OUR TOP 10 NATURE DOCUMENTARIES
Wild Isles - Sir David Attenborough’s final nature documentary series - hits our screens this weekend. Co-produced with WWF and the RSPB, it highlights the natural wonders on our doorstep. Featuring butterflies, puffins, sea eagles and some species that you maybe, don’t associate with the UK, like killer whales.
We thought it was a great time to look at some of the other wildlife programmes out there. Our sustainability expert Sarah Walkley rounds up 10 of the best, so you know where to turn for your next instalment of inspiration, education and entertainment.
1. Our Planet
From the team behind Blue Planet and Frozen Planet and featuring narration from David Attenborough, this Netflix series explores Earth’s most important habitats. The first episode highlights the interconnection between quite diverse habitats and how small impacts in one area can have much bigger consequences elsewhere. The accompanying website features a range of additional videos and resources for those who want to know more about how they can play their part in protecting our planet.
Showing on Netfix
2. African Cats
Filmed over two and half years, the series follows the lives of a pride of lions and a coalition of cheetahs in Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve. These are Disney’s real lion kings.
Showing on Disney+
3. Night on Earth
If you have ever wondered what animals get up to after the sun goes down, then this series could be the one for you. It uses state-of-the-art night vision cameras to explore the night-time adventures on the African plains, underwater and even in our cities.
Showing on Netfix
4. Born to be Wild
Narrated by Morgan Freeman, Born to be Wild explores efforts to protect, rehabilitated and return threatened orangutans and elephants to the wild.
Showing on Apple TV / Amazon Prime
5. March of the Penguins
Every year, Antarctica’s emperor penguins leave the oceans and journey inland to breed before returning with their new chicks to the sea. March of the Penguins tracks their progress across the frozen continent.
Showing on Apple TV / Amazon Prime
6. Microcosmos
While we may be more used to seeing big animals like polar bears, elephants and whales, some times it is worth exploring the smaller things in life. This film uses close-ups, time-lapse photography and slow motion to show us the insect world, including bees collecting nectar.
Showing on Amazon Prime
7. Blue Planet
It’s often said that we know far more about space than we know about or oceans. Blue Planet and it’s sequel Blue Planet II has helped to redress that balance, in the process identifying species that are new to science.
Showing on BBC iPlayer
8. Bears
Bears follows a family of brown bears living in the coastal mountain ranges of Alaska over the course of a year. Emerging from hibernation, a mother teaches her two young cubs the most important lessons in life, so they can fend for themselves throughout the summer and into the following winter.
Showing on Disney+
9. Chasing Coral
Coral reefs are one of the fastest disappearing habitats on earth. A team of divers, photographers and scientists join forces to discover why and to reveal more about how the plants and creatures that live in this underwater environment are learning to adapt.
Showing on Netflix
10. A Perfect Planet
From volcanoes to sun, wind, rain and human beings, this series charts the major forces that have shaped the planet that we live on.
Showing on BBC iPlayer
The nature crisis affects everyone and the People’s Plan for Nature is the UK’s biggest-ever conversation about the future of nature. The People’s Plan for Nature will be published alongside Wild Isles and sets out a vision of nature and what we can all do to realise that vision. The plan was developed by a 100-strong People’s Assembly for Nature drawn from across the UK, it takes on feedback and ideas from 1,000s of people from all walks of life who responded to questions on what nature means to them and what changes we need to make for nature to thrive in the future.
Sarah Walkley is a freelance writer and researcher on a mission to empower everyone to play their part in addressing climate change and nature loss.
She set up Purplefully to help organisations develop their sustainability strategy and communication.
