Nature & Ecology Documentaries on Netflix

This documentary follows a group of hunters as they grapple with the complexities, controversies, and contradictions of pursuing animals in the wild.

Year: 2018
IMDb: 9.5
Runtime: 01:09:11
Netflix ID: 81292225 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

A broadcaster recounts his life, and the evolutionary history of life on Earth, to grieve the loss of wild places and offer a vision for the future.

Year: 2020
IMDb: 9.2
Runtime: 01:23:47
Netflix ID: 80216393 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Discover the secrets of the universe in this series that pairs animation with insights on distant planets, black holes and other celestial marvels.

Year: 2007
IMDb: 8.8
Netflix ID: 70143831 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This documentary explores how the legendary creatures of Romania's vast wilderness roam free yet endure the ever-changing seasons.

Year: 2018
IMDb: 8.7
Runtime: 01:32:43
Netflix ID: 81232423 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

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.

Year: 2020
IMDb: 8.5
Runtime: 01:25:36
Netflix ID: 81045007 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

As corrupt governments fail to stop the slaughter of elephants for ivory, an 80-year-old woman and a crew of rangers bravely try to end the poaching.

Year: 2014
IMDb: 8.4
Netflix rating: 3.1/5
Runtime: 01:10:07
Netflix ID: 80052703 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

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.

Year: 2020
IMDb: 8.4
Netflix ID: 80218938 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Science experts and celebrity activists unpack the ways in which the earth's soil may be the key to combating climate change and preserving the planet.

Year: 2020
IMDb: 8.3
Runtime: 01:24:55
Netflix ID: 81321999 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

The Oscar-nominated true story of the rangers risking their lives to save Africa's most precious national park and its endangered gorillas.

Year: 2014
IMDb: 8.2
Netflix rating: 4.4/5
Runtime: 01:40:22
Netflix ID: 80009431 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

From ruffling their majestic feathers to nailing im-peck-able courtship routines, birds in paradise flaunt their best moves in hopes of landing a mate.

Year: 2019
IMDb: 8.2
Runtime: 00:51:35
Netflix ID: 80186796 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This fascinating documentary examines the life of performing killer whale Tilikum, who has caused the deaths of several people while in captivity.

Year: 2013
IMDb: 8.1
Netflix rating: 4.3/5
Runtime: 01:23:15
Netflix ID: 70267802 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Five baby animals from different parts of the world grow up learning to survive in the wild, nurtured by the love and guidance of their families.

Year: 2016
IMDb: 8.1
Netflix rating: 3/5
Runtime: 01:17:46
Netflix ID: 80158772 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Divers, scientists and photographers around the world mount an epic underwater campaign to document the disappearance of coral reefs.

Year: 2017
IMDb: 8.1
Runtime: 01:29:19
Netflix ID: 80168188 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Actor Zac Efron journeys around the world with wellness expert Darin Olien in a travel show that explores healthy, sustainable ways to live.

Year: 2020
IMDb: 8.1
Netflix ID: 80230601 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Filmmakers infiltrate the corrupt global network of ivory trafficking, exposing poachers and dealers as African elephants edge closer to extinction.

Year: 2016
IMDb: 7.9
Netflix rating: 3.3/5
Runtime: 01:52:28
Netflix ID: 80117533 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Applying the laws of life on Earth to the rest of the galaxy, this series blends science fact and fiction to imagine alien life on other planets.

Year: 2020
IMDb: 7.9
Netflix ID: 80221410 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This look behind the scenes shows how worldwide camera crews climbed, dived and froze to capture the documentary's groundbreaking night footage.

Year: 2020
IMDb: 7.7
Runtime: 00:59:24
Netflix ID: 81168505 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

A trio of filmmakers treks across India to explore the correlation between vanishing rivers, massive energy projects and renewable energy sources.

Year: 2018
IMDb: 7.6
Runtime: 01:14:00
Netflix ID: 81217749 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Take a breathtaking journey through the vast and diverse ecosystems of Australia and the magnificent wildlife that resides within them.

Year: 2019
IMDb: 7.6
Netflix ID: 81273905 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

High-resolution cameras capture the glory of the vast African savannah teeming with species that include cheetahs, wildebeests, zebras and crocodiles.

