Original subtitles

Many tales have been told of Africa.

But this is our story.

ELEPHANT TRUMPETS

A drama set in the heart of our world,

experienced as we live and breathe it.

LIGHTNING CRACKS

Our world is changing.

We're not just fighting amongst ourselves.

We're fighting the elements too...

..while our young are born into an uncertain future.

This is the next chapter in our story,

in a place they call Serengeti.

ELEPHANT TRUMPETS

It's a truth older than all of us.

When our land is in harmony, discord is never far away.

As our story begins,

the great pride is hunting the prey they fear the most.

To take down a buffalo,

each has a part to play.

Only one is willing to risk her life.

GROWLING

Kali is that lion.

SNORTS LOUDLY

As usual, Kali leads the charge.

But even she can't fight alone.

Kali needs Sefu, a male she could once depend on.

But when duty calls, he fails her.

The buffalo senses fear,

and Sefu does the unthinkable...

..leaves Kali to her fate.

The fearless is now the forsaken.

The huntress now the hunted.

When Kali's life was in danger,

Sefu abandoned her.

LOW GROWL

THEY SNARL

She won't forget.

But what can she do?

If Kali can't rely on Sefu and the other males for protection,

all she cares for is at risk.

And there could be a reason Sefu abandoned Kali.

Her cubs aren't his.

They were fathered by a lion from outside the pride.

If he suspects, her cubs are in mortal danger.

While emotions flare in the great pride,

others hide their tensions well.

# Wild hearts

# We run free

# This golden land beneath the sky

# Is all we ever need

# This home where we live and die

# Is Serengeti... #

For the baboons, life seems good and their troop is thriving.

Their lives were transformed when a kinder and gentler leader took over.

Bakari not only has his troop to lead,

he's the head of a new ruling family.

Cheka is now the top female

and their adopted son is first among the young males.

But their new baby daughter is the most treasured of all.

The two youngsters are inseparable.

And the bond between Bakari and Cheka, stronger than ever.

But not everyone is so content.

A female lost her high position when Cheka took her place.

Bibi must now show deference,

even to their new baby.

To lose status is always painful.

BARKS

Even the baby now ranks higher than she does.

To lose power is to be condemned to forever chase it.

Bakari ignores the simmering tensions.

Keeping everyone safe is challenging enough.

YAWNING

Here, danger is never far away.

CALLS

SHRIEKS

DISTRESS CALLS

SNARLS

CALLS

For Bakari, a leopard is the greatest threat he'll face.

SNARLS

YOWLS

Courage is now his only defence.

GROWLS

ELEPHANT TRUMPETS

Here, trouble rarely walks alone.

TRUMPETS

ANIMALS SHRIEK

TRUMPETS

Bakari's problems are far from over.

As well as threats from the outside...

..he now faces a threat from within.

Nalla, the elephant matriarch, is rarely troubled by such rivalries.

Her sisterhood sticks together.

Just as well, her son has grown but still vies for her attention.

And her cherished sister

has had a new baby, Kadogo.

While the elephants play,

the leopard can slink away.

GROWLS

It's the season when our land reveals its splendour.

But beauty can hide what you'd prefer to ignore.

CACKLES

Hyenas are the leopard's enemy.

She has good reason to hide away.

In fact, two good reasons.

Her two daughters...

HIGH-PITCHED GROWL

..Mzuri and Dada.

They've been hiding here since they were born.

But secrets never stay safe for long.

She will be back.

Zalika is a warrior queen

with the power prestige bestows.

But like the leopard, her life has changed.

Instead of leading her clan to battle,

she's left with those too young to fight.

THEY WHINE

While she's preoccupied,

her once mighty clan is scattered and leaderless.

Zalika's priorities have changed.

She's now raising a new generation of fighters.

When lions killed her mother, she inherited the leadership.

But she's still young, and must prove she's worthy of the role.

But for now, her battles will have to wait.

FLY BUZZES PAST

A new dawn brings hope for Kali's hungry cubs.

It's when their mother goes hunting.

Sefu, too, expects a meal.

Despite the rising tensions between them,

she still has a duty to her cubs.

As always, it will be Kali who faces the prey.

The dawn has been generous - the first sign of the migrating herds.

ZEBRA BRAYS

But were her efforts in vain?

Sefu expects to be the first at the meal...

..as do the other males.

There's little Kali can do, as her cubs' meal vanishes before her eyes.

The truth is the pride has grown too big,

with too many males and too many mouths living off Kali's kills.

But she can't let her cubs go hungry, no matter the risk.

GROWLS

It's not a fair share, but it's something.

Sefu is showing scant regard for those he should protect.

This injustice can't continue.

Some rise above such family feuds and just look on.

Never staying, always watching.

It may be calm above the fray...

..but for a lone mother, peace is hard to find.

Keeping cubs entertained is never easy.

GROWLS

Keeping them safe is even harder.

A warrior knows just when to strike.

The cubs have yet to learn to climb.

The best lessons are by example.

Beginners need a lot of help.

They're safe,

but not secure.

CUB GROWLS

HYENA CACKLES

SNORTS

This time, fate was kind,

but they must learn fast.

While she's with them, she'll keep them safe.

But she'll soon be far too busy.

The great migration is on its way.

They arrive as a multitude, but countless families lie at its heart.

And zebra families are among the closest of all.

Shani leads from the front.

She's not just her family's guiding light,

she's mother to a newborn foal.

He won't let her out of his sight.

Punda is their stallion.

He's father and protector to all the foals.

Today he meets his newborn son for the first time.

