Stay-at-Home Streaming Picks for Nature Lovers

Most Americans can expect stay-at-home orders to extend into May. Fortunately, the major streaming services offer countless options to get out of the house and explore the globe through nature documentaries. Here are a few highlights that should educate and inspire the animal lovers in your family.

Amazon Prime

Big Pacific (2017): Prime subscribers can stream every episode of this PBS documentary series that takes viewers deep into the ocean. Both educational and exciting, each episode focuses on a theme like “Mysterious” or “Voracious.” It’s just one of many PBS documentaries available on Prime.

Seasons (2016): This documentary offers both nature photography and a history lesson. The directors explain how European wildlife emerged from the last ice age and use awe-inspiring photography to tell the story of our planet.

Disney+

The Living Desert (1953): Disney is mostly associated with animated animals, but the company has produced a number of family-friendly nature documentaries over the years. This look at the deserts of the American Southwest was one of the first. Animal lovers of all ages will appreciate the chance to meet wildcats, rattlesnakes, and dozens more desert critters.

Dolphin Reef (2020, pictured above): One of DisneyNature’s newest features, Dolphin Reef looks at a family of Pacific bottlenose dolphins and features narration from Natalie Portman. Disney also offers downloadable activities and educational guides to supplement your viewing experience.

Hulu

Jane (2017): Brett Morgan’s Oscar-nominated doc follows the career of famous primatologist Jane Goodall. The film employs both decades worth of archival footage and exclusive new interviews to explore Dr. Goodall’s groundbreaking work with chimpanzees.

March of the Penguins 2 (2018): The sequel to the 2005 hit once again finds Morgan Freeman providing voiceover narration and director Luc Jacquet training his camera on Antarctic emperor penguins. This time around, father-son relationships are in the spotlight.

Netflix

Our Planet (2019): Over the years, Netflix has built a reputation for offering a huge library of high-quality nature documentaries. Their latest series does not disappoint. Featuring David Attenborough’s ubiquitous voice, Our Planet transports viewers to several ecosystems across the globe.

Untamed Romania (2018): The mountains of Romania are home to an exciting and diverse array of wildlife. This documentary allows viewers to travel across the globe and observe how these creatures adapt to changes in season and climate.