Year: 2011
IMDb: 7.6
Runtime: 01:37:55
Netflix ID: 70249059 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Set in Africa, a 3-D tour illuminates the mystical beauty, wonder and power of the natural world and reveals the astonishing creatures who inhabit it.

Year: 2014
IMDb: 7.5
Netflix rating: 2.9/5
Runtime: 01:27:15
Netflix ID: 80045786 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Survivalist Andrew Ucles explores the jungles, rivers and plains of three continents with the residents who knows them best: the local animals.

Year: 2020
IMDb: 7.5
Netflix ID: 81464379 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This documentary explores the tensions between the lucrative big-game hunting business and wildlife conservation from a variety of perspectives.

Year: 2017
IMDb: 7.3
Runtime: 01:49:49
Netflix ID: 80168084 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

In this reflective documentary, filmmaker Tom Shadyac chats with philosophers and spiritual leaders about what ails the world and how to improve it.

Year: 2011
IMDb: 7.2
Netflix rating: 4.2/5
Runtime: 01:20:21
Netflix ID: 70160425 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This documentary presents these underwater apex predators not as monsters that kill for sport, but as intelligent and cautious creatures with a bad rap.

Year: 2013
IMDb: 7.1
Runtime: 00:51:28
Netflix ID: 81408975 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Enjoy an homage to the stunning scenery, majestic wildlife and ageless forces of nature found throughout Holland's lush and vivid landscapes.

Year: 2015
IMDb: 6.9
Runtime: 01:36:15
Netflix ID: 80245113 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

The team behind the searing documentary reveals what inspired them to tell the story of Virunga and the lethal fight to save the gorillas' sanctuary.

Year: 2015
IMDb: 6.8
Netflix rating: 4.2/5
Runtime: 00:28:32
Netflix ID: 80038290 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

In this offbeat nature feature, a capuchin monkey raised in captivity survives a plane crash but must then fend for himself in the Amazon wilderness.

Year: 2013
IMDb: 6.5
Netflix rating: 3/5
Runtime: 01:22:29
Netflix ID: 70292941 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Bird watchers on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border share their enthusiasm for protecting and preserving some of the world's most beautiful species.

Year: 2019
IMDb: 6.4
Runtime: 00:37:46
Netflix ID: 80244682 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This documentary explores the ill-fated scientific experiment known as Biosphere 2, a giant terrarium replicating Earth's ecosystem in the early 1990s.

Year: 2020
IMDb: 6.4
Runtime: 01:54:52
Netflix ID: 81256400 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

While the increase of artificial light makes life easier for humans, this documentary explores how decreasing darkness affects the natural world order.

Year: 2009
IMDb: 6.4
Runtime: 00:43:02
Netflix ID: 81457058 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

From Kentucky to South Africa, Thailand and beyond, host Sean Duggan travels the globe to look for some of nature's most unusual creepy critters.

Year: 2015
IMDb: 6.1
Netflix rating: 3/5
Netflix ID: 80106423 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This eye-catching and engaging documentary explores the coral reefs off the shores of the Maldives, which are as beautiful as they are endangered.

Year: 2012
IMDb: 5.8
Runtime: 00:53:04
Netflix ID: 81416270 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

An international group of filmmakers sets out on a mission to get up close and personal with a family of elusive snow leopards.

Year: 2017
IMDb: 5.4
Runtime: 01:18:06
Netflix ID: 80198046 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This documentary follows Miss Marple, a cat-sized hamster rat with a sense of smell better than a dog — and has a job sniffing out land mines.

Year: 2008
IMDb: 5.2
Runtime: 00:43:14
Netflix ID: 81457037 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Little animals embark on big adventures across the U.S. in a dramatic nature series that explores their hidden worlds and epic survival stories.

Year: 2020
IMDb: 4.8
Netflix ID: 81004151 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This documentary examines the vital role water plays in human existence and the cause-and-effect interplay between oceans and the environment.

Year: 2010
Netflix rating: 3.9/5
Runtime: 01:36:50
Netflix ID: 70118953 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Explore the incredible wildlife, glaciers, volcanoes, fjords, and jungles of far Northern Europe, including Norway, Greenland, Denmark and more.

