August 11, 2008 - Denver, Colorado, USA: West Hawk Development Corp (TSXV: WHD; Frankfurt: H5N) (the "Company") is pleased to provide the following update on the start of the exploration drilling program at its Groundhog anthracite coal property, a region north of Hazelton, British Columbia.

• Don Hartford has been appointed General Manager, Groundhog Project and will report to Roger Baer, Managing Director, Canadian Operations.
• Falcon Drilling, based in Prince George, has been selected as the drilling contractor.
• Bear Creek Contracting and Lakelse Air, based in Terrace, will provide equipment expediting and helicopter support.
• Resource Eye, based in Vancouver, will provide on-site geological expertise.
• Ecos Environmental Consulting Inc., based in Smithers, will lead the environmental baseline study over the next 18 months.

"West Hawk is very pleased with the experience and qualifications of the team that will be directly involved in the drilling program. Drilling operations will start very soon, and we are looking forward to successful results", commented Roger Baer, WHD, Managing Director, Canadian Operations. "Further updates will be provided as the drilling program progresses".

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

"Wm. Mark Hart"

Wm. Mark Hart,
President and Chief Executive Officer

THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE HAS NOT YET REVIEWED AND DOES NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THE CONTENT OF THIS NEWS RELEASE.

About the Company: West Hawk Development Corp. is focused on providing valuable, high-demand energy products from a variety of sources. Assets include the Figure Four natural gas property located in the Piceance Basin, Colorado, being developed under a drilling and development agreement; the Groundhog coal property located in northwest British Columbia; the Tulita coal property located in the Northwest Territories; and the Ellesmere Island, Nunavut Territory coal property.

Cautionary Note: This news release contains forward looking statements, particularly those regarding cash flow, capital expenditures and investment plans. Resource estimates, unless specially noted, are considered speculative. The Company has filed a National Instrument 51-101 Report on the Figure Four property. The Company has filed National Instrument 43-101 Reports for each of the Groundhog coal property in British Columbia, the Tulita coal property in the Northwest Territories, and the Nunavut coal property. Any and all other resource or reserve estimates are historical in nature, and should not be relied upon. By their nature, forward looking statements involve risk and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on factors that will or may occur in the future. Actual results may vary depending upon exploration and development activities, industry production, commodity demand and pricing, currency exchange rates, and, but not limited to, general economic factors. Cautionary note to U.S. investors: The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission specifically prohibits the use of certain terms, such as "reserves" unless such figures are based upon actual production or formation tests and can be shown to be economically and legally producible under existing economic and operating conditions.