What better way to spend your day than learning about the wonders of our planet, how it’s thriving, all that threatens it, and all the people working tirelessly to protect it.
We’ve compiled a list of awe-worthy Nature and Animal shows at discovery+ that will open your eyes to these majestic beauties that surround our world. Whether you’re looking to admire the Earth’s beauty or gain some perspective on the challenges it faces owing to human interference or others, this list is sure to awaken and inspire.
Journey through jungles, plains, deep oceans, and more to learn about the plants, animals, and sea life that live among us in nature at discovery+ on STARZPLAY.
1. Crikey! It’s the Irwins Season 1: After the unfortunate death of “The Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin”, his family follows in his footsteps battling various challenges and struggles at the Australia Zoo. From tending to a highly venomous King Cobra and notorious crocodiles to letting out an endangered sea turtle back into the wild, Steve Irwin’s son Robert has trained rigorously to carry forward his father’s legacy.
2. Coyote Peterson: Braving the Wild: Nathaniel “Coyote” Peterson is an American YouTube personality, wildlife educator, and host of the famous Animal Planet series Coyote Peterson: Brave the Wild now streaming on discovery+. Best known for his animal stinging stunts (including most famously, the bullet ant), Coyote Peterson takes us on a wild adventure seeking out amazing up-close encounters with some of the most incredible and dangerous animals on the planet. And by dangerous we mean life-threatening like a long-finned eel whose blood is as poisonous as a python! Or a non-venomous python who may be poison-free but if it were to wrap its body around you? Well, we can only imagine what will happen next…
3. Surviving Joe Exotic: An alternate look at this infamous “Tiger King”- There’s definitely a lot more than meets the eye! In this new documentary, the other side of the famous story will come to light introducing audiences to the animals at his G.W. Zoo. including ones who were lucky enough to find homes since departing. Featuring one of Exotic’s last interviews before his imprisonment, plus never-before-seen footage, viewers of the special will not only hear from Exotic, but they’ll also be shown interviews with other former employees, including fan-favourite Saff Saffrey, who was attacked by a tiger at the zoo.
4. Wildest Middle East: From thick forests to remote deserts, along wild mountain ranges and into colourful seas – the Middle East has a spectacular, but virtually untouched and unfilmed, natural history. Where east meets west, where forests meet deserts – This series takes us through vast and varied Turkey, Egypt, Turkmenistan, and Jordan, from the howling deserts to the whispering forests. It’s a celebration of the Middle East’s secrets, incredible locations, and its mysterious wildlife. Nothing is as it seems, and the natural world is fighting a constant battle to survive in an ever-changing world.
5. Lions of Sabi Sands: Spanning 16 years of filming, this is a powerful documentary about the rise of a coalition of six lions, branded The Mapogo Lions, and their takeover of the largest territory by a pride. Did you know? The Mapogo lion coalition was a band of male South African lions that controlled the Sabi Sand region in Kruger National Park. The coalition became infamous for their sheer power and strength in taking over and dominating an area of approximately 170,000 acres. It is believed the Mapogos killed more than 100 lions and cubs in a little over a year. The statistics may be higher given their coverage of such large territories. The coalition consisted of six males – the leader Makulu, Rasta, Scar, Pretty Boy, Kinky Tail, and Mr. T.
6. The Bronx Zoo Season 1: Filmed over an eight-month period, this series takes audiences behind the scenes of the world-renowned Bronx Zoo. Located 10 miles from Times Square in Manhattan, America the Bronx Zoo spans approximately 265 acres and features more than 6,000 animals and a dedicated staff of more than 500 people. Episodes will cover all sorts of cases and animals including a silverback gorilla with glaucoma, two keeper-raised Malayan tiger cubs preparing for their introduction to their exhibit at Tiger Mountain, and the rescue of an orphaned snow leopard cub from a remote region in Pakistan.
