SAN DIEGO, CA—The San Diego Natural History Museum is set to debut Wild San Diego, a new documentary revealing the natural marvels of San Diego, the county that boasts the highest biodiversity in the continental United States. With surf, sand, and an intricate tapestry of habitats, San Diego’s incredible landscapes and wildlife will be showcased on the big screen beginning Friday, November 22.
“Wild San Diego displays the spectacular resilience of our city’s ecosystems. It’s a rare chance to witness the stunning biodiversity that exists right in our backyards,” shared Judy Gradwohl, president and CEO at The Nat. “It’s exactly what our Museum’s conservation work is all about.”
Produced by San Diego-based Day’s Edge Productions—known for the PBS series Human Footprint and many other award-winning global media projects—the documentary reveals the hidden life of San Diego’s grebes, grunions, ground squirrels, marine giants, and more. It also highlights how wildlife continues to adapt to humans’ impact on the landscape.
“Over the past two years, we've been knee-deep in Lake Hodges watching grebes, flown drones over the Pacific Ocean, and filmed grunions in Pacific Beach,” said Dr. Nathan Dappen, owner of Day’s Edge Productions and director of Wild San Diego. “As a San Diego local, it’s been a labor of love to discover everything this city’s natural world has to offer.”
Wild San Diego is 40 minutes long and is included with paid admission. It will become one of the Museum’s core film offerings, which will be shown for the next few years along with other rotating films like T. REX. The film comes to The Nat after a one-hour version aired nationally on PBS in early November under the title San Diego: America’s Wildest City. That version can also be streamed on PBS.
The film aligns well with The Nat’s focus on regional conservation, which has allowed Museum scientists to continue caring for the very plants and animals shown on the big screen. People who enjoy the film will have a chance to explore San Diego’s rich nature in the Museum’s exhibits and public programs.
“I hope viewers will leave the theater feeling inspired and curious about our local wildlife,” shared Dappen. “And what better place to satiate those curiosities than at The Nat?”
Wild San Diego is a production of The WNET Group, Terra Mater Studios GmbH, and Day’s Edge Productions in association with PBS, CPB, and The Nat.
Screenings are included with paid Museum admission and free for members. For more details and screening times at The Nat, visit sdnat.org/giantscreentheater
The San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat) is one of California’s oldest and most respected cultural and scientific institutions. Founded in 1874 by a small group of community scientists, the Museum works to preserve and protect this amazing place we call home. The Museum is located at 1788 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101 in Balboa Park. For more information, call 877.946.7797 or visit sdnat.org. Follow The Nat on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
Days Edge is a San Diego-based production company that specializes in documentaries about science, nature, and how they intersect with human history, and culture. Their Ph.D.-trained scientists and award-winning filmmakers, photographers, and storytellers are passionate about bringing cutting-edge science, inspiring stories and important messages to broad audiences. Day’s Edge has produced global media projects which have won hundreds of awards and reached millions of people trying to understand and preserve the world we live in. Follow them on Instagram, Facebook, X, and Vimeo.
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