Many tales have been told of Africa.
And this is our story.
A drama set in the heart of our world.
LIONESS GROWLS
Experienced as we live and breathe it.
So far, we've faced many challenges.
The great migration brought risks for some.
Opportunities for others.
And as new families arrived, conflicts grew.
This is the next chapter in our story
of a place they call Serengeti.
CACOPHONY OF ANIMAL NOISE
Day after day, the great migration continues...
..driven by the quest for fresh pasture.
Shani and her foal endured an arduous trek to get here.
ZEBRAS BRAY
But there's worse to come.
Reaching the lush grasslands means braving the treacherous river.
CROCODILES BELLOW
Each day, more crocodiles gather.
And Shani's decision when to cross becomes harder.
CROCODILES HISS
But after days of feasting, the crocodiles are sleeping it off.
It's now or never.
ZEBRA SQUEALS
Hungry or not, no crocodile can ever be trusted.
ZEBRAS BRAY
Crocodiles aren't the only danger.
The current takes many lives.
Now it's Shani who's fighting for her life.
Crocodiles never give up.
But neither do mothers.
Shani's calls go unanswered.
Her foal is swept far away.
Exhausted...
..vulnerable...
He's oblivious to the danger.
His life is spared.
This time.
SHANI BRAYS
Shani will never give up on her foal.
But the threats don't stop for her and her family.
Jasari is the leader of the wild dogs.
And leaders need to provide.
ZEBRAS BRAY FRANTICALLY
In the chase, he looks for weakness.
Shani knows the art of escape.
Hide among easier prey.
CACOPHONY OF ANIMAL NOISE
Here, death for one spares the life of another.
Shani has to be sure - was it her youngster that was taken?
Not this time.
But she must find him, before they do.
At the den, the pups eagerly await their share of the meal.
Thanks to the migration,
they are well fed and full of energy.
PUPS WHINE
And always alert for their parents' return.
HYENA CALLS
But they've made a mistake.
Zalika is the leader of the hyena clan.
She'll kill the pups if she can.
PUPS WHIMPER
But she needs to watch her back.
HYENAS BARK
SQUEALING AND BARKING
Was it a mistake to let Zalika go?
Now she knows the dogs are here, she'll be watching.
SNORTING
Shani is still searching.
Her foal is out there somewhere.
SHE BRAYS
ALL LOW SOFTLY
Lost and lonely, he seeks the company of strangers.
But here, everyone keeps to their own.
Those who aren't family don't belong.
AGITATED LOWING
SNORTING
Without a mother, no youngster survives for long.
CAWING
WIND WHISTLES
Every day we must all trek to the water hole.
The one place everyone gathers.
Here, everyone's competing for a place.
For Bakari, Cheka, and their baby,
just getting a drink is hard enough.
BAKARI SCREECHES
While Bakari distracts the wildebeest,
Cheka finds a quieter spot.
The baby is starting to test his independence.
But it's no place for a baby alone.
SCREECHING
Cheka would never let him down.
With numbers building at the water hole, it's time to move on.
For some, the visiting herds bring food and contentment.
Since Kali and her cubs were exiled from the great pride,
it's the first time they feel secure.
Sefu has grown fond of the cubs.
CUBS MEWL
With her sister by her side, catching food is easy.
But in our land, nothing easy ever lasts long.
The black-maned lions are on the prowl.
They fear nothing.
Not even the river.
They want to take these rich hunting lands for themselves.
No rivals will be spared.
Kali and her family are unaware of the growing threat.
Her cubs are busy learning what's food, and what isn't.
ALL YELP
YOWLING AND SCUFFLING
There's always something more exciting.
But young stray from their family at their peril.
The black-maned males see the cubs of others as enemies.
Even the smallest.
YELPING
DEEP GROWLING
GROWLING
DISTANT GROWLS
SHE BELLOWS
Mothers always sense when something's wrong.
But nothing can prepare a mother for this.
Innocent, helpless...
They took him anyway.
SHE BELLOWS
The black-maned males will return.
Maybe now nowhere is safe for her cubs.
