Kangaroo Rat vs. Snake

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!

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.