The 60+ Best Reality Shows About Animals, Ranked
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Vote up your favorite reality shows that follow animals, wildlife, and the people who care for them.
Latest additions: Baby Animal Rescue With Giles Clark, Animal Genius: Teamwork, Hungry Games: Alaska's Big Bear Challenge
Most divisive: Izzy's Koala World
Over 90 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The 60+ Best Reality Shows About Animals, Ranked
The best animal reality shows aren't just about vets and other people who work with animals but even about the animals themselves. Yes, that is correct, reality shows like Meerkat Manor let you watch animals living their lives and dealing with drama just like your favorite docusoaps. From cute animal reality shows to dramatic series from Animal Planet that follow the people who work with animals, there are reality shows about animals to fit your every mood.
The new series It's A Dog's Life with Bill Farmer, the voice of Goofy and Pluto, on Disney+ profiles working dogs. Jeff Corwin and Steve Irwin both have starred in multiple animal reality shows that teach about animals while also showing what goes into caring for and respecting them. Escape to Chimp Eden and Orangutan Diary are both nature documentary series that follow the lives of animals and their caretakers.
Vote up the best animal reality shows and get real about your love for animals!
- 1Australia's Steve and Terri Irwin travel the world for close encounters with wildlife.
- Premiered: January 5, 1995
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genres: Documentary
- 2The Secret Life of Elephants is a BBC nature documentary series following the lives of elephants and the work of the conservation charity Save the Elephants in Samburu National Reserve, Kenya. It was first transmitted in the United Kingdom on BBC One in January 2009 to 4.2 million viewers. The three part series follows the lives of African elephants in Samburu, Northern Kenya, focusing on the stories of individual elephants to show the most dramatic moments of their lives. Their hidden world is revealed, from the complexities of family life and their intelligence to the depth of their emotions. The series also follows the work of father and daughter Iain and Saba Douglas-Hamilton and their Save the Elephants team, which includes tracking elephants, fitting tracking collars and developing the relationship between humans and elephants.
- Premiered: 2009
- Network: British Broadcasting Corporation
- Genres: Documentary, Nature documentary
- 3The story of meerkats living on the edge of the Kalahari Desert.
- Premiered: September 12, 2005
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genres: Documentary
- 4
Wildlife SOS
Ricky Gervais, Simon Cowell, Jenny SeagroveWildlife SOS is a TV show on Animal Planet, based in the UK's Wildlife Aid in Leatherhead, Surrey. The show has been running since 1996, produced by Simon Cowell's Wild Productions. The series can be found on Discovery Channel Animal Planet, Channel 5 and DMAX. In 2014 the first made-for-web episodes of Wildlife SOS have started to appear on-line, made by the Wildlife Aid Foundation. Throughout Wildlife SOS, in addition to 'special' episodes filmed at wildlife centres on the world, the main focus of the series has been on the work of staff and volunteers at the WAF wildlife centre in Surrey.- Premiered: 1996
- Network: ITV London, Animal Planet, Channel 5
- Genres: Reality television
- A first-ever, in-depth and behind-the-scenes look at the diverse animals residing at the Bronx Zoo.
- Premiered: February 18, 2017
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genres: Reality
- 6The Michigan Humane Society rescues animals in the Detroit area.
- Premiered: August 18, 2003
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genres: Crime,Reality
- 7Animal Cops: Houston is an American documentary reality television series that premiered in 2003 on Animal Planet. It takes place in Houston, Texas and focuses on the work of the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The series is the third in a series of "umbrella rotation" of shows known collectively as "Animal Planet Heroes".
- Premiered: 2003
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genres: Crime Fiction, Live action, Documentary, Reality television
- Dr. Jan Pol along with his wife, Diane, runs a veterinary clinic in central Michigan's farm country.
