This is found in the Eastern Cape Province and it was proclaimed to protect the South Africa’s endangered mountain Zebras. The population of zebras in the park has been increasing gradually from five stallions and one mare ever since the 1930’s and by 1978, the herds of mountain zebras had risen to over 700 and the park management role is to transplant around 20 endangered mountain zebras every year to favour the park carrying capacity since the park is around 284km².
However, though the park is mostly populated by the mountain Zebras, there are other mammals that reside in the park and they can be seen roistering around the park boundaries in the broad day light. These include the, caracal, the cape buffaloes, black rhino, black wildebeest, and gemsbok and currently the South African cheetahs do also exists in the park.
San cave paintings are other tourist attractions within the park; visitors tour the San territories that left evidence of their lives about 300 years ago in more than three rock shelters with rock art in the Park. These paintings exhibit an antelope, baboons, a large cat – possibly a leopard or cheetah – and human figures on them. Houses for the first European settlers within the area are still protected as national monuments in the park among which include the Doornhoek which is still used as a guest house in the park.
Climate
During summer the average maximum temperature is 23ᵒC-28ᵒC while the average minimum is 5ᵒC-13ᵒC. The winter average maximum 16ᵒC-22ᵒC and the average minimum is 0.05ᵒC-7ᵒC. For the winter months, the park receive occasional snowfall, which falls mostly on the higher peaks – the southern mountain range – of the park, also frost occur May to October. The park also receives an annual rainfall of about 400 mm with the majority (70%) falling in the summer months of December to February.
Accommodation within the park includes the Mountain Cottages, Mountain Zebra National Park Rest Camp, Rock Chalets and Family Cottages all with full sets of equipments.
