If you are browsing through Hulu and not finding anything interesting to watch, why don’t you try one of our picks for the 12 best nature documentaries on Hulu?
While researching the topic for the article, I stumbled upon an interesting study related to nature documentaries. I think you will also find it entertaining. If you are a nature documentary lover, then you probably know that the BBC is putting out some amazing documentaries and documentary series focused on nature and wildlife. One of their most successful recent projects was a nature documentary series titled Planet Earth. If you regularly follow our lists, you may remember that we mentioned the series when we said that it took 5 years to shoot and that those 5 years produced only 11 hours of the program. After the success of the original series, the BBC released a follow-up titled Planet Earth II. Somewhere along the way, they decided to do a study in order to find out how people react to watching nature documentaries.
The study took place in multiple countries and the methodology was the following: people would watch from one of five video clips; one featuring drama, one featuring news, one control video and two clips from Planet Earth II. The study was conducted with a hypothesis that nature documentaries (like Planet Earth II) make people feel better and help reduce stress and negativity. The results that came back were pretty encouraging. They showed that change in people’s emotions was directly influenced by the content they were watching. Most importantly for the BBC, the study confirmed its hypothesis and proved that nature documentaries do have a positive influence on people.
You may think that was just a marketing stunt, and it probably was that as well, but that doesn’t mean there is no truth to the results. Try it for yourself. When you are feeling down, watch a nature documentary and see how you feel after. But, make sure to pick one showing cute animals or amazing landscapes and not the ones talking about suicidal lemmings. If you are currently stuck browsing Netflix instead of Hulu, make sure to check out the 11 Best Nature Documentaries on Netflix as well.
Delbars/Shutterstock.com
A joint venture of entertainment powerhouses Walt Disney Co (NYSE:DIS), Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA), and Twenty-First Century Fox Inc (NASDAQ:FOX), Hulu was founded in 2006. Time Warner Inc (NYSE:TWX) now also owns a 10% stake in the venture, and each company provides loads of their original programming and assets to the streaming platform. Hulu also produces its own original programming. The service has both free and paid options.
In order to come up with the list of the 12 Best Nature Documentaries on Hulu, we turned to Something To Stream, which offers a list of content that is available for streaming on Hulu. We went through the documentaries listed there and compiled those that were related to nature and wildlife. Each documentary was then checked for its IMDb rating and those that had the highest rating were assembled on our list. Check it out beginning on the next page.
12. The Living Sea
IMDb rating: 7.2
We will begin our list with a short documentary that will be a pleasurable watch for those who enjoy the ocean. The premise of the documentary is that all of the world’s oceans are connected in one big ocean and that in a way; everything on Earth depends on it. Through the documentary, you will be able to listen to stories of people whose life revolves around the ocean like surfers, marine biologists and rescue squads. The documentary also takes a detour to the Palau Islands, showing its rich ecosystem.
11. Alaska: Spirit of the Wild
IMDb rating: 7.3
You have probably managed to get familiar with Alaska through multiple Discovery Channel shows like Gold Rush. This documentary will show you another side of the region. It documents Alaska through the years, showing the harsh winters and pleasant springs. You will also be able to learn how the animals and humans live together in harmony and how they adapt to the extreme conditions that Alaska often poses to its residents.
10. Africa: The Serengeti
IMDb rating: 7.4
From harsh and cold Alaska, we travel to warm Africa, precisely a region in Tanzania called the Serengeti. The documentary number 10 in our list of best nature documentaries on Hulu shows the amazing migration of millions of animals, most notably antelopes and birds, who travel to the north once a year in order to mate and feed themselves. Once the plants begin to blossom, these animals once again make the journey south to return to their natural habitat.
9. Cave of Forgotten Dreams
IMDb rating: 7.4
The name Werner Herzog will ring some bells for all of those who enjoy watching nature documentaries. This time Herzog leads us to the southern region of France, to Chauvet Cave. This particular cave holds the oldest human-made pictures ever discovered, with some believed to be around 32,000 years old. The Chauvet Cave is under the protection of the French government and is not available for public visits, so Herzog had to obtain special permission to film in the cave. This is why Cave of Forgotten Dreams is a unique opportunity for you to check out the images and witness the history of humankind. Besides providing video of the cave, the documentary also contains interviews with historians, archeologists and other experts who explain the broader story behind the images.
