Picture Credits: Netflix
From the beauty of nature, to the myriad dangers humanity causes it — here’s our list of the 10 must-watch nature documentaries on Netflix.
Netflix has invested heavily in nature documentaries over the years, even hiring British legend Sir David Attenborough to work on a series. Whether it’s showing off brutal nature on land or venturing into the depths of our oceans, these shows are absolutely gorgeous, occasionally eye-opening, and well worth your time.
Let’s dive into our list!
Night on Earth
This nature series' new technology lifts night's veil to reveal the hidden lives of the world's creatures, from lions on the hunt to bats on the wing.
Night on Earth gets us off to a strong start. Not to be confused with the 1991 action movie starring Winona Ryder, the Netflix series follows the lives of nocturnal species through an entirely new lens. And when I say a ‘new lens’, I mean literally; it uses state-of-the-art, low-light camera technology. It shows viewers the nighttime activities of everything from lions to bats, allowing a whole new angle of their activities. The 6-episode series is narrated by Samira Wiley. Sadly, the documentary never made it past season 1. But what we do get is a masterful, unique look at the nighttime activities of animals.
Seaspiracy
Passionate about ocean life, a filmmaker sets out to document the harm that humans do to marine species -- and uncovers alarming global corruption.
Seaspiracy is an eye-opening, fascinating documentary about the human impact of fishing on marine life. The film comes from British filmmaker Ali Tabrizi. I appreciate that it sheds light on an issue that’s seldom addressed. There’s also another similar documentary on Netflix, Conspiracy, which highlights the immense impact animal agriculture has on the environment. I highly recommend them both as eye-opening films!
Wild Babies
Follow the adventures of baby lions, elephants, penguins, pangolins and more as they learn to navigate the highs and lows of life in the wild.
I watched Wild Babies the day it was released in 2022, and it has stuck with me ever since. I keep going back to it. The 8-episode limited series chronicles the wholesome, interesting lives of baby animals. Nature has its struggles, trials, and tribulations, and it’s so fascinating to see the nurturing process of baby animals in the wild. The series follows a number of species, from the Skeleton Coast of Africa to the super harsh conditions of Antarctica.
Our Universe
Witness the remarkable story of our universe over billions of years and its inextricable link to life on Earth in this sweeping documentary series.
Our Universe shows the scale of everything, from the unique position of life on planet Earth to the origins of our lifeforms to the physical geography of our planet. Masterfully narrated by Morgan Freeman, this 6-episode series is a one-stop tour of the functions of Earth. It’s visually stunning, offering a bigger-picture view. It’s one of those shows that makes you feel so small in the universe, connecting the dots of our 13.8 billion-year history
Great National Parks
Narrated by former President Barack Obama, this stunning docuseries shines the spotlight on some of the planet's most spectacular national parks.
Our Great National Parks is a five-part documentary series narrated by former U.S. President Barack Obama. The series takes viewers on a tour of some of the world’s most famous national parks, such as the Great Barrier Reef and Kenya’s Tsavo National Park. Obama’s brilliant narration offers myriad insights about the parks home to innumerable animals. It offers stunning visuals and guarantees you’ll finish the series more knowledgeable than when you began.
Our Oceans
Discover the stories beneath the surface of the water in this stunning nature documentary series, which explores each of the Earth's five oceans.
Once again, Barack Obama turns to nature documentaries with Our Oceans. The 5-part documentary is a deep-dive into the depths of the five oceans around the world: Pacific, Indian, Atlantic, Arctic, and Southern. Not only does it visualize the rarely-seen life that lives deep in the high-pressure, barely habitable environments, but it also implores the importance of preserving our oceans.
Penguin Town
In a picturesque South African town, an eclectic group of endangered penguins flock together to find mates, raise families and mix with the locals.
I loved Penguin Town. And it seems the world did, too, with the series still standing at a staggering 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. The premise of Penguin Town is simple. It follows a group of penguins who move into the quint, picturesque Simon’s Town in South Africa. There, they search for mates, mix with the locals, and just get up to whatever penguins do. It’s super fun! The 8-episode series is narrated by none other than Ratatouille himself, Patton Oswalt!
My Octopus Teacher
A filmmaker forges an unusual friendship with an octopus living in a South African kelp forest, learning as the animal shares the mysteries of her world.
Directed by Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed and starring by Craig Foster, My Octopus Teacher is pretty much what the title suggests. Foster spends an entire year interacting with an octopus in off the coast of South Africa. The series chronicles his observation of the octopus, and ultimately their connection. It explores themes of inter-species communication. The film gets more interesting as it goes on, watching Foster develop a heartwarming relationship with the octopus, as it shows off its unique environment. The film gained immense critical acclaim, winning an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
Our Planet
Experience our planet's natural beauty and examine how climate change impacts all living creatures in this ambitious documentary of spectacular scope.
It would be wrong not to feature Sir David Attenborough on a list of the best nature documentaries. He is the best to do it, and probably the best there will ever be. Our Planet is an outstanding, 2-season documentary series documenting the impact climate change has on species all over the world. The show is both poignant and spectacular. Each episode showcases a different habitat — such as jungles, seas, and frozen worlds — and the challenges they face. It’s a top-tier series, made even better by Attenborough’s presence.
Moreover, while you can watch Our Planet in full on Netflix, the streamer has also made full episodes available on YouTube. Check it out!
Life On Our Planet
Life's extraordinary journey to conquer, adapt and survive on Earth across billions of years comes alive in this groundbreaking nature docuseries.
After Our Universe, Morgan Freeman returns to Netflix to narrate Life on Our Planet, a wonderful series from executive producer Steven Spielberg. The show is a glorious, historical adventure of how life came to be what it is today on our planet. How did certain species become dominant? And what events caused the extinction of so much wildlife? This series is a masterpiece of nature documentaries.
Do you have a favorite Netflix nature documentary that’s not on this list? Tell us what it is in the comments below!
