Watching wildlife is fascinating. Seeing wild animals in their daily life is so interesting to some, that there have been movies about it. Some are documentaries following a certain species, others are complete Hollywood productions. Regardless of the type of film, there are several that we consider the best in the wildlife genre.
From journeying through the wilderness to growing up with a special wild animal, there are certain films that have no limits to providing the best insight into the lives of the wild. When it comes to narrowing it down to the best of the best (in our opinion) these are the best wildlife flicks you need to see, if you haven’t already.
March of the Penguins
First of all, this is a movie about penguins – the cutest creature to walk the planet! If that’s not enough to draw you in, try watching this film documenting their expedition across hundreds of miles of Antarctica. This incredible true story follows a family of penguins on a journey through icy winds and starvation. If you want to see penguins in real life, check them out at SeaWorld in Orlando, FL!
Fly Away Home
After you’ve gotten the penguin story, brace yourself for the journey of geese! Fly Away Home is a production that follows a young New Zealand girl who moves to Ontario, Canada and becomes the “Mother Goose” to a brood of geese chicks. The young girl teaches the geese a route to migrate to North Carolina before winter. You can catch some Canadian Geese right here in the United States! Head to Virginia or North Carolina for your best chances of seeing some, but you can see them migrating throughout the Midwest and Eastern U.S.
Born Free
Filmed in 1966, Born Free is about a real-life couple that raised Elsa the Lioness, an orphan baby lion into its adulthood, and released her into the wilderness of Kenya. This story is one of our favorites because of the extraordinary journey between the human and lion through the growing process. Lions can be found here in America at these awesome zoos.
Andre
The heart-warming movie, Andre, is a true story of how a marine sea lion, Andre, became friends with a little girl. To see sea lions, head over to San Francisco’s Pier 39, or other public Pacific coast piers.
Wild America
Alligators and wolves and bears…oh my! This story of three bothers that travel through American to film wild animals. You can find plenty of alligators in Florida and Louisiana. Different species of bears can be found in most states. As for wolves, you might want to head over to Alaska, Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Free Willy
Free Willy is infamous tale about a boy who risks everything to save and free an Orca. If you want to see an Orca in the wild, it’s best to travel up along the Oregon, Washington or Alaska coastlines, and take a boat tour.
Big Miracle
Big Miracle is about gray whales and a campaign to save a family of them trapped by forming ice in the Arctic Circle. Looking to see a gray whale? Head over to the West Coast, where you may find some in the Pacific Ocean. Plenty of cities offer whale watching tours, which are perfect for spotting these creatures.
Dolphin Tale
Love dolphins? We do too! A Dolphin Tale is a story based on the friendship between a boy and a dolphin. The catch is that the dolphin’s tail was lost in a crab trap. Dolphins aren’t that hard to find, however, they are more likely to be seen off the coast of Florida, in the Atlanta Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico. Plus, you can visit Winter, the star of Dolphin Tale, at Clearwater Marine Aquarium!
Gorillas in the Mist
Gorillas in the Mist is a true story of a naturalist and her interesting work in Rwanda with Mountain Gorillas. This film documents the life and behavior of these special Mountain Gorillas like you’ve never seen them before! Want to find a place to gorilla watch? Gorillas can be found here in America at most zoos.
Do you have a favorite wildlife movie that isn’t on our list? Tell us about it in the comments below!
