ANIMALS 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.
But we still have each other...
..and family is something worth fighting for.
This is the next chapter in our story
in a place they call Serengeti.
# Serengeti
# She is speaking
# Hear her whisper. #
Drought has gripped our land.
The hippos are among the first to suffer.
Like the rest,
Mafuta and his mother are clinging on
in what little water remains.
The bull that once took over their pod
and made them flee has invaded their only refuge.
And they aren't the only ones in trouble.
What was once a lifeline is now a deathtrap.
Those who can, flee.
The elephants could always dig for water...
..but now even their wells are running dry.
Kadogo's exhausted, but staying here means death.
His only hope is to follow Nalla's lead...
..and leave their last remaining sanctuary behind...
..escape from a drought that will come for us all.
Bakari has made his choice -
return to a kopje that was once their home.
Here, they'll find relief from the searing heat below.
A coolness on the breeze.
But there's one thing they're missing.
STONE SPLASHES
As long as it lasts, water will be their saviour.
Bakari's bought his troop a little more time,
but they can't wait out the drought forever.
Through it all, the lions stayed on their kopje,
feeding on the desperate passing by.
Now food is far harder to find...
..but change is in the air...
..and not a moment too soon.
THUNDER RUMBLES
The hippos didn't hold on in vain.
Mafuta is saved...
..as is Kadogo and his family.
As the lake fills,
Mafuta is freed from his muddy prison.
He'll join the exodus,
buoyed by the promise of life reborn.
As the land is restored, so are our hopes.
The returning herds bring food for many...
..including a new family of leopard cubs.
When play is over, adventure beckons...
BABOONS CHATTER
..but not what they might want.
LEOPARD GROWLS LOUDLY
He should have kept his feelings to himself.
Bakari can't abide leopards... LEOPARD GROWLS
..even the tiniest.
Two cubs alone is an opportunity too good to miss.
How hard can it be?
But wherever a big baboon can go,
a little cub can go higher...
..and this little cub is a fighter.
LEOPARD GROWLS
Bakari's tried his best. Perhaps his son can do better.
And Mtoto has high ambitions...
LEOPARD GROWLS
..until he sees what he's facing.
LEOPARD GROWLS
And now it's not just the cubs to worry about.
BABOON BARKS
LEOPARD GROWLS
BABOON SCREECHES
Her cubs are safe.
Bakari's troop are not.
Retreat - the only choice.
For the leopards, a reunion.
Their mother is Mzuri.
She and her sister Dada were cubs themselves not long ago.
Mzuri is still just as playful as she was back then...
..but life is now full of responsibilities, too.
For Bakari's troop, their kopje still provides sanctuary.
All around, new life is flourishing,
including among the giraffes.
This is Twiga,
a newborn still getting to know his mother...
..and his mother getting to know him.
Like all of us, he's born not knowing danger...
..but danger soon finds him...
..and there are few more dangerous than Kali.
Twiga's mother uses her body as a shield.
She must show she's ready to take Kali on.
First, a warning.
But Twiga has fallen.
She must join him in the gully...
..and defend him there.
But help is on the way...
..and a friend lures Kali away.
It's a battle Kali doesn't need.
A reprieve for Twiga.
Kali's days of hunting alone should really be over,
but old habits die hard.
She now has Askari to help her...
..and a pride to help look after her cubs.
Duma has left the cheetah coalition and is back hunting on his own.
Working alone, he can choose the food he likes,
knowing it won't be stolen from him.
DUMA GROWLS
A wildebeest calf is the perfect meal for one.
A triumph...
..but one seen by others.
Duma may have left the coalition,
but they're not ready to leave him.
DUMA HISSES, YELPS
He's the hunter who keeps providing.
DUMA HISSES
Now they need him far more than he needs them.
Somehow, they must find a way to work together.
BIRD CALLS
Like the land,
the river is being restored to its former glory.
Having left the lake, the hippos have returned.
Mafuta and his mother are with them.
At last, they can enjoy the space the river provides.
