The independent student news site of San Diego Mesa College.

The Mesa Press

The Mesa Press

The independent student news site of San Diego Mesa College.

Breaking News
  • February 27Mysterious burning smell permeates campus; cause under investigation
  • December 17Acting Chancellor Smith named new permanent SDCCD chancellor
  • December 17Women's Volleyball claims state title

The Mesa Press

The Mesa Press

Planet Earth: an epic documentary celebrating the wildlife of our world

Planet Earth: an epic documentary celebrating the wildlife of our world

“Planet Earth,” a five-week documentary that aired on the Discovery channel is an epic event that allowed TV viewers to see the planet as it has never been seen before.

A five-year journey took producers and film crews through 204 locations in 60 countries to some of the most remote locations on earth.

This 11-part series is narrated by actress and conservationist Sigourney Weaver.

Each episode shows breathtaking footage that wows you with its beautiful portrayal of Earth and brings awareness to all that watch.

Story continues below advertisement

Premiering with “Pole to Pole,” an overview of what the series will explore, gives viewers an understanding of all the world has to offer. From explorations to the darkest depths of the ocean to the canopy tops of the rainforest.

Cameras captured far off places and animal behavior never before witnessed. Such as the mating rituals of the Blue Bird of Paradise. This odd ritual of flamboyant dancing and soft loves songs took over 300 hours of video to capture a single moment.

The snow leopard, which is the rarest of Himalayan animals, leads a secluded life and is usually never seen by humans. On the last day of filming, just hours before departing the mountain, cameramen were able to capture a mother snow leopard hunting a mountain goat. This never before seen or recorded behavior is just one of the many highlights of the series.

One of the most troubling and eye-opening parts of the series was in “Ice Worlds.” There was an emotional look into a male polar bears quest for food. His effortless hunt leads him to swim through a desolate blue ocean, sometimes swimming as many as 60 miles away from the shore.

Polar bears, which aren’t known for swimming, have now been forced to swim long distances through open waters in search of land and food.

That moment brought into light the affects of a possibly unstable future for the polar bear, which is caused by a change in climate temperatures. Ice platform melting too rapidly and too soon leave weak surfaces for the hefty polar bears to travel across which leaves a greater distance between them and their food.

To capture these images film crews had to use the latest technology. A revolutionary aerial photography system called the Cineflex heli-gimble is mounted to the front of a helicopter. Holding a steady camera allowed for flawless images to be captured at a distance without interfering with normal animal behavior.

This aerial photography was used in a hunting scene where a pack of wild dogs in Botswana, Africa were in pursuit of an impala. It wouldn’t have had the same effect without this piece of technology.

Great white sharks of South Africa hunt cape fur seals by striking them from below and propelling themselves out of the water. But the only way to catch them in action is to use an ultra-high speed camera, which allows the human eye to see this in 1/50 of the actual speed.

Time-lapse photography shows the months of extreme conditions in Antarctica where the male Emperor Penguin resides while protecting the safety of their offspring. High definition technology has allowed each episode to become even more spectacular than it already is. Making it seem almost like you are there witnessing these remarkable events first hand.

“Planet Earth,” is a great family event that should be shared with everyone you know. It not only brings beautiful images and rarely seen animals behaving naturally in their environment but it makes you understand that we don’t own the world, we merely share it with every living thing. So we should be considerate of all that live here.

“Planet Earth,” can be purchased as of April 24. It will be a great edition to your library that the whole family can enjoy.

Leave a Comment
Donate to The Mesa Press
$270
$500
Contributed
Our Goal

Your donation will support the student journalists of San Diego Mesa College. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.

Donate to The Mesa Press
$270
$500
Contributed
Our Goal

Comments (0)

Here at The Mesa Press, we want to foster a community for civil discussions. We welcome your insight and perspective. Comments posted must be appropriate for all ages. Any profanity or cursing is prohibited. That includes any attempts to curse with special characters (!@#) or spacing. Discuss and criticize ideas. We don’t allow comments that intend to intimidate, demean or harass other readers in any way.
All The Mesa Press Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *