ANIMALS AND BIRDS CALL
ELEPHANT TRUMPETS
Many tales have been told of Africa.
But this is our story -
a drama set in the heart of our world,
experienced as we live and breathe it.
Our world is changing.
Our lives are in danger.
GRUNTS
But we still have each other...
HOOTS
..and family is something worth fighting for.
ROARS
This is the next chapter in our story,
in a place they call Serengeti.
MUSIC: Serengeti Theme by Will Gregory & Lola Lennox
As this story begins,
Kali has joined what was once
a rival pride.
CALLS
Here, she's found shelter,
but she's yet to feel truly at home.
Nearby, another rock kopje provides sanctuary
to the baboon family.
Here, they can spot danger before danger finds them.
Bakari led his troop here after floods ravaged our land.
For the young, it's now a playground.
BABOONS SCREECH
But Bakari must stay vigilant, despite the fun and games...
..and not miss a thing.
YAWNS
As Bakari tries to relax,
Mtoto, his son, is doing the opposite.
Bakari shouldn't let his guard down.
He has a rival waiting in the wings.
A contender looking for a fight.
LOW GROWL
All it takes is one mistake...
GRUNTS
..and Mtoto makes it.
SCREECHES
An insult the rival can't ignore.
Mtoto always bounces back.
Finally, Bakari notices the attack.
No-one bullies Bakari's son.
BOTH GRUNT AND ROAR
This is a battle for the troop's survival.
But Bakari isn't as fast as he once was.
BOTH ROAR
SCREECHES
His rival escapes.
But Bakari knows a quicker route.
He'll banish him for good.
SCREECHES
Now it's resilience that counts.
And on the ground, strength and experience prevail.
Bakari triumphs.
He needed to.
The leadership of his troop was at stake.
GRUNTS SOFTLY
If he'd lost, Cheka, his favoured female,
would also have been deposed...
..and his troop would be in turmoil.
But is his rival truly vanquished?
We all do what we can to protect our family...
..whatever our role in this place we share.
LOW GROWLS
For the lions,
caring for family should be a communal affair,
but Kali has joined a rival pride
and is still trying to find her place.
PURRS SOFTLY
She escaped here with her sister
when her old pride was torn apart.
She now has reason to stay.
Her newborn cubs.
Today, they're taking their first steps
away from the den...
..to explore the world beyond.
CUBS SQUEAK
Adventures are best on a full stomach.
INSECTS BUZZ
A fed cub is a curious cub...
..and curiosity feeds adventure.
MEOWS
But adventure and misadventure are close companions.
HIGH-PITCHED CHEEPING
MEOWS
The nest of an eagle owl.
And where there's young, parents are never far away...
BOTH SQUAWK
..including Kali.
But owls look out for each other.
SQUEAKY ROAR
GRUNTS
Kali may have found her cubs sanctuary,
but, for them, nowhere is truly safe.
And old enemies are all around.
YAPS
On any other day, Zalika, queen of the hyenas,
would be shadowing the lions.
But today she's after something new.
The floods left behind a lake...
..and with it came new visitors.
The flamingos arrive to feast on algae.
Zalika's here to feast on the flamingos.
SQUAWKING
She's never hunted flamingos before.
And cover is sparse.
But Zalika has conquered far trickier prey.
She's not about to give up...
..even though they're like nothing she's ever encountered.
They're so close, but always just out of reach.
All that effort for nothing.
But Zalika is never one to give up.
Aiysha, the cheetah mother,
has more than food on her mind.
She needs her cubs to prove their independence.
They are nearing the age when they'll soon be leaving her...
..and all they'll have to survive
is what she's taught them.
But since the floods,
their training grounds have been under water.
This won't deter Duma.
He's desperate to prove himself.
His mother is usually the one to choose the prey.
But Aiysha knows water is never a cheetah's friend.
Duma is not so wise,
especially with food so temptingly near.
But he'll be hunting alone.
And why not?
It's a gift all on its own.
SQUAWKS
Duma's enthusiasm won't be dampened.
But as independence beckons,
he'll need more than enthusiasm to survive.
