Nature Documentaries, a list by goldspacer

8.4

/52920/

80

/1372/

79

/646/

4.0

/19131/

95

/133/

94

/2288/

84

/26/

4.0

age 14+

The Cove tells the amazing true story of how an elite team of individuals, films makers and free divers embarked on a covert mission to penetrate the hidden cove in Japan, shining light on a dark and deadly secret. The shocking discoveries were only the tip of the iceberg.

93

9.4

/172924/

90

/3223/

86

/883/

4.7

/45211/

100

/28/

94

96

/10/

age 6+

David Attenborough presents a documentary series exploring how animals meet the challenges of surviving in the most iconic habitats on earth.

92

9.4

/233420/

91

/5154/

86

/1187/

4.6

/62739/

100

/21/

92

age 6+

David Attenborough celebrates the amazing variety of the natural world in this epic documentary series, filmed over four years across 64 different countries.

86

8.9

/35829/

84

/1806/

84

/405/

4.2

/29822/

96

/23/

96

/76/

72

/5/

age 10+

The story of life on our planet by the man who has seen more of the natural world than any other. In more than 90 years, Attenborough has visited every continent on the globe, exploring the wild places of our planet and documenting the living world in all its variety and wonder. Addressing the biggest challenges facing life on our planet, the film offers a powerful message of hope for future generations.

86

8.0

/5916/

81

/439/

77

/125/

3.9

/6751/

100

/33/

89

/50/

86

/13/

4.0

age 9+

Coral reefs are the nursery for all life in the oceans, a remarkable ecosystem that sustains us. Yet with carbon emissions warming the seas, a phenomenon called “coral bleaching”—a sign of mass coral death—has been accelerating around the world, and the public has no idea of the scale or implication of the catastrophe silently raging underwater.

90

9.3

/6554/

87

/440/

85

/98/

4.4

/3228/

100

/11/

96

83

/5/

age 9+

Millions of years ago, incredible forces ripped apart the Earth’s crust creating seven extraordinary continents. This documentary series reveals how each distinct continent has shaped the unique animal life found there.

86

7.9

/12052/

79

/404/

75

/247/

4.1

/11320/

97

/33/

91

/237/

87

/26/

4.0

age 6+

A documentary of insect life in meadows and ponds, using incredible close-ups, slow motion, and time-lapse photography. It includes bees collecting nectar, ladybugs eating mites, snails mating, spiders wrapping their catch, a scarab beetle relentlessly pushing its ball of dung uphill, endless lines of caterpillars, an underwater spider creating an air bubble to live in, and a mosquito hatching.

90

89

9.1

/4761/

87

/436/

85

/64/

4.4

/3588/

100

/9/

88

/4/

Journeying to the far reaches of our planet, this eight part series follows some of the world's most amazing species, telling extraordinary stories that are dramatic, thrilling, funny and sometimes heart-breaking, but always full of hope.

84

7.7

/66727/

75

/1795/

75

/915/

4.1

/129225/

93

/147/

85

/3212/

87

/35/

4.0

age 16+

Follows the story of "Grizzly Man" Timothy Treadwell and what the thirteen summers in a National Park in Alaska were like in his attempt to protect the grizzly bears. The film is full of unique images and a look into the spirit of a man who sacrificed himself for nature.

93

89

9.0

/3391/

85

/305/

87

/71/

4.2

/946/

100

/7/

100

age 11+

A unique fusion of blue chip natural history and earth science that explains how our living planet operates. This five-part series shows how the forces of nature drive, shape and support Earth’s great diversity of wildlife.

89

9.3

/56654/

89

/1304/

86

/319/

4.5

/21632/

97

/31/

82

age 7+

There is nowhere more powerful and unforgiving yet more beautiful and compelling than the ocean. Join us and explore the greatest yet least known parts of our planet.

83

8.3

/23042/

81

/1452/

79

/250/

4.1

/42347/

96

/104/

99

/58/

84

/19/

2.5

age 11+

The enthralling, against-all-odds story that transfixed the world in 2018: the daring rescue of twelve boys and their coach from deep inside a flooded cave in Northern Thailand.

