Sprawled along a generous portion of the U.S.A.s West Coast, the state of California is a storied magnet for sun lovers and surfers, for the ambitious, the enterprising and the starstruck. Its name alone conjures bustling hubs of creativity, celebrity and opportunity, from Hollywood and Disneyland to San Francisco and Silicon Valley. Indeed, California boasts more people than any other state in the union. But beyond the concentrated urban centres of the Golden State lies a vast and varied wilderness. Geologists tell us that California was created as the North American continent began its migration west, gathering pieces of ancient ocean floor and leaving in its path mountain ranges, volcanoes, hot springs, precious metals, deserts, rivers, lakes and valleys -- eventually home to a remarkable assortment of animals.
