[2] Before the park's proclamation, the only protected area of Succulent Karoo was the 2 square kilometre patch of the Gamkaberg Nature Reserve.

Succulent Karoo has, together with the Cape Floral Kingdom, been declared a biodiversity hotspot by Conservation International.

[4] In 1998 Conrad Strauss sold 280 km2 of sheep farm to the South African National Parks.

[5] Some areas receive less than 100 mm of average annual precipitation,[6] moisture-bearing clouds from the Atlantic Ocean being largely stopped by the Cederberg mountains.

The park is home to a large variety of birds (188 species – 2015 figure),[8] such as the black-headed canary, Ludwig's bustard, and the black-eared sparrow-lark.