Just as the seasons come and go,
so do fortunes.
When the herds occupy our land,
our paths cross all the time.
More than ever, we all need to know where we belong.
BABOONS SCREECH
For baboons, status is everything.
When Bakari tried to raise the baby,
he struggled to find his place in the troop.
But when Cheka joined him, everything changed.
Now their family bond only grows stronger.
With the baby exploring more,
they are having some time to themselves.
But one thing threatens their contentment.
Their leader's feud with Bakari is escalating...
..but it's now fuelled by jealousy.
The leader wants Cheka for himself.
Bakari's tactic is to ignore him.
But the baby can't hide his feelings...
CHATTERING
..or realise he's making things worse.
BELLOWING AND CHATTERING
Yet again, Cheka saves him...
..and Bakari puts himself between Cheka and the leader.
But this only enrages him more.
If he wants Cheka, he will take her.
But Cheka resists.
Bakari will be punished for her rejection.
Shaken, the family regroup.
But now the leader is determined, he will have Cheka.
And Bakari will pay the price.
The lost foal is still seeking company.
But there's no comfort here.
Hungry, thirsty and lonely.
Hope's fading fast.
And Nalla's family can't accept strangers either.
TRUMPETING
Tembo sends him on his way.
TEMBO SNORTS AND TRUMPETS
WEAK BRAYING
But maybe there is hope.
Could his mother be drawn to the water hole, too?
WEAK BRAYING
As Nalla's family arrive to drink, excitement grows.
At this time of year, the need for water
brings old friends together.
ELEPHANTS RUMBLE
An opportunity for Nalla to show off her new baby.
Here, there is so much else for her family to enjoy.
A dust shower will protect them from the sun.
Anything Tembo does,
his little brother copies.
ELEPHANT SQUEALS
Here, Tembo also gets the chance to meet males his own age...
ALL RUMBLE
..to play-fight and let off steam.
His little brother isn't about to be left out.
ELEPHANTS TRUMPET
THEY SQUEAL
But Tembo is getting over-excited...
..and takes things too far.
Nalla can't ignore what's happening.
Playing rough with the males,
showing interest in the females...
Her son is growing up...
..and soon he must leave her.
But is he ready?
Despite her grief, Kali must seek safety
before the black-maned males return.
The only place that can give her cubs the protection they need
is inside the great pride.
But this is the pride that once drove her into exile.
Has time healed old wounds?
Now living is easy, are they prepared to forgive and forget?
Sefu goes first.
BELLOWING AND ROARING
But his long absence isn't going down well.
But it was just a warning.
Kali's sister goes next.
The pride's problem was never with her.
Now it's Kali's turn.
LIONESS BELLOWS
CUB YELPS
But they've not forgotten...
She's not forgiven.
Perhaps if she keeps her distance, she will be tolerated.
Anything for the safety of her cubs.
Somehow, she must win back the trust of the pride.
The water hole is now teeming with zebra families.
But how could he find his mother in such a sea of stripes?
HE BRAYS WEAKLY
Shani is still searching.
SHE BRAYS DESPERATELY
But just as she's close to accepting her loss...
Is she too late?
HE SNORTS
Here, the secret is to never lose hope.
SHE BRAYS
Jasari and his family are unwavering in their determination...
..but so is the competition.
And Zalika has an instinct for every opportunity.
HYENAS CHATTER
Jasari may have defeated Zalika before, but this time,
Zalika has impressive back-up.
Jasari will have to fight hard to keep his meal.
HYENAS CHATTER AND WHINE
He targets Zalika...
..but she shows no fear.
GROWLING AND WHINING
Jasari is facing his first defeat.
Now the hyenas know they can win, they'll be watching...
..and waiting...
..and they'll take everything.
How will Jasari feed his family now?
The will to survive drove Kali back to her family,
but she and her cubs are still treated like outsiders.
The cubs may have protection, but they don't have friends...
..and the older cubs play rough.
SMALL CUB YELPS
Kali mustn't overreact.
Cubs need to grow up to be tough.
But things can go too far.
