Ocean Oasis - a giant screen film   Satellite image of the Baja California peninsula and Gulf of California See Spanish version

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Ocean Oasis DVD and soundtrack available through the San Diego Natural History Museum Store.

Sponsored by
Sempra Energy logo with funding for the website from the
Walton Family Foundation


Ocean Oasis, a giant-screen film, is a fascinating journey into the bountiful seas and pristine deserts of two remarkably different, but inextricably linked worlds — Mexico's Sea of Cortés and the Baja California desert.

"A few very special places in the world are havens for life. Resources and shelter draw living creatures from far and near. These places are rare. We call them oases."

What powerful geologic forces collided to carve out this unique region? What drives the strong currents that make this ocean so unusually rich in nutrients? How does life thrive in a seemingly barren landscape? Ocean Oasis mesmerizes us with revealing and memorable scenes that explore these mysteries.

Glide side-by-side with a graceful giant manta ray as it arches and swoops through water sparkling under the hot Baja California sun. Witness the pageant of migrating whales, the elaborate tango of courting terns, the battles of lumbering elephant seals. Fly over sweeping vistas of snow-capped mountains, vast deserts, palm oases, and mangrove swamps — then plunge into astonishing underwater sequences of rarely seen marine life.

In the making of this extraordinary film, a team of gifted and dedicated scientists explored unknown territories, sometimes at great personal risk. They trekked, flew, and dove to unveil intriguing secrets of isolated areas on land, in the air, and beneath the sea. Now audiences who would never otherwise see these remote wildernesses can experience their captivating beauty and elusive wildlife.

Ocean Oasis is both visually stunning and provocative, compelling in its message that this little-known region is a treasure worth preserving.

Proceeds from Ocean Oasis will support conservation, education, and research in the Baja California peninsula and the Sea of Cortés.

[Premiering at the Smithsonian on September 12, 2000]

Filmed using IMAX ®15/70 cameras.
Made possible by the San Diego Natural History Museum & PRONATURA
Ocean Oasis is currently available for projection by giant-screen theaters worldwide.

San Diego Natural History Museum logo Pronatura logo

Ocean Oasis has been endorsed by the following conservation organizations:

Logo for Mexican Nature Conservation Fund The Nature Conservancy logo Conservation International logo IBOY logo

San Diego Natural History Museum & PRONATURA
© 2010 CinemaCorp of the Californias