A time of hardship gives way to a time of play.
HIPPOS GRUNT
It's not just other hippos that provide the entertainment.
DUCKS QUACK
MAFUTA GRUNTS
But the river's rebirth also attracts the unwelcome.
For the feared, a chance to reassert their power.
The crocodiles are commandeering the hippos' beach.
MAFUTA SCREECHES
One by one, they come...
..until there's no space left for the hippos.
On the plains, there's space aplenty,
but it's filling up fast.
Everyone's struggling to keep themselves to themselves.
For the mongoose, the herds bring fresh opportunities.
Their dung attracts insects
looking for a place to lay their eggs -
a good meal if you're willing to dig for it.
FLIES BUZZ
The pup that Utani looks after stays close by...
..still learning from her teacher's example.
There are plenty of new delicacies to try...
..as well as some old favourites.
This time, the warthogs have their own young in tow.
It's not the warm welcome the mongoose are used to.
The hoglets aren't ready to be groomed by the mob.
They have far better things to do.
For Utani, now is the moment he's been waiting for.
The mother warthog is alone.
When it all gets too much,
they still have the dung to return to.
And even when the food's gone,
it provides other pleasures, too.
The hippos' indulgence is sunbathing...
..but the crocodiles have put an end to that.
They've taken over the bank,
and no-one is willing to challenge them...
..except perhaps one.
Mafuta's mother has never been afraid
to take on crocodiles...
..and crocodiles aren't used to not being feared.
CROCODILE GROWLS
Even so, it's best to start with a nibble...
..and then another.
With his mother setting the example, Mafuta is growing in confidence.
Perhaps too much confidence.
CROCODILE GROWLS
CROCODILE HISSES
Working together, they've cleared the beach...
..and Mafuta can enjoy the rewards.
Duma is back hunting again.
This time, he's after a bigger meal.
Like it or not, he's hunting for all.
As the best hunter, they let him go first.
When the topi looks, Duma freezes.
But has he been seen?
He holds his nerve and picks his moment.
DUMA GROWLS
Once again, the victory is Duma's.
The others just join for the spoils.
Duma still takes the risks,
while the others reap the rewards.
Something has to change.
Nearby, Twiga is learning with each new day.
He awaits instruction.
Today's lesson is about eating leaves...
..but acacia trees are armed with thorns.
They need careful handling.
Twiga is wise to be cautious.
He starts on the more tender shoots.
Next up are those with thorns.
But having fun is all he really wants to do.
BIRDS CHIRP
Here, there is plenty to entertain.
BIRD CHIRPS
Suddenly, excitement fades to fear.
Twiga is on his own...
..or so he thought.
He's found a friend.
The world's not so scary with a playmate by your side.
But now they're even further from their mothers.
Tonight, they'll only have each other to rely on.
A big ask for one so little.
LEOPARDS GROWL
Dawn is playtime for Mzuri and her cubs.
They're growing fast and are full of energy.
But energy needs feeding.
Mzuri must bring them back a meal.
A newly replenished watering hole should draw in the herds.
Already, their traces are all around.
Her senses haven't failed her.
There's always one slower than the rest.
It took strength to bring it down.
It will need even more to drag it back to her cubs.
Twiga and his friend survived the night,
but the morning brings new urgency.
They need to find their mothers.
Then, when they least expect it, hope.
A stranger. But will she help them?
Older giraffes, past the prime of life,
care for the young of others.
She'll act as their guardian and lead them back home.
She knows exactly where their mothers can be found.
They arrive just in time.
Twiga's mother has been searching, too.
Twiga is first to be reunited.
His new-found friend will soon have his own reunion, too.
LEOPARDS GROWL
Entertained by each other,
the leopard cubs have hardly noticed their mother's absence.
There's plenty still to distract them.
LEOPARD GROWLS
It takes an adventurous spirit to conquer the world...
..but a cautious nature to survive it.
These future hunters are learning the fine balance they must strike.
It was a heroic feat to drag it back,
but Mzuri's cubs need meat to grow.
