- Boulders Beach
Boulders Beach is a sheltered beach made up of inlets between
granite boulders, from which the name originated. It is located in theCape Peninsula , nearSimon's Town towardsCape Point , nearCape Town in theWestern Cape province ofSouth Africa .It is a popular tourist stop because of a colony of
African Penguin s which settled there in 1982. Boulders Beach forms part of theTable Mountain National Park .Although set in the midst of a residential area, it is one of the few sites where this vulnerable bird ("
Spheniscus demersus ") can be observed at close range, wandering freely in a protected natural environment.From just two breeding pairs in 1982, the penguin colony has grown to about 3000 in recent years. This is partly due to the reduction in commercial pelagic trawling in
False Bay , which has increased the supply ofpilchard s andanchovy , which form part of the penguins' diet.Bordered mainly by indigenous bush above the high-water mark on the one side, and the clear water of
False Bay on the other, the area comprises a number of small sheltered bays, partially enclosed bygranite boulders that are 540 million years old.The most popular recreational spot is Boulders Beach, but the penguins are best viewed from
Foxy Beach , where newly-constructed boardwalks take visitors to within a few meters of the birds.It is also a popular swimming beach, although humans are restricted to beaches adjacent to the penguin colony.
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