“A fish that can walk. Surfing hippos that want to catch the waves. Species found nowhere else on earth,” this is a short prelude on the marvels to come in Barack Obama’s new Netflix docuseries ‘Our Great National Parks’ as he invites audience to join him in a celebration of the planet’s greatest national parks and wilderness.
Narrated by the 44th president of the United States himself, the five-episode series will premiere on 13 April, with each episode focusing on different national parks around the world and the inhabitants that call it home.
The show will highlight international parks, such as Indonesia’s Gunung Leuser National Park, one of the richest tropical rainforests in Southeast Asia; Kenya’s Tsavo National Park, one of the oldest and largest parks in Kenya famed for its sightings of red elephants; Chile’s Patagonia, a paradise for penguins, pumas and elephant seals; and California’s Monterey Bay where mysterious creatures of the deep resides in.
In addition to showcasing the natural, unspoilt beauty of these sites, the show will focus on meaningful change and preservation.
“When humanity started to protect these wild places, we did not realise how important they would become,” Obama expounded, over video footage of sleeping sloths and baby turtles taking their first steps into the ocean. “They’re a haven for endangered species and a hotbed for scientific research.”
This new venture is very much in line with the former president’s commitments. During his administration, Obama conserved more than 220 million hectares of the US’ land and water, more than any of his predecessors throughout history.
He also oversaw the establishment of 22 new parks to the US National Park Service, created a marine reserve in Antarctica, and launched a still-active initiative to grant nine- to 10-year-old citizens free admission to national parks.
“This is a journey through the natural wonders of our shared birthright,” Obama concludes in the trailer.