Discover the Channel Islands (Full Episode) | America's National Parks | National Geographic

(surf pounding) (birds squawking) (gurgling) Channel Islands National Park. (barking) A northern elephant seal pup is nearly ready for life in the Pacific. (grumble) She's all alone. Her mom left to hunt and hasn't returned from the ocean. ♪ ♪ Unlike her cousins, she has no one to feed or protect her. (cries) Finding a surrogate mom is the only option. Luckily, she couldn't be in a better place. This park is home to the largest gathering of northern elephant seals on the planet. (bellowing) Drawn by protected beaches and waters teeming with fish, they arrive in the thousands every year. The young pup must use every instinct if she's going to survive alongside the many animals living in one of America's most inspiring national parks. Twelve miles off the California coast lies Channel Islands National Park. North America's forgotten wilderness. Isolated from the mainland, it's home to more than 2,000 species of plants and animals. 145 are found nowhere else on Earth. This is where the Wild West meets the ocean, revealing a California of old. (birds chirping) Five unique islands make up the park. Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, San Miguel, Santa Rosa, and Anacapa. All surrounded by protected waters that form a shield around the park. The animals living here tell a story of the amazing conservation efforts to restore these islands. The Channel Island fox, found nowhere else on Earth. (sniffing) In 2004, they were on the brink of extinction. Now, after years of protection by the park and its conservation partners, over 5,000 foxes call this national park home. One foot tall and only four pounds in weight, they're one of the smallest canids on the planet. But they're top dog, and the largest land mammal in the park. (bird squawking) This young male may be no bigger than a Chihuahua, but in its mom's eyes, he's all grown up. Barely one year old, he's been close to her his whole life. (squeak) These days, it's the new pups on the block demanding all of her attention. (squeaking) It's time to find a new place to call home. But he can't start the journey on an empty stomach. Island foxes are omnivores. Half their diet comes from fruit. The other half they have to catch. Like grasshoppers. The park serves up a tasty buffet of these protein-packed snacks. Ears five times more sensitive than our own pinpoint unsuspecting prey. (fluttering) (crunching) Belly full, he stumbles across a mysterious structure. A piece of human history on For over 13,000 years, the islands were inhabited by the seafaring Chumash people. Hunter-gatherers, they were eventually displaced from the land, but it remains their spiritual home. Many were also enticed by the islands. From conquistadors in the 16th century to pioneer ranchers in the 1800s. At the height of the Civil War, the demand for wool saw the land undergo enormous change, transforming it into an agricultural powerhouse. Thousands of sheep, pigs, and cattle grazed across the islands. By the time ranching ended, the islands were left virtually barren. Escaped feral livestock pushed many native species close to extinction. Then, in 1980, President Jimmy Carter established the five islands as a national park. Today these remnants serve as a backdrop to the resurgence of native locals, like the Channel Island fox. Back on the park's most westerly island, the northern elephant seal pup calls and waits for a reply. (groans) Immediately after birth, she learned to recognize the unique rhythm and pitch of her mom's calls. (grunting) She can't hear her anywhere. Mom was drawn away, back to the park's thriving seas. Weak and hungry, the pup searches for a surrogate, using her sharp eyesight to avoid danger. (chirp) Tensions here are rising. Males arrive here each year for one thing... ...to breed with as many females as possible. (snorting) Dominant males called beachmasters hold mating rights over a harem of up to 50 females. They must defend them and their title from fierce challengers. Up to 14 feet long and weighing more than two tons, bulls are lethal weapons. Getting caught in the crossfire could mean game over. She needs to stay out of harm's way. With the beachmaster distracted, another rival appears... his sight set on an unguarded female. But the pup is resting directly in his path. The elephant seal pup is in the wrong place at the wrong time. (pup cries) Caught beneath a two-ton bull. (crying) Several of the pups were crushed, suffering injuries or worse. Luckily, she made it. A little worse for wear, this pup is a born survivor. Her ordeal may be over, but she still has to find milk. So one day she'll be strong enough to hunt in the ocean. Fish thrive in the 1,500 square miles of protected waters surrounding the Channel Islands. (whooshing) Half of the national park's territory is underwater. Perfectly positioned between the crossroads of two Pacific Ocean currents. Cool, nutrient-rich waters from the north mix with warmer waters from the south. Bathed in California sunshine, conditions are ideal for blooms of plankton to grow, making the Channel Islands' coastal waters some of the most biologically productive on the planet. Huge shoals of fish draw seabirds, sharks, and thousands of marine mammals from miles around. (whoosh) And these plankton-rich waters even attract the largest animal on Earth... the blue whale. Weighing nearly 200 tons and reaching up to 100 feet in length, they eat four tons of plankton in a single day. And then there are the sea lions. They live here in their thousands, thanks to the park's underwater kelp forests, growing up to 100 feet tall in the cool, shallow water. The park allows these underwater forests to thrive. Providing shelter and food for over a thousand species of plants and animals. Food here is so plentiful, sea lions even have time to master that California tradition: surfing. (bark) Life within the kelp is good. But on the forest floor, a menace lurks. Threatening the kelp's existence and the entire ecosystem it supports. Left unchecked, sea urchins can decimate entire kelp forests in a matter of months, creating wastelands known as urchin barrens. Razor-sharp teeth make short work of a delicate kelp leaf, slicing it into bite-size morsels. Along the west coast of America, kelp forests are under threat. But on this Channel Island reef, one forest defender is fighting back. The California sheephead wrasse. The hardest working ranger in Up to three feet long and weighing in at a hefty 35 pounds, the urchins have met their match. These wrasse might look a bit goofy, but this huge white chin is the source of their superpower. Some just aren't big enough for the job. But this bruiser has just the thing. Enormous shell-crushing jaws, packed with sharp teeth, easily destroy the prickly snacks. And when it comes to taking urchins, size really does matter. Thanks to the heavyweights of the kelp forest, everyone gets a share of the spoils. The protection provided by the park allows the wrasse to reach their full potential. They keep the grazers of the kelp in check, benefitting all the animals that depend on the health of these waters. Like the California brown pelicans who come to nest on the eastern islands of the park. (squawking) Thousands arrive each spring. (screeching) It's the only place on the west coast of America where they breed. These are the most inaccessible areas of the park and are predator-free. Why live anywhere else? The pelicans time their arrival with a boom in anchovy stocks, which makes up 90% of their diet. Huge shoals gather just a minute's commute away. It's like living next to a convenience store. Handy, when you have to feed your chick up to four times an hour. The park supports them, and in return, they fertilize the native coreopsis flower. These tall yellow plants shelter the young from the elements. Parenting here is no picnic. They raise clutches of up to four chicks every year. Each one needs 110 pounds of fish to reach independence. At six weeks, their demand for food is so great, both parents fish constantly. They barely see one another. Like two ships passing in the night. But the chicks can't rely on mom and dad forever. When they reach 11 weeks old, their parents will stop feeding them. If they don't learn to fly and fish soon, they could starve. Try as they might, the juvenile pelicans haven't mastered the art of flying... just yet. They need to strengthen their wings and wait for seasonal island winds, before they can join the vast fishing squadrons flying overhead. Life here wasn't always this abundant. 50 years ago, the colony was on the brink of being wiped out by a pesticide called DDT. The situation was so dire that one year only a single chick hatched. The California brown pelican's fate looked sealed. Until a national outcry saw the use of DDT pesticides banned for good. Today, an incredible 13,000 breeding pairs live on the islands. And their numbers continue to grow. For thousands of years, the Chumash called this place "piawaph hew," which translates to "the house of the pelican." The islands are living up to the name once again. Thanks in part to the bountiful feeding waters surrounding their island home. Across a short stretch of ocean, food is just as abundant... if you have the right tools to find it. The young fox's powerful nose leads him across an abandoned ranch, toward a sweet and mysterious smell. Fig central. Introduced by ranchers, these fruits are a welcome gift. Problem is, word's gotten out about the free lunch. Hungry rivals are everywhere. He needs to fill up for his journey, but there's little more than scraps left. It's every fox for himself. Tempers flare for the remaining fallen figs. The young male is as cunning as... well, a fox... and spots an opportunity. Why risk a beating, fighting over scraps, when a bigger prize is up for grabs? Channel Island foxes have an adaptation that allows them to do something few other foxes can do. They are tree climbers. Semi-retractable claws allow them to hook into tree bark. They can also rotate their paws inward, just like a cat, giving them excellent grip. At 30 feet off the ground, he's king of the park. Despite the bounty of food, there's just not enough space for him here. He must continue his journey, finding a territory to call his own. Half of the island foxes' diet He swallows the seeds whole. From figs, cherries, and prickly pears, his movements across the island are re-seeding sources of food for generations to come. In turn, bird numbers have rebounded. (chirping) And the extra vegetation stabilizes the park's soil, preventing runoff into the sea, keeping the kelp forests that surround the islands in pristine condition, benefitting all the marine species that depend on them. The park's rehabilitation of this once endangered animal has been key to the restoration of the Channel Islands. But territory is at a premium. With so many other foxes around, he's forced to travel over the driest areas of the island (squawk) After a long trek, this comeback kid is thirsty. He searches high and low. This fox needs to find water; but from where? It's scorching hot, and the island fox is parched. (panting) Searching for new territory is tiring work. It hasn't rained for months, and the freshwater springs are scarce. But the park provides, thanks to its unique weather and geology. And it all starts out at sea. As the sun heats the land, vast quantities of moist ocean air condense over the cold coastal waters. Winds driven by the currents push the water vapor against hillsides, accumulating into clouds of thick fog. This life-giving moisture drifts across the islands. Droplets form on specialized leaves, dripping down like steady watering cans. Fresh, cool water, ready to drink for the thirsty island fox. It's been