Documentary AreaSimply the best Documentaries

A fifth of the land on our planet is covered by desert. Deserts may appear to be barren and empty, but they are of crucial importance to life. For those that can overcome their challenges they provide a vital refuge. The Grasslands are one of our planet's most productive landscapes. They support the greatest aggregations of large animals on Earth. Cameras follow desert elephants seeking sustenance, bison roaming North American grasslands and caterpillars living the good life underground.

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.