83

7.7

/19968/

76

/498/

74

/285/

4.1

/21243/

94

/110/

83

/963/

80

/25/

4.0

age 7+

Herzog and cinematographer Peter Zeitlinger go to Antarctica to meet people who live and work there, and to capture footage of the continent's unique locations. Herzog's voiceover narration explains that his film will not be a typical Antarctica film about "fluffy penguins", but will explore the dreams of the people and the landscape.

89

9.2

/61731/

86

/2164/

85

/425/

4.5

/23429/

96

/39/

91

84

/14/

age 6+

Experience our planet's natural beauty and examine how climate change impacts all living creatures in this ambitious documentary of spectacular scope.

83

8.2

/44200/

80

/1188/

78

/750/

4.3

/81646/

91

/23/

91

/1147/

3.0

Takes us to locations all around the US and shows us the heavy toll that modern technology is having on humans and the earth. The visual tone poem contains neither dialogue nor a vocalized narration: its tone is set by the juxtaposition of images and the exceptional music by Philip Glass.

87

9.1

/49385/

88

/1102/

83

/383/

4.4

/5286/

age 6+

David Attenborough looks at the extraordinary ends to which animals and plants go in order to survive. Featuring epic spectacles, amazing TV firsts and examples of new wildlife behaviour.

83

8.1

/75987/

80

/3442/

78

/1161/

4.0

/99035/

98

/132/

90

/1533/

83

/33/

3.0

age 14+

Notorious killer whale Tilikum is responsible for the deaths of three individuals, including a top killer whale trainer. Blackfish shows the sometimes devastating consequences of keeping such intelligent and sentient creatures in captivity.

86

8.4

/12310/

80

/1115/

83

/471/

91

/38/

96

85

/11/

age 8+

Experience the wonders of our world like never before in this epic series from Jon Favreau and the producers of Planet Earth. Travel back 66 million years to when majestic dinosaurs and extraordinary creatures roamed the lands, seas, and skies.

86

9.0

/39333/

86

/939/

84

/298/

4.3

/6019/

75

/8/

92

91

/15/

age 6+

David Attenborough travels to the end of the earth, taking viewers on an extraordinary journey across the polar regions of our planet.

82

7.8

/3335/

80

/153/

79

/131/

4.1

/12527/

100

/46/

86

/10/

78

/10/

3.0

High up on the Tibetan plateau. Amongst unexplored and inaccessible valleys lies one of the last sanctuaries of the wild world, where rare and undiscovered fauna lives. Vincent Munier, one of the world’s most renowned wildlife photographers takes the adventurer and novelist Sylvain Tesson (In the Forest of Siberia) with him on his latest mission. For several weeks, they’ll explore these valleys searching for unique animals and try to spot the snow leopard, one of the rarest and most difficult big cats to approach.

86

9.0

/49693/

86

/1067/

83

/376/

4.4

/14651/

age 6+

Sir David Attenborough narrates this critically acclaimed series that dives deep into the marine environment of Planet Earth. Although two-thirds of the world's surface is covered with water, scientists know less about the oceans than they do about the surface of the moon. This limited series travels from various coasts to the poles to examine watery denizens ranging from the gigantic blue whale to microscopic coral polyps.

82

8.1

/70043/

78

/2878/

78

/992/

3.8

/137867/

93

/43/

91

/308/

82

/5/

age 8+

After years of swimming every day in the freezing ocean at the tip of Africa, Craig Foster meets an unlikely teacher: a young octopus who displays remarkable curiosity. Visiting her den and tracking her movements for months on end he eventually wins the animal’s trust and they develop a never-before-seen bond between human and wild animal.

80

7.4

/12438/

74

/827/

72

/178/

3.5

/26845/

100

/22/

94

/27/

70

/8/

3.5

age 13+

A vivid journey into the mysterious subterranean world of mycelium and its fruit— the mushroom. A story that begins 3.5 billion years ago, fungi makes the soil that supports life, connecting vast systems of roots from plants and trees all over the planet, like an underground Internet. Through the eyes of renowned mycologist Paul Stamets, professor of forest ecology Suzanne Simard, best selling author Michael Pollan, food naturalist Eugenia Bone and others, we experience the power, beauty and complexity of the fungi kingdom.

85

8.9

/22542/

86

/544/

83

/113/

4.3

/2822/

85

/6/

age 6+

Africa, the world's wildest continent. David Attenborough takes us on an awe-inspiring journey through one of the most diverse places in the world. We visit deserts, savannas, and jungles and meet up with some of Africa's amazing wildlife.

80

7.9

/12641/

75

/266/

75

/192/

3.9

/5038/

95

/130/

88

/335/

82

/34/

3.0

age 7+

This documentary follows various migratory bird species on their long journeys from their summer homes to the equator and back, covering thousands of miles and navigating by the stars. These arduous treks are crucial for survival, seeking hospitable climates and food sources. Birds face numerous challenges, including crossing oceans and evading predators, illness, and injury. Although migrations are undertaken as a community, birds disperse into family units once they reach their destinations, and every continent is affected by these migrations, hosting migratory bird species at least part of the year.

84

9.0

/33356/

86

/671/

83

/204/

4.3

/2482/

79

/4/

A cinematic experience bringing you the most amazing human stories in the world. Humans and wildlife surviving in the most extreme environments on Earth.

86

84

9.1

/5493/

84

/374/

83

/90/

4.3

/1703/

88

age 6+

Follow the true stories of five of the world's most celebrated, yet endangered animals; penguins, chimpanzees, lions, painted wolves and tigers. Each in a heroic struggle against rivals and against the forces of nature, these families fight for their own survival and for the future of their dynasties.

89

79

8.5

/4792/

83

/418/

81

/58/

4.3

/17538/

100

/11/

96

/11/

93

/4/

age 10+

David Attenborough takes viewers on a breathtaking journey showing there is nowhere more vital for our survival, more full of life, wonder, or surprise, than the ocean. Through spectacular sequences featuring coral reefs, kelp forests and the open ocean, Attenborough shares why a healthy ocean keeps the entire planet stable and flourishing.

87

84

8.5

/7536/

79

/304/

81

/173/

4.2

/8004/

100

/7/

91

Combining fact and informed speculation with cutting-edge computer graphics and animatronics effects, the series set out to create the most accurate portrayal of prehistoric animals ever seen on the screen.

79

7.5

/61914/

74

/1995/

70

/1185/

3.6

/45208/

94

/181/

81

/4306/

79

/39/

3.5

age 6+

Every year, thousands of Antarctica's emperor penguins make an astonishing journey to breed their young. They walk, marching day and night in single file 70 miles into the darkest, driest and coldest continent on Earth. This amazing, true-life tale is touched with humour and alive with thrills. Breathtaking photography captures the transcendent beauty and staggering drama of devoted parent penguins who, in the fierce polar winter, take turns guarding their egg and trekking to the ocean in search of food. Predators hunt them, storms lash them. But the safety of their adorable chicks makes it all worthwhile. So follow the leader... to adventure!!

78

8.0

/9716/

81

/547/

75

/161/

3.7

/12542/

91

/100/

95

/418/

73

/27/

2.5

age 8+

The successes and failures of a couple determined to live in harmony with nature on a farm outside of Los Angeles are lovingly chronicled by filmmaking farmer John Chester, in this inspiring documentary.

90

82

9.1

/3082/

87

/242/

87

/62/

4.4

/1438/

100

/7/

89

This documentary series about plants is the first immersive portrayal of an unseen, inter-connected world, full of remarkable new behaviour, emotional stories and surprising heroes in the plant world. Planet Earth from the perspective of plants.

78

7.9

/14928/

78

/696/

76

/359/

3.9

/6936/

87

/94/

82

/2428/

72

/26/

3.0

age 6+

An epic story of adventure, starring some of the most magnificent and courageous creatures alive, awaits you in EARTH. Disneynature brings you a remarkable story of three animal families on a journey across our planet – polar bears, elephants and humpback whales.

88

82

9.2

/4575/

87

/267/

82

/82/

4.3

/1536/

91

/6/

age 7+

This major landmark series looks in detail at the fascinating relationship between predators and their prey. Rather than concentrating on ‘the blood and guts’ of predation, the series looks in unprecedented detail at the strategies predators use to catch their food and prey use to escape death. Sir David Attenborough narrates.