- Premiered: October 29, 2011
- Network: Nat Geo Wild
- Genres: Reality
- 9
Going Wild With Jeff Corwin
Going Wild With Jeff Corwin is a Disney nature show produced and aired in the late 1990s. Host Jeff Corwin travels to some of the most exotic places in the world, including Florida, South Africa, Papua New Guinea, Death Valley, Hawaii, etc., and searches for some of our planet's most amazing animals. In each episode, Jeff searches for a "Feature Creature", and always finds it at the end of the episode. These creatures include manatees, cobras, crocodiles, bighorn sheep, dolphins, bears, etc. As he explores, Jeff looks for "Creature Clues" to help him find the animal. In some episodes, Jeff also explores ancient ruins, including, Gila Cliff Dwellings, Port Arthur, Rhyolite, and Ayutthaya. The show lasted for two seasons from 1997-1999, before it was canceled.- Premiered: 1997
- Genres: Documentary, Nature documentary
- 10Armed with a sense of humor, adventurer Jeff Corwin circles the globe for wildlife encounters.
- Premiered: November 12, 2000
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genres: Nature, Animals
- 11
Miami Animal Police
Rick PasqualoneMiami Animal Police is an American documentary reality television series that premiered on January 5, 2004 on Animal Planet. Produced by Lion Television, the program is set in Miami, Florida and the surrounding Miami-Dade County, an area of more than 2,000 square miles. It depicts the everyday duties of Miami-Dade Police Department Animal Services Unit, focusing on the work of twenty ACOs, five civilian animal cruelty investigators, six Miami-Dade Police Department administrators, and a pitbull investigator. The show also highlights the work of various private companies that remove wild animals from places they shouldn't be, including escaped exotic pets which can pose a hazard to native wildlife and/or local residents if left unchecked. The most frequently featured of these private contractors is Todd Hardwick of Pesky Critters Wildlife Control. Kevin Hefner directs the show, which is the fourth of Animal Planet's top-rated shows and is part of an "umbrella rotation" of shows known collectively as "Animal Planet Heroes".- Premiered: 2004
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genres: Documentary, Reality television
- 12Animal Cops: Miami is an American documentary reality television series that premiered in July 2010 on Animal Planet. The program follows the work of the investigators and animal control officers employed by the Miami-Dade Animal Services Department in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The series is part of an umbrella rotation of shows known collectively as Animal Planet Heroes.
- Premiered: 2010
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genres: Live action, Documentary, Reality television
- 13
K-9 to 5
K-9 to 5 is an American television program about dogs with jobs. It is shown on the channel Animal Planet. Each episode features three or more dogs with "everyday jobs", doing everything from traditional service dog work to ranch hand/shepherding work to more uncommon things like polar bear sentry duty in Northern Canada or bowling pin collector at a Florida bowling alley. The final segment is called "Howlin' Good Time" and features recreation activities for dogs such as surfing, freestyle dancing, and "Yappy Hour" at a local pub. - When Nature Calls (ABC, 2021) is an American comedy series based on the British series Walk on the Wild Side. The unscripted series features a new perspective on absurd animal antics.
- Premiered: 2021
- Network: ABC
- Genres: Comedy
- 15Tia Torres and a crew of paroled felons care for abused and abandoned pit bulls and other dogs.
- Premiered: October 30, 2009
- Network: Animal Planet, Discovery Channel
- Genres: Reality
- 16
The Bionic Vet
The Bionic Vet is a BBC documentary television series following the work of vet Noel Fitzpatrick. The show details the work of Noel Fitzpatrick at his revolutionary veterinary practice in Surrey. The clinic, called Fitzpatrick Referrals, contains state of the art equipment and dedicated team of over 100 Vets, Nurse and Support Staff. Within his surgery and along with fellow surgeons and nurses he finds new methods and techniques to help pets within more unique problems that would often leave the only option to be put to sleep. Many of these techniques had not even been attempted before. Many pets that are brought to the practice are from all over the country. One such example being Oscar the Cat that was flown over from Jersey featured in the first episode.- Premiered: 2010
- Network: BBC One
- Genres: Documentary
- 17A tale of survival revolving around three families of meerkats descended from Flower.
