Watch this to get amped about nature

Our top TV and film suggestions to give you a nature fix while stuck indoors.

If the wet weather is preventing you from getting your forest-bathing fix or if cute animals are required to boost your mid-winter mood, here’s our pick of the best nature shows currently available on streaming services.

The Year the Earth Changed - Apple TVIn 2020, amid the fear and doom of pandemic panic buying and infection figure reporting, there were some interesting news pieces that surfaced about the natural world. With humans in their homes, animals started to come out of the woodwork. This doco looks into how it happened and why, with beautiful footage from across the globe.

The Dog House NZ - TVNZ OnDemand

If feel good floof is more your thing, The Dog House is a happy yet occasionally tear-jerking show about hoomans being matched with their pawfect pals at an animal shelter in West Auckland.

Fools and Dreamers - YoutubeThis free-to-view 30 min documentary by Happen Films follows the journey of botanist Hugh Wilson, who was once infamous for his use of gorse as a canopy to regenerate native forest on barren Banks Peninsula farmland. Now considered a local hero, with his 1500 acre section resplendent in native bush, this film aims to inspire others to follow his lead. Warning: this kind of good news filmmaking is addictive so check out the Happen Films channel for more stories about extraordinary growth in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The Biggest Little Farm - Apple TV

This natural regeneration story will have you eager to get ready for spring planting. Director John Chester has documented he and his wife Molly’s quest to bring 200 acres of farmland back to natural harmony and biodiversity. Leaving the city for this plot of land, they embrace the change of pace and persevere through all manner of challenges to achieve their dream.

The Deepest Breath - NetflixFor soothing ocean footage and a good dose of impressive human achievement content, The Deepest Breath follows free diver Alessia Zecchini as she attempts to break the world record for underwater depth and finds love in the deep.

The Elephant Whisperers - Netflix

This heartfelt and adorable tale follows a couple in South India as they adopt and rear an orphaned baby elephant named Raghu.

And of course, there's always good ol' Country Calendar if you're after local stories about people working in nature - check out Topflite's episode that screened in 2022.