Wild California
Animals, plants, or natural systems found in the great outdoors. Explore nature!
2021 Winner: "Southern California Natives"
A film by Xochitl Madison, Alice Lewicki, Malia Altshule, Morgan Francis, and Ana Lucia Ducci. This creative short highlights special plants and animals that are native to California.
Quick Facts
Ideas to Jumpstart Your Thinking
Los Angeles County is a global hotspot for biodiversity and is home to more than 4,000 distinct species of plants and animals. With 1 million animal and plant species facing extinction due to human activity, according to the United Nations, efforts to better understand the factors that shape biodiversity in Los Angeles could help shape global conservation efforts.
Wildlife Facts
- Biodiversity describes the variety of life in a given region. It can refer to the diversity of ecosystems, genetic diversity within a species, or, in the most common sense of the word, diversity of species.
- Los Angeles County has more species on the U.S. endangered list than any other county outside of Hawaii.
- 15% of California public land is managed by the Bureau of Land Management to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the land.
- Light pollution has decreased within the Santa Monica Mountain National Recreation Area and San Gabriel Mountains over the past 20 years because of the success the National Park Service and others had to reduce light pollution and ecological harm from other human activity in protected areas.
- SoCal is a biodiversity hotspot with a uniquely high number of species per area.
- The California newt is the only newt species in the state, and its numbers are declining.
- Many invasive species start out as pets and are released into the wild by their owner.
- California has more native species of animals and plants than any other state in the nation.
- California is home to the greatest number of endemic species — those that live nowhere else in the world.
Helpful Tips
Take a look at the Biodiversity Atlas L.A. which will help scientists and residents alike better understand Los Angeles’ unique environment and see how native, nonnative and endangered species are distributed across the county. Users can enter any street address in the county and visualize, for example, how likely they are to come across a mountain lion or black bear.
Take a look at Cultures in Biodiversity by the UCLA Laboratory for Environmental Narrative Strategies (LENS).
A Couple of Resources to Help You Brainstorm
Ready to Get Started?
Ideas and questions to kick-start your thinking
Make a documentary
- How do critters deal with man-made environments?
- Do public parks matter?
Write your own story
- What would an ant say if it could talk?
- Good at crafts? Create a puppet show!
Wild California Films, Class of 2021
Wild California Winner: "Southern California Natives"
A film by Xochitl Madison, Alice Lewicki, Malia Altshule, Morgan Francis, and Ana Lucia Ducci. This creative short highlights special plants and animals that are native to California.
Wild California Runner Up: "Sharing Serenity"
A film by Jesse Dong, Jason Dong, James Wong, Kenny Ding, Bing Wi, Laksmana Hamrozalli, Brian Lee, and David Pantoja. This short reminds us of nature's ability to heal and soothe our troubles.
Wild California Finalist: "Life Came After the Flames"
A film by Sophie Nguyen. This short film discusses wildfires in Southern California. While some damage harms the planet, some vegetation has adapted to the flames. One benefit of wildfires is that nutrients enter the soil, helping new plant species thrive.
Wild California Films, Class of 2020
1st Place: "Seeds of Hope"
Follows a young woman walking through a city with little vegetation to plant a tree.
2nd Place: "Green Spaces for Happy Faces"
Film by Kathleen Nguyen (Westminster High School)
3rd Place: "No Ceiling"
Troy High School's teacher shares his motive to create an outdoor classroom.
Film by Joseph Dong, Jesse Dong, James Wong, and Bing Wi (Troy High School)
Wild California Films, Class of 2018
1st Place: "Why Do We Need Parks in Cities?"
by Taegan Obermeyer of Providence High School
2nd Place: "Be Kind to Beekind"
by Clara Siliezar of Clairemont High School
3rd Place: "Cataclysm"
by Oscar Ortiz and Yvon Mendija of Environmental Charter High School
Wild CA Films, Class of 2017
1st Place: "Only World"
by Madelyn Paley of Thousand Oaks High School
2nd Place:"DAVE"
by Keely Martin, Ginger Port, Taku Rogers & Victor Guzman of Culver City High School.
3rd Place: "Our Park. Our Future"
by Timur Bootzin & Amanda Contreas of Los Angeles Zoo Magnet/ North Hollywood High School.