Year: 2011
Netflix rating: 4.2/5
Netflix ID: 80001232 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Casting a light on the mistreatment of sea mammals, this documentary follows the plight of 18 Beluga whales kept in captivity for years.

Year: 2016
Runtime: 01:14:11
Netflix ID: 80131414 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

A cast of quirky critters and Mother Nature herself narrate this funny science series, which peeks into the lives of Earth’s most incredible animals.

Year: 2020
Netflix ID: 81082225 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Narrated by Oscar winner Jeff Bridges, this documentary explores the impact of human culture on the environment and where this could take the world.

Year: 2018
Runtime: 01:22:57
Netflix ID: 81014874 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

In a picturesque South African town, an eclectic group of endangered penguins flock together to find mates, raise families and mix with the locals.

Year: 2021
Netflix ID: 81214135 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This two-part documentary shows off Italy's wild side, from pink flamingos and sure-footed ibex up north to wild horses and giant sharks in the south.

Year: 2014
Netflix ID: 81457526 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Join the seasoned naturalists and film crew from the long-running documentary series as they explore the wildlife wonders of the North Sea.

Year: 2007
Netflix rating: 3.6/5
Netflix ID: 80001042 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Explore the amazingly diverse wildlife and landscapes of Germany, from countless lakes to dense forests.

Year: 2011
Netflix rating: 4.1/5
Netflix ID: 80001233 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This series examines the nature of cuteness and how adorability helps some animal species to survive and thrive in a variety of environments.

Year: 2016
Netflix rating: 3.1/5
Netflix ID: 80104022 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Dr. Carin Bondar introduces unusual animal friendships, such as an elephant who leads a buffalo herd, a jackal caring for an elderly dog and more.

Year: 2015
Netflix rating: 3.1/5
Netflix ID: 80106367 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Cinematographers visit the remote forests and mountains of China in hopes of capturing footage of pandas, monkeys, red-crowned cranes and more.

Year: 2017
Runtime: 01:18:28
Netflix ID: 80224924 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Explore the natural beauty, diverse wildlife and timeless mysteries of the Mediterranean Sea and its surrounding areas.

Year: 2014
Netflix ID: 80204348 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Curious kids Emma and her big brother Tim observe different animals as they make their way through various life milestones, from birth to adulthood.

Year: 2018
Netflix ID: 80189586 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

The incredible animals inhabiting the Aldabra Atoll struggle and thrive in this family nature film shot in one of the world’s most unusual locations.

Year: 2014
Runtime: 01:12:41
Netflix ID: 81191929 · Watch on Netflix

Through the lens of faiths and cultures in seven provinces in Indonesia, this documentary follows individuals who strive to address climate change.

Year: 2018
Runtime: 01:28:10
Netflix ID: 81292475 · Watch on Netflix

From the countryside to a train station, this documentary tracks the resiliency of Czech nature as its creatures adapt to a changing local landscape.

Year: 2017
Runtime: 01:20:34
Netflix ID: 81289404 · Watch on Netflix

From reuse to energy generation, new innovations across five continents are explored in this documentary about building a future for sustainable water.

Year: 2020
Runtime: 00:50:54
Netflix ID: 81326710 · Watch on Netflix

Passionate about ocean life, a filmmaker sets out to document the harm that humans do to marine species — and uncovers alarming global corruption.

Year: 2021
Runtime: 01:29:37
Netflix ID: 81014008 · Watch on Netflix

A newborn reindeer embarks on a harrowing first trek through the Arctic wilderness in this documentary filmed in the landscapes of northern Finland.

Year: 2018
Runtime: 01:22:44
Netflix ID: 81087188 · Watch on Netflix

Using innovative technology, this docuseries explores nature from a fresh perspective as animals use color to survive and thrive in the wild.

Year: 2021
Netflix ID: 81036559 · Watch on Netflix

David Attenborough and scientist Johan Rockström examine Earth's biodiversity collapse and how this crisis can still be averted.

Year: 2021
Runtime: 01:13:58
Netflix ID: 81336476 · Watch on Netflix

Over the course of a year in a small village, this documentary follows a farmer's struggles with breeding and maintaining his chickens and dairy cows.

Year: 2019
Runtime: 00:49:56
Netflix ID: 81411172 · Watch on Netflix

David Attenborough narrates this nature series exploring the world of Raffles' banded langurs and other species inhabiting Singapore's rainforest.