77

7.3

/1171/

74

/87/

70

/21/

3.7

/1725/

93

/30/

84

/9/

3.0

The story of the last months of the 20-year war in Afghanistan through the intimate relationship between American Green Berets and the Afghan officers they trained.

87

80

8.2

/4010/

77

/214/

79

/47/

4.1

/3153/

100

/5/

98

age 10+

A vast community of chimpanzees thrives in a forest in Uganda, navigating complex social politics, family dynamics and dangerous territory disputes.

77

7.8

/2580/

78

/338/

72

/85/

3.6

/1896/

91

/22/

88

/16/

69

/8/

3.0

age 6+

Embark on an epic journey of family, courage, and coming home in this feature-length documentary. Join Athena, the majestic matriarch, as she leads her elephant herd across an unforgiving African landscape filled with vibrant wildlife.

82

80

8.7

/8570/

82

/362/

76

/85/

83

/12/

93

71

/4/

age 8+

A mind-bending, thrilling journey exploring the fragility and wonder of planet Earth, one of the most peculiar, unique places in the entire universe, brought to life by the only people to have left it behind – the world’s most well known and leading astronauts.

76

7.1

/2708/

68

/99/

63

/61/

3.6

/11599/

96

/103/

71

/14/

80

/29/

3.5

age 13+

A close-up portrait of the daily lives of a pair of cows: told by way of some narrative-free, intimate POV photography, with plenty of close shot images, we follow the daily routine of these animals as they live what can only be described as mundane, boring lives - all with an ultimate purpose within the human food chain.

85

76

9.0

/2596/

81

/238/

84

/42/

4.2

/1334/

75

/8/

92

93

/4/

age 6+

Ten years on from the original Frozen Planet, this documentary series takes audiences back to the wildernesses of the Arctic and Antarctica and tells the complete story of the entire frozen quarter of our planet that’s locked in ice and blanketed in snow.

76

7.1

/1688/

74

/141/

70

/31/

3.6

/3829/

98

/60/

81

/21/

74

/16/

3.0

age 10+

Adventurer, filmmaker, inventor, author, unlikely celebrity and conservationist: For over four decades, Jacques-Yves Cousteau and his explorations under the ocean became synonymous with a love of science and the natural world. As he learned to protect the environment, he brought the whole world with him, sounding alarms more than 50 years ago about the warming seas and our planet’s vulnerability. In BECOMING COUSTEAU, from National Geographic Documentary Films, two-time Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker Liz Garbus takes an inside look at Cousteau and his life, his iconic films and inventions, and the experiences that made him the 20th century’s most unique and renowned environmental voice — and the man who inspired generations to protect the Earth.

82

76

8.1

/3235/

74

/286/

76

/42/

3.9

/1083/

100

/7/

81

age 6+

Narrated by former President Barack Obama, this stunning docuseries shines the spotlight on some of the planet's most spectacular national parks.

76

7.7

/10342/

76

/492/

74

/323/

3.8

/6177/

81

/79/

75

/937/

75

/21/

age 8+

An ecological drama/documentary, filmed throughout the globe. Part thriller, part meditation on the vanishing wonders of the sub-aquatic world.

76

73

8.2

/4390/

77

/353/

76

/72/

4.0

/2727/

70

/4/

Exploring the vital role colour plays in the daily lives of many species.

86

73

9.0

/4278/

85

/206/

83

/61/

4.0

/705/

Professor Brian Cox explores the dramatic lives of the eight majestic planets/worlds that make up our solar system.

86

75

8.2

/5620/

81

/650/

79

/118/

3.9

/4595/

100

/11/

96

/11/

age 8+

Never-before-seen footage shows how our living in lockdown opened the door for nature to bounce back and thrive. Across the seas, skies, and lands, Earth found its rhythm when we came to a stop.

75

7.1

/2016/

73

/197/

71

/55/

3.5

/3848/

92

/65/

81

/78/

69

/18/

3.0

age 6+

The story of Steve, an Adélie penguin, on a quest to find a life partner and start a family. When Steve meets with Wuzzo the emperor penguin they become friends. But nothing comes easy in the icy Antarctic.

74

73

8.1

/5233/

76

/415/

73

/218/

4.0

/2283/

83

/6/