two or three.  Well, the West Coast Fossil Park has your back! From guided hikes to puppet shows, planet watching to mock digs, our jam-packed holiday programme is designed to not only entertain, but also enrich and educate.  All activities last between 1 hour and an hour-and-a-half, depending on which you sign up for.  Guided hike & kiddies meal What better way to fight the wi ..read more

Now that you’ve started planning your trip to the West Coast Fossil Park (WCFP), why not extend your stay a bit and uncover some more of the Cape West Coast’s magic.  Whether you’re into art and culture or prefer expending as much energy as possible on outdoor activities; love treating yourself and your loved ones to exceptional gastronomic experiences or craving a solitary break from it all, the West Coast has something for everyone.  History, Art and Culture During your visit to WCFP, you’ll enjoy a fascinating glimpse into this area’s ancient history with our in-situ fossils datin ..read more

  Patricia A. Groenewald If you’re familiar with South Africa’s topography and geography, you may find the idea of elephants roaming among the dunes and strandveld shrubland of the West Coast almost ludicrous. “It can be quite difficult to imagine large, lumbering elephants in this sparsely clad environment when we are more used to the images of elephants in the habitats of the Kruger or Addo Elephant National Parks. We can even picture them in the forests of Knysna, especially when reading stories such as those by Dalene Matthee,” says Patricia Groenewald, a PhD candidate, in the Depart ..read more

With schools closing on Friday for the school holidays, we have the perfect kids programme and activities planned that will not just entertain your kids, but teach them more about the world in which we live, whilst having fun. Children can enjoy mock digs, puppet shows, treasure hunts, make and paint their own fossils and learn about fossils and the world as it was hundreds and thousands of years ago in the mini lab.      Families can join a guided tour of the main dig site, explore the museum and exhibition centre and enjoy a delicious meal in our restaurant. You can choose ou ..read more

Anyone with the vaguest knowledge of South Africa’s geography would be well aware of the fact that the further west you move along our coastline, the more arid it gets.  In contrast to the opulent greenery of the KwaZulu-Natal and the dense indigenous forests of the Garden Route, the West Coast is characterised by hardy fynbos vegetation, large swathes of duneland (sandveld), a harsh Mediterranean climate and the ever-icy Atlantic Ocean lapping along the shoreline.  Should you, however, step into a time machine in modern-day Saldanha and turn the dial back five million years, you’d f ..read more

“Our primary mission is to communicate science to the public.” This is how Director, Pippa Haarhoff describes the impetus of the work they do at the West Coast Fossil Park (WCFP) in Langebaanweg.    Embroidering on this, Public Programmes Manager, Darrel Dreyer says: “We are allowing the data that has been collected by scientists - and normally only made accessible to other scientists and researchers – to be available to the public too.” Apart from daily tours where visitors get to see fossils in-situ at the dig site and explore the various museum exhibitions with a knowledgeabl ..read more