But it's brief,

and for good reason.

For his first few precious hours,

Shani must keep her newborn away from the hustle of the herd.

Isolation can be a sanctuary.

It can also be a trap.

A bachelor stallion is out to start a family.

He may feign disinterest

but his intent is deadly.

To steal Shani away,

and kill her foal if he has to.

BRAYS AND SNORTS

Punda faces the ultimate test -

prove his supremacy.

Fight to the death to keep Shani and her foal.

Punda's rival has the energy of youth.

BRAYING

Punda's in trouble.

But he still has some fight left in him.

Stamina and experience start to show.

BRAYS LOUDLY

Punda triumphs, for now.

Shani's foal isn't the only newborn to arrive today.

Another unbreakable bond is forged.

This is Gnu.

Newborn wildebeest need to grow up fast.

While his mother devotes herself to his care,

the herd will be his guardians.

SNORTS

But finding his feet is all down to him.

Until he can run, he has slim chance of surviving.

These are Zalika's hunting grounds.

With newborns to care for and her clan scattered,

helpless prey is just what she needs.

But first, she has to find it.

Gnu has just moments to learn to run.

While he struggles to stand, all the herd can do is form a shield.

HYENA CACKLES

CACKLING

Gnu finally finds his feet.

His mother knows where safety lies.

Once more, the herd's their saviour.

A screen of bodies provides safe refuge.

Without her clan to support her, the great Zalika is defeated...

..by a baby.

He passed his first test.

It won't be his last.

While everyone enjoys themselves, Bakari is ever watchful.

But Bibi sees a chance to win over the new leader...

..and regain the status she lost.

But rejection gives rise to desperation.

Cheka has Bakari's baby.

And it makes her position even stronger.

Why not borrow her for a while?

A chance to prove she'd also make a good mother.

Bakari can stand by no longer,

and Cheka finally snaps.

With his baby at risk, Bakari must intervene.

SHRIEKING

SQUEALING

For Bibi, it's a public humiliation.

She's cowed,

but has Bakari gone too far?

His intervention may just have made things worse.

Her public shaming will not be forgotten,

and her rivalry with Cheka has deepened.

Elephants know better than to fight among themselves.

Nalla's sister is bringing Kadogo

to the water hole for the first time.

He's yet to learn what it's all about.

For Nalla's son, it's the best part of the day.

A time to meet up with friends and cool down.

But Kadogo is finding it all a little scary.

TRUMPETS

But a fear tackled is a fear overcome.

Once in, he can see what the fuss was all about.

If getting in was hard,

getting out is even harder...

..even for Nalla's son.

Kodogo's mother gives her son

all the care he needs.

And Nalla, the great matriarch,

is always there to help.

While the elephants pull together,

the leopardess must look out for herself.

The cubs are demanding all her attention.

THEY SCREECH

YAWNS

She can't guard them forever.

A hunt will be a welcome break.

But cubs are inquisitive.

Particularly Mzuri.

Adventure beckons.

HIGH-PITCHED GROWL

Ever cautious, Dada hangs back.

Her sister will go it alone.

Curiosity is a great teacher.

And you learn from your mistakes.

LOUD GRUNT

GROWLS

SNORTS

SQUEALS

But how do you tell friend from foe?

TRUMPETS

She soon learns leopards have few friends.

For some, a cub is too tiny to notice.

Especially for those with their heads in the clouds.

But there's one neighbour Mzuri must learn to fear.

Buffalo.

GROWLS

SNORTS

SNARLS

It's a fine line between curiosity and catastrophe.

And her mother won't always be there to save her.

Every day is a new adventure.

But until they learn, every day could be their last.

A pride should always look out for its own.

But Kali can't be sure if she can depend on the males.

Her feud with Sefu has escalated,

and it's not just about food.

Sefu wants cubs he can be sure are his own.

Kali must tread carefully.

She can't have Sefu's cubs while her own are still young.

ROARS

LOW GROWLING

The best way is to avoid confrontation.

Kali has gained some relief, but at what cost?

Sefu doesn't take rejection well.

GROWLS LOUDLY

Mothers know when something's wrong.

CALLS OUT

CONTINUES CALLING

She has their scent.

It's all she needs.

Will she ever know what really happened?

But grieving must wait.

She must find her other cubs.

THUNDER RUMBLES

What we love is so easily taken.

Even the seasons we live our lives by.

Forces beyond our land have brought turmoil.

A storm stronger than any have seen.

WHINES

LIGHTNING CRACKS

Kali is desperately searching.

She has little time.

A precious clue.

But she can't hold back the tide.

Already the distant storm is showing its power.

As water reclaims the riverbed, it's not just Kali facing the threat.

Changes far away are bringing devastation to our land.

SHRIEKS

LIGHTNING CRACKS

Our young are born into a volatile world with an unknown future.

Our seasons are in disarray.

Each year, the floods intensify.

Streams become rivers.

Rivers become torrents.

Nalla must act quickly - lead her family to higher ground.

It's treacherous.

Kadogo struggled at the water hole,

but this is life and death.

The torrents are strengthening.

The water rising.

It's too late to turn back.

But little Kadogo is out of his depth.

And the currents are relentless.

Kadogo slips from grasp.

But his mother won't give up.

They are now far from their family...

..who have their own battles to fight.

For Nalla, the great matriarch,

a terrible dilemma.

How can she save them all?

TRUMPETS

But this is just the beginning.

As the storms strengthen,

so come the floods.

Now all our lives are at risk.

New families arrive seeking refuge,

but the land is changing before our eyes.

All of us will be tested once more.