8. Origins
IMDb rating: 7.5
Origins begins with the premise that the only way we can build a relationship with nature is if we look back and see how our ancestors have lived. Modern technology is making us turn our back on nature and we are more than ever isolated from it. In order to show the audience how we can move forward and build our connection with nature again, the documentary number 8 in our list of best nature documentaries on Hulu explores how our advancements as a civilization are making us forget about nature, while featuring interviews with nature and health experts.
7. Born to Be Wild
IMDb rating: 7.6
Narrated by Morgan Freeman! This fact will be enough for most of you to check it out, right? If you still are not convinced, maybe you will be when we tell you that this is one of those documentaries that shows how some people are still willing to devote their lives in order to protect wildlife. The documentary tells the story of people who rescue orphan elephants and orangutans, raising them and providing them shelter until they are capable of taking care of themselves. You may even have your faith in humanity restored after watching it.
6. Meru
IMDb rating: 7.7
This is a familiar title on our list of the 11 Best Nature Documentaries on Hulu, for those of you who read our listicles regularly. For those of you who don’t, trust us when we say this is one you will enjoy watching. This documentary revolves around three climbers who wanted to do what no one before had managed: to ascend the most dangerous route on Meru Peak, called “Shark’s Fin” (part of the Indian Himalayas). Throughout the documentary, you will be able to witness the extreme efforts these people had to make in order to try and reach their goal and have their names written in history.
5. Happy People: A Year in the Taiga
IMDb rating: 7.8
Another documentary on our list of best nature documentaries on Hulu that has Werner Herzog’s fingerprints all over it. Done in collaboration with Dmitry Vasyukov and narrated by Herzog himself, the documentary tells the story of the people who live in Bakhta village, located in Siberian Taiga. The interesting thing about them is that their way of life has almost stayed the same for centuries. You will be able to see what their daily life looks like and how they manage to survive the unfriendly environment. Also, there is a brief portrayal of the Ket people, who also live in Siberia, and are located on the banks of the Yenisei River.
4. Amazônia Eterna
IMDb rating: 8.3
This documentary ranks 4th in our list of best nature documentaries on Hulu. It takes us deep into the Amazon rainforest to explore the relationship that people have with the rainforest. The documentary’s main goal was to see whether people can utilize the resources that the Amazon rainforest has without hurting it. The documentary analyses the possibility of companies, politicians, environmental activists and indigenous tribes working together in order to find the best solution.
3. Before the Flood
IMDb rating: 8.5
This documentary ranks 3rd in our list of best nature documentaries on Hulu. It will take you all over the globe and show you how climate change is having a devastating effect on our environment and how humans are the ones to blame for it. Before the Flood is based on the premise that this could be the most serious problem that humankind has faced until now and investigates the possibility of how we can undo or at least stop all the harmful things we did to our planet. The documentary also investigates aspects of climate change denial and the role of politics in all of that.
2. Breach
IMDb rating: 8.7
We suppose that this isn’t the side of nature you want to see, but some things have to be explored, no matter how painful. This documentary focuses on the controversial and illegal whaling industry in Iceland. It showcases how the industry is hurting Iceland’s global image and how the country’s economy could profit more from whale watching than from whale hunting. The documentary also provides an opportunity for whale hunters to tell their side of the story and explain their motivations.
1. Medicine of the Wolf
IMDb rating: 9.3
Here we are, at the end of our list of the 11 Best Nature Documentaries on Hulu. After 40 years of providing protection to grey wolves, the government of the United States has decided to take them off the endangered species list. Now, there is practically nothing standing between them and the hunters who are fighting to get permission to hunt grey wolves again. The documentary follows Julia Huffman as she travels to Minnesota and tries to give the audience a proper portrayal of these animals and show that they are an important part of nature.
Disclosure: None