Here, all life is drawn to water -
the hunted and the hunters.
The black-maned males are fearsome predators...
..Askari the strongest of all.
And it was he, Askari,
who brought Kali into the pride.
But can she trust him?
Jealous males killed two of Kali's cubs before.
YELPS
Never trusting anyone is a skill she's had to learn.
With her cubs so young, she won't take risks.
CUBS MEOW
For now, she must keep Askari at bay.
GROWLS
Her ferocity belies what's gone before.
A past of secret liaisons.
They found each other again
when Kali fled from her previous pride.
But it's still early days.
Although he's yet to meet her cubs,
Askari is their father.
Nearby, another family has just moved in...
HIGH-PITCHED WARBLING
..and they're still exploring the world around them.
Mongoose have all their babies at the same time,
so they have a team of baby-sitters
to help look after them.
But today, one pup has been left behind.
Her baby-sitter has overslept.
SQUEAKS
He had one job...
..to look after this baby while the family are foraging.
But Utani is new to the role...
..and still learning the basics.
Finding their family is his first challenge.
Luckily, they haven't gone far.
His charge must learn by example.
So lessons begin immediately.
It's best to start slow...
..then dig with gusto.
Despite Utani's enthusiasm,
he has plenty of room for improvement.
He should have been watching for danger.
Everyone else was.
Duma still needs to impress his mother.
And mongoose should be easier than flamingos.
But Duma's just practising.
Mongoose taste revolting.
Utani finally sees what everyone else has.
But not soon enough.
HISSES
WARBLES
It's now a matter of picking his moment.
This isn't it.
With mongoose,
it's one for all and all for one.
They must stage a rescue.
CALLS
Best to target the chief troublemaker.
That's Duma.
Now's the moment.
It's not just Utani's charge who's learnt a valuable lesson.
Times of calm are the times that hunters strike.
Zalika was beaten last time, but is back to try again.
She has even more to choose from.
And she's learnt to adapt.
There's no point stalking them.
She cuts straight to the chase.
She ignores the ones that fly...
..and looks for those that don't.
There's always one who's slow off the mark.
Here, tenacity pays.
And Zalika has tenacity to spare.
Having ousted his latest rival,
Bakari is giving everyone a seasonal treat.
He's taken them to a palm grove
where the nuts are ripe for harvesting.
Bakari shows how it's done...
..and his troop will reap the rewards.
Cheka, of course, gets first pickings.
But favouritism breeds resentment.
Bibi was once the ruling female until Cheka took her place.
She was also an ally of Bakari's rival.
Now he's gone, Cheka has no reason to fear her.
Anyway, Cheka has far bigger concerns.
ELEPHANT TRUMPETS
Elephants have a craving for palm nuts, too.
Bibi grabs what she can while she can.
BIBI CHIRPS
And Bakari is now feeding everyone.
ELEPHANT TRUMPETS
SHRIEKS
Some fall just out of reach.
Others are right on target.
PALM NUTS THUD
Nalla, the great matriarch,
is bringing baby Kadogo here for the first time.
He must be wary of visiting males...
..and what might fall from the sky.
TRUMPETS
But strong males have their uses.
The elephants no longer need Bakari.
BAKARI SCREECHES
He must abandon his post.
For Kadogo, a new game - chasing baboons.
They might have been moving on anyway,
but no harm taking the credit...
..and enjoying the best reward of all.
Defeated by the mongoose,
Duma and family are still hungry,
and Duma needs a win.
He may get his chance.
Gazelles are the cheetahs' meal of choice.
And he has an audience to impress.
CALLS
He got lucky with the lake.
And his sisters are here to help.
But this is what Aiysha needed to see.
Duma is growing up.
But to survive on his own, he'll need more than luck.
From the moment we are born, we all strive to survive
and give rise to the next generation.
Today, the ostrich are in an amorous mood,
particularly the male...
..who rounds up all the females he can...
..but they like to play hard to get.
In the end, it's the female who chooses.
She's after a strong and powerful partner...
..one who will help her defend their nest.
LOW WHOOPS
SQUAWKS AND WHOOPS
She starts by preparing the ground.