SHE GROWLS
SMALL CUB YELPS
She can reassure her cub,
but it's the pride's respect she really needs.
Show them she's strong enough to feed them all.
Once again, she's hunting alone.
PANICKED BRAYING AND MOOING
The stampede has turned.
Kali's courage almost cost her her life.
But all the pride sees is failure.
CUB YELPS
DEEP GROWLING
For the elephant family,
life now revolves around daily visits to the water hole.
As Nalla's baby learns to use his trunk to drink,
his brother Tembo is at the other end of childhood.
All he wants to do is throw his weight around.
ELEPHANTS TRUMPET
Nalla has to accept he's outgrown family life.
Once, Tembo was just like his brother...
..with the same young, fighting spirit.
But when it comes to fighting now, Tembo is a liability.
He'll defend his brother, whether he needs to or not.
AGITATED TRUMPETING AND RUMBLING
It's a step too far.
Nalla has no choice.
It's time for Tembo to leave.
Like all male elephants before him,
his destiny is to live the life of a roving bachelor.
But breaking family bonds is painful for everyone.
For the first time in his life, he's alone.
Night is where our fears take hold.
CREATURES BARK AND CHATTER
MOOING, CHATTERING
GROWLING
YOWLING
Every sound feeds our imagination.
SHRIEKING
GROWLING
YOWLING
SHRIEKING AND SCREECHING
HOWLING
YOWLING
CHITTERING AND BIRD CALLS
GROWLING
HYENAS CHATTER
TRUMPETING
HE TRUMPETS
SNORTING
Then Tembo is confronted by his own mortality.
An elephant has died.
HE SHRIEKS
With dawn comes acceptance,
and perhaps a growing maturity.
But in this land, another day can mean yet another trial.
Jasari must face the reality that every meal might be stolen.
HYENAS CHATTER
But what choice does he have?
There's no better hunter than a wild dog,
but no better thief than a hyena.
A throwaway gift for Zalika.
But why bother?
Far easier to wait.
ALARM CALLS
WHINING
SQUEALING
The wild dog family are out in full force.
The hyenas are fewer, but each is stronger,
with the confidence that comes from winning.
But hunger brings its own determination.
WHINING AND CHATTERING
This time, the dogs separate Zalika from her clan.
Courage alone can't save her now.
Zalika may have been spared,
but she and her family will be the ones going hungry tonight.
The baboons are also still in conflict...
..and the crowds are just adding to the tension.
THUNDER OF HOOVES
SCREECHING
ZEBRAS BRAY
Bakari's aim is simple -
keep the baby safe from the leader.
But right now, it's not the baby he needs to worry about.
Cheka is being pursued by the leader,
and he has his bodyguards in tow.
He wants her for himself...
..to show Bakari who's in charge.
He will groom her whether she wants it or not.
Bakari is powerless to intervene.
Attack, and it won't just be him that suffers.
And the leader isn't finished with her yet.
But Bakari's had enough.
Despite his baby, he's forced to act.
SCREECHING
Bakari is beaten into submission.
And the leader proclaims his dominance.
HE GROWLS
Bakari knows what this means.
From now on, Cheka and the baby will be used as a weapon against him.
For their sake, he must leave the troop.
Somehow he'll have to survive alone.
ZEBRAS BRAY
A return to a life in exile is Kali's biggest fear,
and now the risks are even greater.
FLIES BUZZ
But right now, there are other problems.
With the herds come the flies.
THEY GROWL
There's only one place to escape the swarms.
Kali is suffering.
Surely they'll let her up?
Only one way to find out.
The tree is by invitation only.
SHE GROWLS
Rejection only strengthens her resolve.
Shani and her foal are now inseparable.
Kali must seize the moment.
A new target...
THUNDER OF HOOVES
WILDEBEEST SHRIEKS
The sisters saw her triumph.
At last, Kali has been forgiven.
Shani and her foal are back safe with their family...
..but their troubles are far from over.
BRAYING
Our land will soon become parched.
Drought will follow...
..and all of us will struggle.
THUNDER CRASHES The elements will do their worst.
The black-maned lions will return.
It will be our greatest test yet.