Giant sequoias, Sequoia National Park, California, USA

© Galyna Andrushko/Shutterstoc

The realm of ancient giants. Sequoia National Park, California, USA

On this day in 1890, Sequoia National Park, California, United States, was founded in the southern Sierra Nevada to protect one of America's natural splendours. Named after the giant sequoias that dominate the landscape, the park spans more than 1,600 square kilometres and is home to wildlife such as black bears, mule deer and over 200 species of birds, including warblers, vireos and flycatchers. The giant sequoia trees here have been rooted for more than 2,200 years and are among Earth's oldest living organisms. The park's renowned General Sherman tree rises to an astonishing 84 metres. Named after the American Civil War general William Tecumseh Sherman, it's not only tall but is also more than 11 metres wide. Visitors flock to capture moments among these ancient giants, whose reddish-brown, fibrous bark and wide-reaching branches evoke a sense of living history.