Tue Nov 05 20:20:00 UTC 2024: ## San Diego: A Haven for Unexpected Wildlife, New PBS Nature Documentary Reveals
**San Diego, known for its beaches and sunny weather, is also a surprising haven for diverse wildlife, according to a new PBS Nature documentary, “San Diego: America’s Wildest City”.** The film, premiering on PBS on Wednesday, November 6, takes viewers on a journey through the city’s unexpected natural landscape.
Writer/director Nate Dappen, who specializes in science and nature stories, is fascinated by the interaction of wild creatures and human-built environments. “We’re in the second season of [our six-hour science series] HUMAN FOOTPRINT now, too. So, we’re particularly interested in stories about humanity and what our role is here, how we fit into nature, how we shape it, how it shapes us,” Dappen says.
The documentary showcases a surprising array of wildlife, including the unexpected presence of orcas and dolphins, as well as ground squirrels, hummingbirds, and even rattlesnakes. Dappen highlights the impact of human influence on these animals: “We weren’t trying to bring crows into San Diego, we weren’t trying to [cause] hummingbirds be eaten by roadrunners. We just changed the environment, nature shifts around, and then we transform how it all operates.”
PBS Nature executive producer Fred Kaufman was initially skeptical about focusing on San Diego, but the film’s compelling outline showcasing the city’s biodiversity convinced him. “It’s everything from offshore – the grunion spawning, these [small fish] that come ashore to breed, the orcas and the dolphins, the roadrunner, the hummingbird – there was just one thing after another,” Kaufman says.
Dappen emphasizes that the stories explored in “San Diego: America’s Wildest City” are representative of urban environments worldwide: “It’s a story about how we shape water. It’s a story about how we shape the coast. It’s a story about urban sprawl. It’s a story about highways. It’s a story about the way we think about and look at nature.”
The documentary highlights the importance of dedicating time and observation to uncover the hidden natural world: “This is all accessible. You just need to be there and dedicate your time to seeing it,” Kaufman notes.
The film also explores the positive impact of military bases on San Diego’s wildlife, with Dappen explaining, “[U.S. Marine Corps base] Camp Pendleton is an enormous piece of land, and without it, there’d just be one big urban sprawl from Los Angeles all the way down to Tijuana. So, it provides an enormous base that’s got a bunch of endangered species on it.”
Both Dappen and Kaufman encourage viewers to remember that nature is all around us and urge everyone to “stop and take the time and pay attention” to the wonders that surround us. “San Diego: America’s Wildest City” promises to be a captivating exploration of the unexpected wildlife found in a seemingly ordinary city.
First Piper 