Documentary AreaSimply the best Documentaries

The great mountain ranges are some of the planet's most spectacular landscapes, but they are unforgiving places to live in, and only a few animals have what it takes to live at extreme altitude. Mountain animals are amongst the most elusive in the world, and this film provides unique and intimate glimpses into their secretive lives. Witness the moment four snow leopards come together when a mother and cub become trapped between two rival males. Join grizzly bears as they dance against trees to rub off their winter fur and soar with golden eagles hunting amongst Europe's snow-capped peaks.

Cities are growing at a faster rate than any other habitat on Earth. They may seem an unlikely place for animals to thrive, but they can be a world of surprising opportunity. Leopards prowl the streets of Mumbai, peregrine falcons hunt amongst New York's skyscrapers, and a million starlings perform spectacular aerial dances over Rome. In Jodhpur, langurs are revered as religious deities and in Harar, locals live in harmony with wild hyenas. Many animals, however, struggle to cope in the urban jungle. As the architects of this environment, can humans choose to build cities that are homes for both them and wildlife?

At the very end of East Africa's Great Rift Valley, there's a 'land that time forgot'--the rolling grasslands of the Luangwa Valley. Seemingly untouched plains teem with Africa's most iconic animals. Some are unique to this place, others are critically endangered elsewhere.
Here, prey exist in remarkable balance, each taking advantage of the secret at the heart of this Eden, the mighty Luangwa River and its dramatic annual transformation from dusty inferno to emerald paradise.

The second episode of the series immerses the viewer in a fascinating journey through the history of life on our planet, focusing on the evolution and adaptation of life in the seas. It begins billions of years ago, when the Earth was an inhospitable place and life was impossible on the surface due to a hostile environment. The documentary highlights how, beneath the waves, life began to flourish, protected from storms and other elements of nature. It addresses the development of photosynthesis by plankton and how this led to a significant change in the Earth's atmosphere, allowing the emergence of animal life.
This visually stunning narrative chronicles the evolution of various forms of marine life, from the earliest complex life forms to the appearance of the first fish and cephalopods. The documentary shows how marine life has influenced terrestrial life, emphasizing the impact of the 'greening' of planet Earth.

The seventh episode of the series takes us on an epic journey to discover the extraordinary dynasty of mammals. From their humble origins in the Jurassic forests to their dominance in the modern world, mammals have evolved and survived through cataclysmic events and drastic environmental changes. From the small coati in the jungle to the majestic Megacerops, passing through the elusive snow leopard in the Himalayas and the gigantic marine mammals like whales, the documentary illustrates the adaptability and diversity of these incredible beings.
With stunning images and masterful narration, the documentary is a window to the resilience and beauty of life on Earth, celebrating the tenacity and ingenuity of mammals throughout the ages.

The third episode takes viewers on a riveting journey to some of the world's most extreme and breathtaking deserts and grasslands, where nature puts on its most dramatic show. It begins in the arid landscapes of Central Africa's Guelta d'Archei and the Namib Desert in Southwest Africa, places where water is scarce, and survival is a daily battle. The focus then shifts to the remarkable adaptability of creatures like ostriches, who brave the scorching heat and predators to raise their young and a handful of leopards who learned to hunt from trees on the African plains.
In Australia, viewers witness the intricate courtship rituals of the spotted bowerbird, a species facing challenges due to climate change. The narrative then takes us to the vast Eurasian Steppe, home to the unique Saiga antelope, and to Brazil's Cerrado, a biodiverse grassland where the elusive maned wolf plays a crucial role in maintaining the ecosystem.
The episode highlights not only the resilience and beauty of these creatures but also the fragility of their habitats, emphasizing the urgent need for conservation efforts.