Are you ready for our list of 11 best nature documentaries on Amazon Prime? To watch them, all you need to have is Amazon Prime subscription and some free time.
There are many amazing places on Earth and many interesting things to see, but unfortunately, the majority of us can’t experience them in person. This is why nature documentaries are among my favorite documentaries to watch. They allow me to see some of the most breathtaking landscapes on our planet or to learn something about other species that call this planet their home. During my time of researching nature documentaries, I have noticed that there are few types of them that stand out. First, there are nature documentaries that are aimed purely to give the audience visual satisfaction. Their primary goal is to capture the beauty of the natural world and mostly let the images tell the story. Secondly, there are nature documentaries that are educational and try to introduce the audience to places, phenomenon or animal species they didn’t know much about. These, including those that follow interactions of humans with nature, are the most common ones. If you are not among those who are picky about the type of documentaries they want to watch, as long as they are well made, make sure to check out our list of 35 Best Documentaries on Amazon Prime.
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You could say that the way nature documentaries are made didn’t change a lot since Disney’s Academy Award documentary from 1948, Seal Island. You get a camera, pick a destination, arm yourself with patience and try to get the best shots you can. Later, in the editing phase, get a famous actor to narrate (if you have the money) and hope people will appreciate your effort. The most challenging thing of all is, with no doubt, getting those quality shots. This makes nature documentaries one of the hardest ones to make.
For example, BBC’s famous nature documentary series Planet Earth took 5 years to shoot. Guess how many hours of TV program they got? 11! That’s right, 5 years of work summed up in 11 hours. Hopefully, with the emergence of new technologies, making nature documentaries should get (or even is) a bit easier. For example, drones give the ability to film nature & wildlife from closer distance without disrupting it. This not only benefits filmmakers but the audience as well. They are able to see everything more clearly and from up close. Look at me, I got myself talking, and we didn’t even start with our list. So let’s get to it.
To create our list of 11 best nature documentaries on Amazon Prime, we took 229 documentaries in the category of Nature & Wildlife, which are available to stream for Amazon Prime subscribers. Then we ranked those documentaries based on the Amazon rating and a number of raters (ones with 5 or fewer raters did not qualify). After calculating an average rating from those two ranking, our list shaped up. Have a look.
11. The Great San Francisco Earthquake
Amazon Rating: 4.1
Number of Raters: 222
Until some great tragedy happens, we are not aware of the power that nature has. The earthquake that happened in 1906 in San Francisco stands to date as the biggest and deadliest natural catastrophes that happened in the United States. During the earthquake, more than 80% of San Francisco was destroyed and around 3,000 people lost their lives. This documentary will help you realize the magnitude of this disaster. It combines interviews with survivors with CGI animation and archive footage.
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10. Wondrous Secrets of the Ocean Realm: Cathedral in the Sea & Survival in the Sea
Amazon Rating: 4.7
Number of Raters: 13
Did you know that oceans have their forests too? Not only that, but these forests made of kelp (large seaweeds) are considered to be among the richest ecosystems on the planet. This documentary will help you explore those forests and see what exactly happens there. It will also introduce you to the ways ocean’s species reproduce and the ways they defend themselves from predators. If you happen to like this one, there are plenty more documentaries from this series to watch on Amazon Prime.
9. Incredible Creatures That Defy Evolution III
Amazon Rating: 4.4
Number of Raters: 95
We have to warn you that this entry on the list isn’t for everyone. The documentary that ranked 9th on our list of best nature documentaries on Amazon Prime and the whole series explore the world of animals in a different way than you would think. To put it plainly, it has a goal of proving that the theory of evolution is wrong. It introduces various species of animals with the premise that they could be designed only by God. Those who share this unscientific opinion can check out two more documentaries in the same series.
8. Let It Snow
Amazon Rating: 4.6
Number of Raters: 27
All of us have some love/hate relationship with the snow. When it first starts to pour, we catch it with our tongue, enjoy the white landscapes and look forward to going skiing. After some time, when we have to shovel it for the 100th time to be able to leave the house, we are not that psyched anymore. Although you thought you knew everything about the snow, this documentary will prove you otherwise and show you that there is more to it than one would assume. Also, it is a great watch for people who live in Miami to see what they are missing on out.
