Nature Documentary Recommendations!

The Classics

– Planet Earth (2006)

BBC’s most expensive nature documentary series, Planet Earth features a range of natural biomes and habitats that spread over 64 countries around the globe. The show is renowned for its arrestingly beautiful depictions of the natural habitats barely untouched by humans.

– The Blue Planet (2001)

Another production of BBC narrated by David Attenborough, The Blue Planet was described as “the first ever comprehensive series on the natural history of the world’s oceans”. Each of its 8 episodes examines a different aspect of the ocean, from the coasts of the Galápagos Islands to 4,000 meters to the bottom of the ocean.

Nature Near Us

– Springwatch

Springwatch is an annual series that is broadcast live from various locations around the UK, chronicling the reawakening of life in the countryside every spring since 2005. You’ll see house sparrows, bumblebees, hedgehogs and beavers in people’s backyards – this show is a great demonstration of how wildlife and the human world are tightly connected, and will make you want to go outside.

– The Year Earth Changed (2021)

The Year Earth Changed is a documentary about the global lockdown and its impact on nature. The smallest changes in human behavior, like reducing cruise ship traffic and closing beaches a few days a year, can have profound effects on nature and allow humans and wildlife to coexist in a more harmonious way.

Wildlife and People

– My Octopus Teacher (2020)

My Octopus Teacher documented a year spent by filmmaker Craig Foster forging an intimate relationship between a wild common octopus in a South African kelp forest. The story is heartwarming and shows us how meaningful bonds can transcend barriers between human and wildlife.

– Jane (2017)

Jane is a biographical documentary on Jane Goodall, whose 60-year research on wild chimpanzees revolutionized our understanding of the natural world. The film draws from over 100 hours of footage in the National Geographic archives to provide an intimate portrait of this honored conservationist.