When you think about penguins you might imagine them living in a cooler environment like Antarctica instead of on a beach in sunny South Africa! However these African penguins call this beach in Cape Town their home.
African penguins are the only penguin species that naturally inhabit the African continent and its islands. African penguins have shorter feathers than Antarctic penguins because they do not live in such a cold environment. African penguins also have a black stripe that curves across the top of the chest. They are also known as Jackass penguins because of the braying sound they make.
African penguins are the only penguin species that naturally inhabit the African continent and its islands. African penguins have shorter feathers than Antarctic penguins because they do not live in such a cold environment. African penguins also have a black stripe that curves across the top of the chest. They are also known as Jackass penguins because of the braying sound they make.
You can walk on the beach with penguins and swim with the penguins. There is an entry fee to access the beach but the proceeds go towards wildlife conservation and helping the penguins so it is for a good cause.
You can also view the penguins from the observation deck which has an entrance fee. The boardwalk is the best place to view the penguins for free.
One of the best times to visit the beach is during January because this is when the juvenile birds are moulting. February to August is also a good time of year to visit because it is the Boulder's penguin colony's breeding season and you can see them in their nests. During September and October the birds spend a lot of time out at sea fishing and feeding, so there are fewer penguins on the beach. November to December is the penguin's moulting season. In December the birds spend a lot of time on the beach and you might not see many of them from the boardwalk. December is a summer month in Cape Town and many people swim at the beach so the penguins often retreat to the area near the observation deck.
One of the best times to visit the beach is during January because this is when the juvenile birds are moulting. February to August is also a good time of year to visit because it is the Boulder's penguin colony's breeding season and you can see them in their nests. During September and October the birds spend a lot of time out at sea fishing and feeding, so there are fewer penguins on the beach. November to December is the penguin's moulting season. In December the birds spend a lot of time on the beach and you might not see many of them from the boardwalk. December is a summer month in Cape Town and many people swim at the beach so the penguins often retreat to the area near the observation deck.
The penguins originally came to the False Bay area in Cape Town from Dyer Island near Gansbaai. False Bay is a well known fishing area in Cape Town. The abundance of fish attracted the penguins to the area.
There is a fence that is supposed to keep the penguins away from entering the road and surrounding town but the penguins have been known to get over the fence, so before you leave you should check that a penguin is not hiding under your car!
This is an amazing place to visit and I would highly recommend visiting this beach in Cape Town!
Information:
Entrance fees from 1 Nov 2016 - 31 Oct 2017
Entrance fees from 1 Nov 2016 - 31 Oct 2017
- R70 for adults
- R35 for children (2 - 11 Years)
Operating Hours: 7 days a week
- Dec – Jan: 07h00 – 07h30
- Feb – April: 08h00 -18h30
- May – Sept: 08h00 – 17h00
- Oct – Nov: 08h00 – 18h30
