| Rank
| Title
| Lifetime Gross | Max Theaters | Opening | Open Th | Release Date | Distributor
|
|---|
| 1 | March of the Penguins | $77,437,223 | 2,506 | $137,492 | 4 | Jun 24, 2005 | Warner Independent Pictures (WIP) |
| 2 | Earth | $32,011,576 | 1,804 | $8,825,760 | 1,804 | Apr 22, 2009 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 3 | Chimpanzee | $28,972,764 | 1,567 | $10,673,748 | 1,563 | Apr 20, 2012 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 4 | Oceans | $19,422,319 | 1,232 | $6,058,958 | 1,206 | Apr 22, 2010 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 5 | Bears | $17,780,194 | 1,790 | $4,776,267 | 1,720 | Apr 18, 2014 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 6 | Monkey Kingdom | $16,432,322 | 2,012 | $4,577,861 | 2,012 | Apr 17, 2015 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 7 | A Beautiful Planet | $15,650,615 | 155 | $223,983 | 137 | Apr 29, 2016 | IMAX |
| 8 | African Cats | $15,428,747 | 1,224 | $6,003,200 | 1,220 | Apr 22, 2011 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 9 | Born in China | $13,873,211 | 1,508 | $4,790,367 | 1,508 | Apr 21, 2017 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 10 | Winged Migration | $10,764,402 | 202 | $33,128 | 1 | Apr 18, 2003 | Sony Pictures Classics |
| 11 | Penguins | $7,699,452 | 1,815 | $2,282,593 | 1,815 | Apr 17, 2019 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 12 | Flying Monsters 3D with David Attenborough | $5,705,874 | 27 | - | - | Oct 7, 2011 | National Geographic Entertainment |
| 13 | Grizzly Man | $3,178,403 | 105 | $269,131 | 29 | Aug 12, 2005 | Lionsgate |
| 14 | The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill | $3,058,527 | 67 | $36,731 | 5 | Feb 9, 2005 | Shadow Distribution |
| 15 | Kedi | $2,835,047 | 130 | $40,103 | 1 | Feb 10, 2017 | Oscilloscope |
| 16 | Blackfish | $2,073,582 | 99 | $75,962 | 5 | Jul 19, 2013 | Magnolia Pictures |
| 17 | Microcosmos | $1,433,210 | 43 | $35,189 | 2 | Oct 9, 1996 | Miramax |
| 18 | Chasing Ice | $1,328,467 | 53 | - | - | Nov 9, 2012 | Submarine Deluxe |
| 19 | Encounters at the End of the World | $944,933 | 39 | $17,730 | 1 | Jun 11, 2008 | THINKFilm |
| 20 | Sharkwater | $850,920 | 60 | $37,140 | 60 | Sep 28, 2007 | Freestyle Releasing |
| 21 | The Call of Wild | $833,532 | 227 | $22,607 | 4 | Jul 25, 2007 | Paramount Vantage |
| 22 | The Last Lions | $635,325 | 61 | $53,344 | 4 | Feb 18, 2011 | National Geographic Entertainment |
| 23 | Turtle: The Incredible Journey | $386,073 | 24 | $69,389 | 24 | Jun 24, 2011 | Hannover House |
| 24 | The Riot and the Dance | $316,103 | 745 | - | - | Mar 19, 2018 | Fathom Events |
| 25 | Seed: The Untold Story | $207,825 | 35 | - | - | Aug 22, 2016 | - |
| 26 | The Whale | $81,881 | 5 | $4,835 | 2 | Sep 9, 2011 | Paladin |
| 27 | Earth: One Amazing Day | $81,345 | 70 | $45,480 | 70 | Oct 6, 2017 | BBC Worldwide North America |
| 28 | More Than Honey | $79,772 | 7 | $5,225 | 1 | Jun 12, 2013 | Kino Lorber |
| 29 | An Inconsistent Truth | $69,394 | 3 | $20,733 | 1 | Jan 27, 2012 | Rocky Mountain Pictures |
| 30 | Cool It | $62,713 | 43 | $26,847 | 41 | Nov 12, 2010 | Roadside Attractions |
| 31 | American Mustang | $48,700 | 3 | $7,906 | 1 | Jan 17, 2014 | Vitagraph Films |
| 32 | Last Call at the Oasis | $42,423 | 6 | $8,899 | 3 | May 4, 2012 | ATO Pictures |
| 33 | Love Thy Nature | $41,149 | 17 | - | - | Feb 19, 2015 | - |
| 34 | GasLand | $30,846 | 2 | $2,641 | 1 | Sep 15, 2010 | - |
| 35 | Otter 501 | $24,449 | 4 | $5,444 | 3 | May 11, 2012 | Paladin |
| 36 | Carbon Nation | $16,901 | 2 | $402 | 1 | May 7, 2010 | Clay Way Media |
| 37 | Seeds of Time | $4,630 | 2 | - | - | May 22, 2015 | Kino Lorber |
| 38 | Patagonia Rising | $2,064 | 1 | $981 | 1 | Jun 8, 2012 | First Run |
