Planet California
Now Streaming
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.
Featured Videos
Rivers of Gold
Ep1 | 53m 33s | WETA Passport
Close Encounters
Ep2 | 52m 34s | WETA Passport
Preview
Preview: S1 | 30s
Episodes
Close Encounters
Ep2 | 52m 34s | WETA Passport
Rivers of Gold
Ep1 | 53m 33s | WETA Passport
See all Episodes for Planet California
Extras
Preview
Preview: S1 | 30s
Ocean Reef Restoration
Clip: S1 | 2m 20s
Kangaroo Rat vs. Snake
Clip: S1 | 1m 39s
See all Extras for Planet California
Watch On Air
WETA Airdates
WETA World
WETA World
Timezone: Eastern
About the Show
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 and Death Valley, as well as Baja California's lesser-known wild beauty.
More About the Episodes
Episode 1 | Rivers of Gold
It is a land of extremes - tallest, deepest, highest, hottest. It's 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.
Episode 2 | Close Encounters
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?
More Science and Nature Shows
- America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston
Explore our passionate relationship with outdoor spaces.
- The Green Planet
Sir David Attenborough travels the globe to reveal the secret, incredible world of plants.
- Nature
Capturing the splendor of the natural world, from the African plains to the Antarctic ice.
- NOVA
Explore scientific discoveries on television's most acclaimed science documentary series.
- Expedition
Join Steve Backshall in uncharted territory to uncover the world’s last unknown places.
- Changing Planet
Join Dr. M. Sanjayan for an environmental health check of Earth’s vulnerable habitats.