The 6 Best Nature Documentaries on Netflix to Watch Now (December 2025)

Ready to explore the planet without leaving your couch? Netflix's deep catalog of nature documentaries offers the perfect escape. These aren't just pretty pictures; they're intensive investigations that educate, entertain, and remind us why Earth is worth protecting. Here are PRISM's top picks for your holiday watchlist.

Wonders and Crises of the Ocean

The Emmy-winning documentary Chasing Coral (2017) is a crucial look at the devastating phenomenon of coral bleaching. Director Jeff Orlowski uses sophisticated technology to capture both the stunning underwater cinematography and its brutal destruction. The infectious passion of the scientists involved might just make the survival of coral reefs your next political priority.

Winner of the Best Documentary Oscar, My Octopus Teacher (2020) follows filmmaker and free-diver Craig Foster as he forges an unexpected friendship with an octopus in a South African kelp forest. It’s a gentle, philosophical marine escapade that celebrates our bonds with wildlife, beautifully capturing how the aquatic animal invites Foster into her daily routine.

A Deep Connection with Land Animals

Another Oscar-winning short, The Elephant Whisperers (2022), traces a big-hearted couple, Bomman and Bellie, as they care for an orphaned baby elephant named Raghu in South India. The film shows them forming a makeshift family, reminding us that these creatures can love, empathize, and remember just like humans.

Narrated by Succession's Sarah Snook, Kangaroo Valley (2022) is a coming-of-age story about a baby kangaroo, or joey, named Mala. With only one in five joeys making it to their first birthday, the documentary chronicles Mala's perilous first year, offering a visually stunning and emotionally charged look at survival.

Beyond Beauty: A Call to Action

The ecological thriller The Ivory Game (2016), with Leonardo DiCaprio as an executive producer, is a heart-thumping look at the illegal ivory trade. According to the film, an elephant is murdered every 15 minutes. It's a suspenseful and urgent wake-up call, capturing everything from expansive vistas to shady nighttime dealings.

Let the beloved broadcaster and biologist Sir David Attenborough guide you through the three-part series Life in Color (2021). The series explains how animals use color to survive, attract mates, and camouflage themselves. The final episode also breaks down the state-of-the-art camera equipment that made the vibrant visuals possible, making it a treat for tech and nature lovers alike.