Planet California

Close Encounters

52m 34s

From blue whales to kit foxes, spectacular images bring California’s wildlife into sharp focus. Natural forces reshape the land, yet some species - like the bristlecone, one of the world’s oldest organisms - persist, constantly adapting to a changing world. Still, in a space shared with 40 million people, is there room for all? Move over Hollywood - our wildlife stars are ready for their close-up!

Episodes

Close Encounters

S1 E2 - 52m 34s

From blue whales to kit foxes, spectacular images bring California’s wildlife into sharp focus. Natural forces reshape the land, yet some species - like the bristlecone, one of the world’s oldest organisms - persist, constantly adapting to a changing world. Still, in a space shared with 40 million people, is there room for all? Move over Hollywood - our wildlife stars are ready for their close-up!
Rivers of Gold

S1 E1 - 53m 33s

It is a land of extremes - tallest, deepest, highest, hottest. And home to the richest biodiversity in the Americas, from gray whales traveling the California Current to mountain lions in the Sierra Nevada and redwoods harvesting water from the air. In a rapidly changing and thirsty world, drought, dams and fire pose dire threats to an ecosystem connected by rivers on land, air and sea.

Extras + Features

Preview

S1 - 30s

A celebration of California’s wildlife and wild places, and their coexistence with the 40 million people who call it home. Famous for its beaches and Hollywood, California is also a wellspring of biodiversity. Bounded by mountains, deserts and the Pacific Ocean, here are iconic wild places like Yosemite National Park and Death Valley, as well as Baja California’s lesser-known wild beauty.
Ocean Reef Restoration

S1 - 2m 20s

A Baja California community shows how a reef devastated from overfishing can be dramatically restored to abundance.
Bighorn Sheep Relocation

S1 - 2m 45s

Scientists are undertaking a daring experiment to increase Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep populations - relocating them to remote mountain areas by helicopter, where they will be safe from predators.
Kangaroo Rat vs. Snake

S1 - 1m 39s

Kangaroo rats dig the burrows used by many residents, and are also the primary prey of Carrizo Plains predators. But they hold their own against rattlers.

Schedule

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