- Premiered: June 6, 2021
- Network: BBC America
- Genres: Documentary
- 18
Treetop Cat Rescue
Tom OttoTreetop Cat Rescue (Animal Planet, 2015) is an American reality television series. Cats are helped down from the trees by a company called Canopy Cat Rescue, who use their own equipment and expertise as arborists to try and bring down cats at no charge to the animal owners.- Premiered: 2015
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genres: Reality-TV
- 19Animal Cops: Detroit is a one-hour American reality television series that premiered in 2002 on Animal Planet. It takes place in Detroit, Michigan, home of the Michigan Humane Society, and focuses on the exploits of five animal cruelty field agents and the staff physicians and animal evaluators at the MHS. The series is one of Animal Planet's top-rated shows; it is part of an "umbrella rotation" of shows known collectively as "Animal Planet Heroes".
- Premiered: 2002
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genres: Live action, Documentary, Reality television
- 20Monkey Life is a TV series documenting the work of Dr. Alison Cronin, Jeremy Keeling and their team at Monkey World. Monkey Life follows on from ITV Meridian's Monkey Business, based on the work of the largest monkey and ape rescue centre in the world.
- Premiered: 2007
- Network: Channel 5
- Genres: Documentary
- 21Family-owned Acrylic Tank Manufacturing creates custom aquariums for high-profile clientele.
- Premiered: August 7, 2011
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genres: Reality
- 22The late Steve Irwin's family, Terri, Bindi, and Robert, run the Australia Zoo and travel the world.
- Premiered: October 28, 2018
- Network: Animal Planet, Discovery Plus US
- Genres: Reality
- 23
Big Cat Week
Jonathan ScottBig Cat Diary, also known as Big Cat Week or Big Cat Live according to the format of the show was a long-running nature documentary series on BBC television which follows the lives of African big cats in Kenya's Maasai Mara. The first series, broadcast on BBC One in 1996, was developed and jointly produced by Keith Scholey, who would go on to become Head of the BBC's Natural History Unit. Eight further series have followed, most recently Big Cat Live, a live broadcast from the Mara in 2008. The original presenters, Jonathan Scott and Simon King, were joined by Saba Douglas-Hamilton from 2002 onwards. Kate Silverton and Jackson Looseyia were added to the presenting team for Big Cat Live.- Premiered: 1996
- Network: BBC One
- Genres: Soap opera, Special Interest, Drama, Documentary, Nature documentary
- 24Lemur Street is a British television show produced by Oxford Scientific Films for Animal Planet International which is based on the successful format of Meerkat Manor. The series premièred in the United Kingdom on 20 November 2007 on the UK Animal Planet network with Martin Shaw narrating. On 8 February 2008 it aired in the United States under the name Lemur Kingdom, with fourteen episodes airing until 9 May 2008. It was removed from the air with the return of the channel's top series, Meerkat Manor. It aired in Canada on TVO from 13 February 2008 until 16 April 2008 and on Knowledge from 2 April 2008 until 31 May 2008, using its original name of Lemur Street. Each episode is thirty minutes long. Renowned primatologist Alison Jolly is the series scientific consultant and Joanne Lunt is the producer. Lemur Street was released in a three disc DVD set in the United Kingdom in September 2008 by Eureka Entertainment.
- Premiered: 2007
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genres: Nature, Drama, Educational television, Documentary
- 25Jeremy Wade, an extreme angler, searches for freshwater fish with a taste for human flesh.
- Premiered: April 5, 2009
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genres: Documentary,Reality
- 26
Going Ape
Rachel Hogan, Jonathan Kang, John KiyangGoing Ape is a British Television docu-soap program that is aired on the Animal Planet. The television series first aired on Tuesday 21 November 2006 at the weekly time of 21:00 running a total of thirteen episodes. The series is now in re-runs and has an irregular running format. It follows the story of 50 Chimpanzees, 26 Gorillas, seven Baboons and four Mandrills who have been orphaned by the bush meat trade in the West African country of Cameroon showing the vital work of the Mefou National Park and the Limbe Wildlife Centre along with Ape Action Africa and "In Defence of Animals - Africa", two charities that are dedicated to saving the primates in the region. .Its narrator was Charlotte Uhlenbrook- Premiered: 2006
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genres: Documentary
- 27Escape to Chimp Eden is a television series broadcast on the Animal Planet network that premiered on February 8, 2008. The series examines the rescue of abused and neglected chimpanzees.
