The 5 Best Nature Documentaries on Netflix
OUR PLANET
From the deepest oceans to the plains of Africa, everybody’s favourite nature documentary narrator, David Attenborough, takes us on an incredible journey through our planet and the problems it’s facing in our world today. Netflix collaborated with the World Wildlife Fund to create this amazing documentary consisting of eight episodes that each focus on climate change and conservation, showcasing just how amazing each corner of our planet is while highlighting the challenges they face. We love David so much that this may just take the top spot in our hearts as one of the best nature documentaries on Netflix.
THE IVORY GAME
Have you ever been lucky enough to see wild elephants? In Africa? Maybe in Sri Lanka on one of our tours? If you have you’ll know that feeling of absolute awe seeing one of these majestic, ancient creatures roam around. This documentary sheds light on just how much the ivory trade is actually worth, bouncing between war torn Africa’s desperate poachers and the illegal trading of the ivory in China.
The film also features Hong Xiang, a Chinese environmental activist who has dedicated his life to not only protecting wild animals, but changing the world’s perception of the Chinese. He goes undercover to help expose the illegal ivory trade in Hong Kong and China. Hong, is a bloody legend. It’s also co-produced by Leonardo DiCaprio… need we say more?
VIRUNGA
Virunga is a national park found in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This documentary really pulls at your heartstrings, as National Park rangers and Orphaned Gorilla caregivers fight to protect these incredible animals from threats like war, poaching and habitat destruction. It is also an exposé on a greedy British oil exploration company who are illegally trying to obtain oil from a lake within the park.
Throughout the documentary you meet the beautiful Gorilla carer ‘Bauma’ and his 4 Orphaned juvenile Mountain Gorillas. Watching both their emotions and personalities unfold throughout the film is incredible. Bauma talks of his passion for tourism, and explains how tourism to the area is the main way to save the remaining 800 mountain Gorillas of the Congo.
CHASING CORAL
If you’ve ever been on tour with us in the Philippines or Indonesia you will have been lucky enough to experience the breathtaking kaleidoscope of colour in the ‘coral triangle’. Also known as ‘rainforests of the sea’, coral reefs only form about 0.1% of the world’s ocean area. That said, coral reefs still form the basis of all our marine tourism and as such face an extensive amount of threat from humans. This documentary is a deep dive (pun intended) into these threats and looks at how we can stop one of nature’s favourite playgrounds from disappearing.
A PLASTIC OCEAN
This documentary explores the extent to which plastic is affecting our great oceans, and what they find is both heartbreaking and terrifying. It explores the pressing issue of micro plastics, how they form and just how detrimental they are to the food chain. With appearances from Barack Obama, Sylvia Earle and the legend himself, Sir David Attenborough, we don’t think you’ll need any extra convincing to watch this one.
Have you watched any of these? Let us know which documentaries you would add to your personal list of the best nature documentaries on Netflix!
WRITTEN BY: Kate Justice
