The eroded crater of a long-extinct volcano is the setting of the large animal sanctuary of the Pilanesberg National Park. The now defunct Republic of Bophuthatswana - now part of the North West Province of South Africa – created the 55,000-hectare National Park in 1979. Three concentric ridges of rings of koppies fringe the heart of the crater, and the whole formation rises from the surrounding plains like a bubble. The Pilanesberg itself is the highest peak, from which the whole formation got its name. It overlooks Mankwe Dam, which is in the middle of the park. Elephant, giraffe and both black and white rhino are among the species reintroduced to Pilanesberg. Others include lion, leopard, eland, kudu, red hartebeest, blue wildebeest, nyala and buffalo. The park is rich in birdlife.