- Premiered: 2008
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genres: Nature, Documentary
- 28The Crocodile Hunter Diaries is a wildlife documentary television series first aired on cable TV channel Animal Planet. It was created as a spin-off to the original Crocodile Hunter series hosted by Australian naturalist Steve Irwin and his wife Terri Irwin. In the UK it was aired on ITV. In Australia it was aired on Network Ten. The show is more focused around the everyday lives of Steve, Terri, and the employees of Australia Zoo. The first season covered, among other things, Terri's pregnancy with her and Steve's first child Bindi, medical problems with Steve's dog Sui, the construction of the Crocoseum, daily ups and downs experienced by zoo staff on the job and animal rescue adventures.
- Premiered: 2002
- Network: Animal Planet, Qubo
- Genres: Documentary, Nature documentary, Reality television
- 29Must Love Cats is an Animal Planet television series hosted by John Fulton which premiered in the United States in February 2011. In each episode, he travels through different parts of the United States and explores various aspects of the cat lovers lifestyle. Animal Planet announced in April 2011 that the series was renewed for a second season which premiered on March 10, 2012. The second season features countries outside of the U.S.
- Premiered: February 12, 2011
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genres: Special Interest, Documentary
- 30A cat behaviorist tries to help rehabilitate felines.
- Premiered: May 7, 2011
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genres: Reality
- 31Baby Chimp Rescue (BBC America, 2020) is a British documentary miniseries. The documentary focuses on a home for rescued baby chimps in Liberia, and the orphans from an illegal pet trade as they receive round-the-clock care.
- Premiered: February 14, 2020
- Network: HULUOV
- Genres: Drama, Science fiction
- 32Elephant Hospital (Discovery+, 2021) is a British documentary series. Take a trip to the world's largest hospital devoted solely to treating elephants: the Elephant Hospital in Lampang, Northern Thailand, which cares for over 100 sick, injured or neglected animals each year.
- Premiered: 2021
- Network: Discovery+
- Genres: Documentary, Nature
- 33
Pit Boss
Shorty RossiShorty Rossi and friends rescue pit bulls.- Premiered: January 11, 2010
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genres: Documentary
- 34Bill Farmer tells the stories of dogs across the United States.
- Premiered: May 15, 2020
- Network: Disney+
- Genres: Animals, Pets
- 35Staff at Wood Green are committed to matching homeless dogs with hopeful owners and a forever home.
- Premiered: September 5, 2019
- Network: Channel 4
- Genres: Documentary
- Pets on Q works with animal influencers and professionally trained set animals.
- Premiered: April 30, 2021
- Network: Netflix
- Genres: Reality
- 37
Orangutan Diary
Michaela Strachan, Steve LeonardOrangutan Diary is a nature documentary series on the BBC, which follows the lives of Bornean orangutans in the care of Lone Drøscher Nielsen, a member of the Borneo Orangutan Survival foundation. The program tries to detail the threat that the orangutans face in day-to-day life. The presenters Michaela Strachan and Steve Leonard follow the careers of the orangutans daily to see what the centre has to deal with. The centre was founded in 1994, a year after Lone Dröscher Nielsen permanently moved to Borneo. She could see what effect the palm oil plantations were having on the orangutans, so then founded the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Reintroduction Project, which now is the largest ape rescue project in the world. The first series aired on BBC One in April 2007 and the second series on BBC Two in March 2009. Both series are available as DVDs- Premiered: 2009
- Network: British Broadcasting Corporation
- Genres: Special Interest, Documentary
- Exploring the animal rescue community in and around Austin, Texas..