The more cautious cub spots it first...
..while the adventurous one is missing out.
But not for long.
Those who like adventure can turn everything into a game...
..while the cautious types take life seriously.
Mzuri will teach them to learn from each other...
..just as Mzuri's mother taught her.
Wisdom is passed on from generation to generation...
..and lives on through the young...
..never more so than with the elephants.
Kadogo was the youngest member of his family...
..but not any more.
His playmate-to-be is still struggling to stand...
..but has all the help he needs
from more experienced mothers...
..as they pass on their wisdom
to his mother.
Kadogo is keen to meet the new baby.
He can't wait to have someone new to play with...
..but he must be patient.
The baby is still finding his feet.
Kadogo's not the only one celebrating.
ELEPHANT TRUMPETS
From afar, many great tuskers have journeyed here
to share this special moment.
Leading the way is the father.
Our world connects in mysterious ways.
Somehow, he knew this was the time.
A baby born, destined to roam the plains,
as his father does, and as his father did before him.
For now, a brief moment
to meet his newborn son...
..witnessed by a gathering
of the greatest and wisest in the land.
As mysteriously as he came, he leaves.
A moment to share before they vanish and are gone.
For the newborn, a lifetime of discovery
has only just begun.
After his scare, Twiga stays close to his mother.
But one taste of adventure is never enough.
He'll make more friends if he can.
It's never as hard as you think it might be.
But when he's older, it will be different.
He'll meet rivals and have to defend himself.
It's a glimpse into the future.
But for now, future rivals are friends...
..someone to practise with.
Play fighting prepares them for the real battles ahead.
For now, though, it's just a game.
Even so, his mother keeps an eye on him.
The fighting goes on into the night...
..while everyone else heads out to the plains.
Twiga's journey as a young giraffe is only just beginning...
..but he has all the support he'll ever need.
The sun rises again for the cheetahs...
..but for Duma, the new day means more of the same -
hunting bigger prey for others.
Eland - the greatest antelope of all.
A huge risk for Duma.
Again, he boldly takes the lead.
And, again, it's Duma who makes the running.
No cheetah should tackle an eland alone.
Their kicks are deadly.
DUMA YELPS
He is lucky to survive...
..but this time, the others take over.
Has Duma inspired them to take the same risk?
CHEETAH YELPS
The last one follows to secure their triumph...
..while Duma is cautious.
For once, this wasn't his kill...
..and for once, they treat Duma with respect.
Finally, they are working as a team...
..and Duma has been accepted, not just as a hunter,
but as a fully valued member of the coalition.
The hippos' peace, once again, has been broken.
The bull who once took over the pod is back.
But is he still a danger to Mafuta...
..or has the bull found a way to be accepted?
Maybe they are starting to get along.
The bull now has no reason to fight.
And, besides, Mafuta is older now.
He'll be fine if he just shows respect.
Mafuta's mother is now accepting the bull as leader.
Here, grudges can't be held forever.
With acceptance, Mafuta gains a powerful protector...
..and his mother gains a potential mate.
Mafuta is growing in confidence, too...
..and Magamba isn't the threat she used to be.
Is this another chance to forget old rivalries...
..as his mother has with the new bull?
In this land, anything is possible.
Rivalries can become friendships, too.
Duma and his new best friends have returned to the lake as equals.
After drought and struggle,
our land is entering a time of change...
..and the best is yet to come.
The flamingos are returning, back from lands beyond.
A sign of life renewed.
The lake restored as all life returns.
For once, Bakari doesn't have to fight
for his troop's survival.
His duty is done...for now.
Kali, too, has triumphed against the odds.
She's found a pride where her young are safe,
with food aplenty.
For Zalika, fresh opportunities, too.
And there are yet more signs of renewal.
The flamingos dance.
A courtship ritual that heralds new life.
From the hardest times come the richest times,
and so the cycle goes on.
And in an ever-changing world, so our stories continue.
# Serengeti
# Hear her whisper. #