a long journey, but he's finally found territory within reach of the islands' fog, providing him with a reliable source of fresh water. Ready to drink straight off the leaf. Someday his pups will carry on the legacy of this hardy island ranger, restoring the ecology of During the summer months, nearly all moisture here is gifted from the ocean. For some trees, their seeds wouldn't germinate at all if not for the fog. Like the island scrub oak, found only on Their canopies mesh together, catching as much fog as possible. Water then flows to other plants which provide shelter for the oaks' growing saplings. The park's oak forests are bouncing back, but this wouldn't be possible without the help of a very particular island resident. Dazzling blue and found only here. The island scrub jay: acorn connoisseur, and a bit of a hoarder. Brighter and a third bigger than their mainland cousins. With beaks perfectly designed for plucking acorns and burying them underground, ready for later in the year. A single jay can cache as many as 6,000 acorns in a season; more than they will ever need. Up to half of the acorns are buried uphill on journeys that gravity alone could not achieve. When food gets scarce, they use their incredible memories to return to the same spot to dig up dinner. Island scrub jays leave some of the acorns they stash in the ground. It's thought that half of the islands' oak trees were planted by these resourceful birds. Acorns were also a staple of the indigenous Chumash people. They traveled between the islands and the mainland in canoes called tomols, built of California redwoods. The park still attracts seafaring adventurers, looking to explore the geological formations of the islands. Journeying back in time along the long-forgotten haunts of fortune-seeking smugglers and pirates. Today, visitors come to catch a glimpse of a different kind of golden treasure. The shallow waters of the Channel Islands host one of the park's most colorful characters. When sea temperatures rise, a fastidious fish gets very busy. Every year California's very own state fish, the garibaldi, returns to the exact spot on the kelp forest floor to attract a mate. Many females have come to his neck of the woods looking for the perfect nursery for their eggs. To attract as many partners as possible takes some good old-fashioned home improvement. Cultivating a perfect lawn of red algae for eggs to grow makes him the perfect choice for a partner. And he knows it. He spends an entire month fixing up his bachelor pad, keeping it clear of clutter. To catch the eye of a female, it needs to be an inch thick, as wide as a tire, and spotless. But hungry visitors threaten to eat his lawn. All he can do is kick them out. Again... and again... ...and again. All day, every day, for an entire month. He's one houseproud fish. And it's paid off. A female, here to lay her 40,000 eggs in the soft, manicured algae. Within minutes, she's gone. Now the job falls solely to him. It's non-stop daddy daycare. For two full weeks he'll defend his eggs from predators... ...while fanning oxygenated water over his brood to keep them healthy and give them the best start in life. When they hatch, he'll remain at the nest for another five months, to raise 20 more broods. Quite possibly the most devoted dad in Channel Islands Not all animals are so lucky when it comes to their parents. On the park's the elephant seal pup is still looking for a surrogate mom. Her strong sense of smell leads her toward a lactating female. But it's not going well. (screaming) The beach is a hostile environment for milk thieves. Mothers must keep their supplies safe for their own pups. (scream) She picks up another scent. An adult female is nursing a handful of seal pups. Could this be the surrogate she's been searching for? The elephant seal pup has finally found a surrogate mom. Only a third of abandoned seal pups manage to find a surrogate; usually a mother who has lost her own. The lucky pup gets to feed, and this mom's maternal instincts are met. (snort) If their relationship continues, the pup will soon be strong enough to leave for the ocean. For centuries, northern elephant seals were hunted for their blubber. The practice was banned in the 1920s, but the damage was done. (moaning) The situation was so bad that they were once presumed extinct. Until a small colony, no more than 100 strong, were found. Since then, enormous efforts to protect their beaches have given them the space needed to make a full recovery. (distant squawking) most easterly islands, another conservation triumph is playing out. California brown pelicans have come to raise the next generation. At 11 weeks old, the juveniles are strong enough to take off. Seasonal island winds give them just the boost they need. Brown pelicans are the only pelican species that plunge dive. It's a learned skill. Only by watching the adults can they master the technique. They may be a bit clumsy now, but will learn through trial and error. The work of dedicated conservationists has made the difference between extinction and recovery. Thanks to safe havens like the park, have been officially removed from the Federal Endangered list. Life is rebounding across Offering a glimpse into California's wild past... ...and serving as a blueprint for future conservation. The Park Service and its allies are giving the islands the time and space needed to heal. Their dedicated work continues to preserve them for future generations. The animals needed a helping hand to recover. Now they take the lead in restoring their home. In just 40 years, five islands have been returned to the wild; beacons of hope for a planet in trouble. The rebirth of Channel Islands National Park proves nature can recover. The lone seal pup is finally ready to join her colony out in the Pacific Ocean. Migrating 11,000 miles and remaining at sea for seven months. Until next year, when she'll return to