- Premiered: October 29, 2020
- Network: CBS.com
- Genres: Documentary
- 39Animal Cops: South Africa is an American documentary reality television series that premiered on June 6, 2008 on Animal Planet. The program depicts cases that are handled and investigated by the Cape of Good Hope SPCA in and around Cape Town, South Africa. They handle any animal from pit bulls to Egyptian geese. The Cape of Good Hope SPCA is a community-run NGO and is a member of the NSPCA. The Cape of Good Hope SPCA became part of the Animal Cops show after Animal Planet commissioned a South African version of the series, based on Animal Precinct, Animal Cops Houston, Animal Cops Detroit, and more. The Inspectorate is based on a National Training program in South Africa provided and certified by the NSPCA and each inspector is authorized by the District Magistrates to investigate and intervene in animal cruelty complaints as well as educate on proactive initiatives. Their stance against animal cruelty has landed them the international focus with Animal Cops, highlighting the plight of animals within South Africa.
- Premiered: 2008
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genres: Live action, Documentary, Reality television
- 40Croc Files is a wildlife documentary television series focusing on crocodiles first aired on cable TV channel Animal Planet. It was created as a spin-off to the original Crocodile Hunter and The Crocodile Hunter Diaries series hosted by Australian naturalist Steve Irwin and his wife Terri Irwin. In the UK it was aired on ITV. In Australia it was aired on Network Ten.
- Premiered: 1999
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genres: Documentary, Nature documentary
- 41Animal Cops: San Francisco is an American documentary reality television series that premiered in 2005 on Animal Planet. The program follows ten Animal Care and Control investigators and two full-time police officers in their work in preventing and prosecuting animal cruelty in San Francisco, California. The series, which premiered in 2005, is part of an umbrella rotation of shows known collectively as "Animal Planet Heroes". This show is currently airing on Animal Planet in the United Kingdom, where Animal Cops: Houston and Animal Cops: Detroit have become popular with viewers.
- Premiered: 2005
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genres: Live action, Documentary, Reality television
- 42In Louisiana, wildlife sanctuary Chimp Haven is home to more than 300 chimpanzees.
- Premiered: October 16, 2020
- Network: Disney+
- Genres: Documentary
- 43
Animal Nation with Anthony Anderson
Tiffany HaddishCelebrities, animal experts, and their pets join Anthony and Tina the Brain Coral for lively talks.- Premiered: February 5, 2016
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genres: Talk
- 44
Dog Days
Jill Abrahm, Brandi-Alisa Bates, Alisyn BrockA number of New Yorkers, notably Danielle Flora and Edward Cruz, raise their pet dogs in the city.- Premiered: October 14, 2002
- Genres: Documentary
- 45
My Tiny Terror
Jacqueline WilsonMy Tiny Terror (Animal Planet, 2014) is an American reality television series. Expert dog trainer Jacqueline Wilson sets out to show some tiny but naughty dogs how to mind their manners.- Premiered: 2014
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genres: Reality-TV
- 46Izzy and her veterinarian mother save koalas and form close bonds with animals on Magnetic Island.
- Premiered: September 15, 2020
- Network: NETAUOV
- Genres: Documentary,Kids
- 47Lee Asher hopes to build The Asher House Sanctuary to provide a safe space for all kinds of animals.
- Premiered: February 13, 2022
- Network: Discovery+
- Genres: Reality
- 48Teams of dogs and their humans embark on an adventure, facing challenges across multiple continents.
- Premiered: November 20, 2020
- Network: Amazon
- Genres: Reality
- 49
Call of the Wildman
Ernie Brown Jr.Call of the Wildman is an American reality television series that airs on Animal Planet. The show follows the exploits of Kentucky woodsman Ernie Brown, Jr., nicknamed "The Turtleman". Aided by his friend, Neal James, and his dog, Lolly, Brown operates a nuisance animal removal business, while he catches and releases nuisance animals. The series is primarily filmed near Brown's Lebanon, Kentucky, home. Brown began catching snapping turtles from ponds near his home at the age of 7. He came to the attention of Animal Planet producers in part after an episode of Kentucky Educational Television's Kentucky Afield series that featured his bare-handed turtle-catching techniques was posted on YouTube and went viral. After personally visiting Brown and doing some initial filming, network executives decided to produce a 12-episode season of the series with the working title The Turtleman of Wild Kentucky. The title was soon changed to Call of the Wildman, a reference to Brown's distinctive yell that punctuates his actions throughout the series.- Premiered: 2011
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genres: Animal, Reality television
- 50Live action and cutting-edge animation combine in this highly stylized series that dramatizes the struggle for survival of the toque macaque -- known locally as the "temple monkey" -- in the deserted Sri Lankan city of Polonnaruwa.
