I’m not much of a television watcher, as I prefer my entertainment in the written form, but there have been some fantastic animal documentaries released in recent years.
We’ve compiled a list for you to enjoy, including where to watch!
1. Planet Earth and Planet Earth II
This documentary, released in 2006 and 2016, came in a 17 part series, looking at over 64 countries and the animal habitats within. From the deep ocean to forests, shallow seas to jungles, and ice worlds to mountains, each episode can be watched as a stand-alone documentary with excellent videography and mind-blowing information. You can watch it on Discovery Plus, Amazon Prime, and Apple TV.
2. Monkey Planet
This 2014 documentary takes us on a wild and in-depth ride with the many different primate species around the world. From monkeys to gorillas and even lemurs, it’s simply amazing to see how they live, eat, play, and work together to thrive. You can watch it on Amazon or Netflix. Just try to hold in all the “awwwwws” because your family will get tired of hearing it halfway through episode one. You can watch it on Discovery Plus and Amazon Prime.
3. Born to be Wild
This documentary was destined to be a slam-dunk the moment Morgan Freeman agreed to narrate. It follows two women who have made it their mission in life to create sanctuaries for animals. Daphne Sheldrick runs a Kenyan elephant sanctuary, and Dr. Biruté Mary Galdikas has dedicated her life to the orangutans in Borneo. This documentary follows their trials and tribulations, leaving you in awe of their hard work. It can be viewed on iTunes, Amazon Prime, and Google Play.
4. Penguins: Waddle All The Way
This ingenious film narrated by Jane Lynch uses dozens of spy cams to follow never-before-seen footage of penguins. How did they manage this? By disguising the spy cams as life-sized penguins! It follows three different species: emperor penguins, rockhopper penguins, and Humboldt penguins. It’s the perfect documentary for a snowy day inside. You can watch it on Discovery Plus.
5. The Hunt
This incredible documentary follows polar bears and killer whales in their struggle for survival as they hunt and feed on smaller creatures. Some filmography was captured by cameras mounted to elephants, which is certainly a novel way to shoot a film. Even better, we get the smooth voice of David Attenborough to guide us through the experience. You can watch it on Amazon Prime. Please don’t mix it up with the horror/thriller of the same name!
Once you’re done with these five films, you’re sure to find more suggestions popping up on your favorite streaming service. Now is the perfect time to sit back, relax, and learn more about our world.