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7. Through the Garden Gate – A Diary of the English Countryside
Amazon Rating: 5
Number of Raters: 6
Stephen de Vere will be a familiar name to those who enjoy BBC made nature documentaries. After some huge scaled projects, this time he decided to go small and document the birds and their habits. He travels through the British Countryside, filming birds through seasons and getting viewers more familiar with them.Let’s see what’s next on our list of best nature documentaries on Amazon Prime.
6. Joanna Macy and the Great Turning
Amazon Rating: 4.8
Number of Raters: 11
Throughout the majority of the newer nature documentaries, there is one message that is frequently repeated. That beauty and wildlife we are watching on our TV screens could soon become a part of the past. List of endangered animals is growing with each day and more nature is being disrupted by the greed and ignorance of humans. In this documentary, that is on the 6th spot on our list of best nature documentaries on Amazon Prime environmental activist Joanna Macy will show you just how serious the problem is.
5. Frankel: The Superhorse
Amazon Rating: 4.4
Number of Raters: 156
We bet you didn’t expect a documentary about racehorse to be on our list of 11 best nature documentaries on Amazon Prime. For those of you unfamiliar with the sport, horses are just as famous in the horse racing as the people who ride them. This is a story about Frankel, one of the most appreciated racing horses in the history of the sport and arguably the best one that competed in the 21st century. The documentary follows the unique partnership that Frankel and Sir Henry Cecil (thought to be one of the best horse trainers ever) developed and how Frankel’s success cemented Sir Cecil’s place in the history of the sport.
4. Angel Azul
Amazon Rating: 4.8
Number of Raters: 13
Thanks to overfishing and growing pollution, coral reefs are slowly disappearing. It is estimated that around 1/5 of all coral reefs on Earth already vanished. If the trend continues, the rest of them will be gone by 2050. Artist Jason deCaire Taylor is trying to lower those odds by creating underwater statues that will become artificial coral reefs one day. They are beautiful pieces of art, but also a statement.
3. Galapagos: Realm of Giant Sharks
Amazon Rating: 4.2
Number of Raters: 793
Galapagos Islands are well known for being home to a large number of endemic species that were studied by Charles Darwin. Group of researchers decided to follow his footsteps but with a similar goal in mind. They want to find out more about migration patterns of giant whale sharks that inhabit waters around Darwin’s Island (part of Galapagos Islands). This documentary that ranked 3rd on our list of best nature documentaries on Amazon Prime follows them every step of the way and shows many challenges they had to face, proving their task wasn’t an easy one.
2. An Apology to Elephants
Amazon Rating: 4.6
Number of Raters: 325
Next time when you visit the zoo, take a closer look at the elephants and see if they seem happy there. You will probably make the same conclusion as anyone, they are not happy. This HBO’s documentary will show you just how rough and cruel are the lives of captive elephants. It explores the history of human’s hunt for elephants, the way they are captured and the way they are being treated. An Apology to Elephants also tries to raise awareness against hunting elephants for ivory, underlining that if the current trend of killing elephants continues, they could be extinct in a decade.
1. Meru
Amazon Rating: 4.7
Number of Raters: 5162
When 76% of the 5162 people who watched Meru rate it with 5 – star rating, then there is no doubt that it deserves to be on the top of our list of 11 best nature documentaries on Amazon Prime. It documents first successful ascent of Meru Peak (Indian Himalayas) using the “Shark’s Fin,” route that is basically a 4,000 foot wall. The feat was achieved in 2011 by documentary’s co-director Jimmy Chin, and his two fellow climbers, Renan Ozturk and Conrad Anker. The documentary also tells the story about their unsuccessful attempt in 2008. You will not only get the insight into how hard it was to accomplish this, but you will also be able to enjoy in magnificent scenery.