Others will lay here, but the nest will be hers...
..and her eggs will get special treatment.
She won't be raising them on her own.
Her mate will share the caring duties.
Together, they'll face whatever comes their way.
THUNDERING HOOVES, GRUNTING
And here, visitors can be dangerously inquisitive.
Whoever turns up must be dealt with.
It's a never-ending task.
One that draws her away from her nest,
leaving only the male on duty.
But he's taken his eye off the job.
Mtoto is up to his usual mischief.
But he'd be unwise to mess with an ostrich.
He may be growing up,
but he still looks to Cheka when in trouble.
The eggs that remain are safe...
..at least for now.
The baboons have visited the lake before,
but have never seen such dazzling visitors.
Bakari is hatching a plan.
Surprise will be key.
He led the way,
now everyone gets their chance.
But this is a party with an uninvited guest.
Bakari's rival is back.
He must fight for supremacy all over again.
GRUNTS AND ROARS
This time, he's quickly dispatched...
..but his rival is getting bolder by the day.
Bakari will only get older.
Challenges to his leadership will only grow.
For the young,
the future is still full of promise.
The cheetahs have left the lake behind.
They're now on firmer ground.
Here, they'll wait for the herds to come to them.
But Duma is keen to prove his worth.
HOOVES THUNDER
To hunt something impressive...
..and do it all by himself.
He's not short of opportunity...
..but what he needs most is a strategy.
LOW BELLOWS
Enthusiasm alone is not enough.
Nor is running at whatever's nearest.
Or suddenly switching targets.
Speed is nothing without experience.
And it's clear to all that Duma is young and impulsive.
And wildebeest have a plan to deal with beginners.
They soon get organised...
..and retaliate.
YIPS
Duma's lost and alone...
..and far from his family.
While Duma is facing a future alone,
Kali's cubs are taking their first steps
into the world.
They are venturing away from their rock fortress.
She won't risk taking them far.
YELPS
For them, it's a great adventure.
For Kali, it's a chance to take a break...
LOW GRUNTS
..and for her sister to join her once more.
Their bond is stronger than ever,
especially when danger threatens.
Buffalo and lions are mortal enemies.
They'll kill cubs when they can.
Less competition for the future.
BUFFALO BELLOW
Kali and her sister need help.
LOW GROWL
Will Askari give it?
Pride males have let Kali down before.
Not this time!
Askari defends his pride.
He's shown he will protect Kali,
but what of her cubs?
Kali is not yet sure she can trust him.
In the end, it's her cubs who decide.
From now on, Askari will be there to protect them all.
We all strive to keep our offspring safe,
but not all the threats they face can be foreseen.
ANIMALS CALL
Bakari is first to see the warning signs.
An omen, perhaps, of what's to come.
A darkness all around.
Those that can fly.
Those that can't still heed the warning.
For Kali and her cubs, refuge is their stone fortress.
But the fire only grows.
Duma's mother prepared him for hunting,
not to face the flames alone.
CALLS
Speed is all he has.
ZEBRAS BRAY
The mongoose could never outrun the fire.
But they do have an underground shelter.
Bakari gives the sign -
assemble at the highest point.
Up here, Bakari's troop will try to sit out the fire...
..but it's already getting crowded.
They're safe.
But for how long?
It can only get worse.
The inferno conquers all in its path.
Wind fans the flames.
Once more,
our land is threatened by forces from beyond.
With the fire come billowing smoke clouds...
..a choking smog few can survive.
Nalla's family run for their lives...
..while Kadogo struggles to keep up.
Fire never rests.
It rages while it can.
It spares nothing in its wake.
Dawn reveals the devastation.
It's not over yet.
Bakari should look what's behind him.
The wind now brings fire to the other side.
It's fast engulfing their kopje.
Soon they will be overwhelmed.
Bakari's baby is lost in the confusion...
COUGHS
..and her mother blinded by the smoke.
But still Cheka finds her.
Now everyone's assembled, Bakari decides.
It's time to leave.
SCREECHING
But has he left it too late?
With their home in flames and fire all around,
how can they possibly survive?