- Premiered: February 24, 2009
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genres: Drama,Documentary
- 51
Groomer Has It
Jai RodriguezGroomer Has It is an American reality game television series broadcast on Animal Planet. It features a competition between twelve of America's best dog groomers to see who is the best groomer in America. The prize includes $50,000 and a "mobile grooming salon." The show is hosted by Jai Rodriguez of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy fame. Although the entire series is rated TV-PG, one episode has been rated TV-MA. The winner of the first season was Artist Knox, while the second groomer of the year is Huber.- Premiered: 2008
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genres: Game show, Reality television
- Witnessing the teamwork of meerkats.
- Premiered: September 8, 2024
- Network: National Geographic
- Genres: Documentary
- Cutthroat Alaskan bears gorge their way to the top BIG (beefiness, ingenuity and grit) score.
- Premiered: July 11, 2024
- Network: Peacock
- Genres: Documentary
- Caught-on-camera videos that highlight the outrageous and wacky world of animals.
- Premiered: February 16, 2024
- Network: CW
- Genres: Comedy
- Jay Brewer and his team run Reptile Zoo in Fountain Valley, Calif.
- Premiered: July 21, 2023
- Network: ROKUCH
- Genres: Reality
- A behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to run the Taronga Zoo Sydney, Australia's largest zoo.
- Premiered: February 8, 2020
- Network: 9SYDANZ, Nat Geo Wild
- Genres: Reality
- 57The moving, and surprising stories of people bonding deeply with animals that we think of as wild.
- Premiered: July 14, 2022
- Network: Discovery+
- Genres: Documentary
- The funniest amateur videos where the real stars are animals and their bizarre behaviors.
- Premiered: June 11, 2021
- Network: Nat Geo Wild
- Genres: Comedy
- 59Dr. Jeff and his team of 30 veterinary experts run one of the busiest animal clinics in the U.S.
- Premiered: July 11, 2015
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genres: Reality
- 60
Bad Dog!
Spanning the globe to catch the naughtiest pets in action.- Premiered: August 28, 2010
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genres: Animals, Pets
- Cesar Millan is ready to take on his most challenging cases yet.
- Premiered: July 30, 2021
- Network: National Geographic
- Genres: Reality
- Two rival families compete in pig shows for money, scholarships, belt buckles, and bragging rights.
- Premiered: March 23, 2021
- Network: Discovery+
- Genres: Reality
- Veterinarian Dr. Peter Olaf Alcumbrac, known to many as Doc Ole, cares for animals.
- Premiered: January 17, 2021
- Network: SHXML21
- Genres: Reality
- A bustling veterinary clinic in rural Georgia treats animals of all shapes and sizes.
- Premiered: March 7, 2020
- Network: Nat Geo Wild
- Genres: Reality
- The incredible story of some very special meerkat families rescued from the illegal wildlife trade.
- Premiered: May 8, 2021
- Network: Discovery+
- Genres: Documentary
- Young animal rescuer Roman McConn find homes and forever families for adorable shelter dogs.
- Premiered: February 12, 2022
- Network: Disney XD
- Genres: Reality
- Veterinary dermatologist Dr. Joya takes care of patients in a clinic in Kentucky.
- Premiered: November 25, 2021
- Network: Nat Geo Wild
- Genres: Documentary
- Giles Clark joins South African wildlife rescue centers caring for orphans.
- Premiered: September 15, 2024
- Network: National Geographic
- Lisa Vanderpump matches dog rescues with colorful clientele at the Vanderpump Dogs rescue center.
- Premiered: June 9, 2021
- Network: Peacock
- Genres: Reality