Year: 2019
Runtime: 00:44:47
Netflix ID: 81477610 · Watch on Netflix

In this nature series, tiny creatures ranging from bullfrogs to praying mantises play out daily dramas of survival, mostly unseen by human Singaporeans.

Year: 2019
Runtime: 00:44:37
Netflix ID: 81477613 · Watch on Netflix

This documentary follows the gorilla whisperer, Alfred Bama, as he endeavors to reunite an endangered Cross River Gorilla with her family.

Year: 2011
Runtime: 00:44:32
Netflix ID: 80005453 · Watch on Netflix

This documentary follows a young cheetah's first year of motherhood as she attempts to overcome the odds and raise her cubs in the African savanna.

Year: 2013
Runtime: 00:44:18
Netflix ID: 81457245 · Watch on Netflix

Travel to Tanzania with wildlife filmmaker Reinhard Radke and learn all about crocodiles, from their hunting techniques to their parenting skills.

Year: 2011
Runtime: 00:44:34
Netflix ID: 81457059 · Watch on Netflix

Exploring one of Earth's last paradises, this documentary takes a look at the mysterious flora and fauna habitats of the Malay archipelago.

Year: 2007
Runtime: 00:43:13
Netflix ID: 81457036 · Watch on Netflix

Explore the wetlands of southeast Germany, where wildlife is returning to its numerous ponds after suffering damage due to coal mining.

Year: 2013
Runtime: 00:44:20
Netflix ID: 81457242 · Watch on Netflix

Scientists speculate why the end of the last Ice Age caused the extinction of some of Earth's largest animals.

Year: 2019
Runtime: 00:51:38
Netflix ID: 81457243 · Watch on Netflix

Biologists at the University of Münster take a deep dive into the lives of guinea pigs to unveil the highly intelligent side of these cute rodents.

Year: 2013
Runtime: 00:43:12
Netflix ID: 81457214 · Watch on Netflix

Venture to this mountainous no man's land between Europe and the Orient to explore its melting pot of terrains, wildlife and hardy inhabitants.

Year: 2016
Runtime: 00:48:20
Netflix ID: 81457241 · Watch on Netflix

Athlete and biologist Gudrun Pflüger goes on an expedition to research the social behavior of British Columbia's coastal wolves.

Year: 2006
Runtime: 00:43:16
Netflix ID: 81457056 · Watch on Netflix

Filmmakers capture the natural wonders of the Caucasus Mountains, a wild region that's home to saiga antelope, short-toed eagles, hedgehogs and more.

Year: 2008
Runtime: 00:44:21
Netflix ID: 81457227 · Watch on Netflix

In this documentary, one guide tries to protect the endangered elephant shrews that can only be found in the coastal forests of a Kenya national park.

Year: 2008
Runtime: 00:43:15
Netflix ID: 81457247 · Watch on Netflix

Filmmakers Rainer Bergomaz and Yung Sandy travel through remote rainforests to observe the massive black caiman and the rare harpy eagle.

Year: 2009
Netflix ID: 81457025 · Watch on Netflix

In this documentary, nature photographer Benny Rebel embarks on a multiweek expedition to capture images of wildlife native to his homeland of Iran.

Year: 2012
Netflix ID: 81457040 · Watch on Netflix

A group of scientists and activists battle extreme temperatures and sleep deprivation while working for weeks on end to save the world's oceans.

Year: 2016
Netflix ID: 81457062 · Watch on Netflix

Wildlife filmmaker Reinhard Radke follows two packs of lions through the savanna as thermal-imaging cameras capture what happens in the darkness.

Year: 2016
Runtime: 00:44:28
Netflix ID: 81457209 · Watch on Netflix

The lens of Reinhard Radke follows a group of lionesses in southern Kenya that risk it all to save their young as a food shortage threatens the pride.

Year: 2016
Runtime: 00:44:23
Netflix ID: 81457213 · Watch on Netflix

Feared as killers, sharks are the ocean's most misunderstood creatures. This documentary tells their true story — and examines the dangers they face.

Year: 2019
Runtime: 00:52:11
Netflix ID: 81408989 · Watch on Netflix