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
# Serengeti... #
The lions and baboons have been forced to share a home.
But this uneasy truce is not peace,
it's a battle waiting to happen.
For now, Bakari's troupe and Kali's family
have found a way to get by.
While both sides have something to lose, neither wants a fight.
But all it will take is a shift in the balance of power.
Askari has found the rest of his pride.
Now, they're joining Kali.
It's a change that leaves the baboons in a perilous position.
Bakari could try to stand his ground,
but they're everywhere.
And leadership is knowing when to fight, or when to flee.
Timing is everything.
And there's no better time than when your enemies are resting.
As long as they stay that way.
When needs must, stealth is the baboons' forte.
They can also scramble, where lions fear to tread.
Bakari shows the way.
And, as always, the rest follow his lead.
They're alive, but homeless once more.
Surviving another day is sometimes the best we can hope for.
But for those with young, surviving another day is not enough.
Magamba chose this bank to lay her eggs.
Now they've hatched, she must keep them alive.
One day they too will be fearsome hunters.
For now, they're the hunted.
Jacanas stalk the shallows.
But insects are their favoured meal.
DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS
Night herons present the real threat...
..if they can get close enough.
But Magamba can't always stay on guard. She must find herself a meal.
And while she's gone, her hatchlings must fend for themselves.
Here, those who can't fight, hide.
Meanwhile, their mother has caught the scent of a meal.
She's not the only one.
The great hippo bull succumbed to the wounds of battle
defending the pod.
He was young Mafuta's great protector.
For Mafuta's mother, this is a violation...
..an outrage she can't ignore.
But what can she do,
faced by Magamba and others of her kind?
Like all babies, Mafuta seeks safety closer to his mother.
But feeling safe isn't the same as being safe.
Especially when his mother is distracted.
Yet more crocodiles have caught the scent.
DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS
But for Mafuta, the current is now the greater peril.
And his mother still doesn't notice the trouble he's in.
She realises too late,
just as the current sweeps Mafuta away.
At the worst possible time, the herds start crossing.
A line of wildebeest now blocks the river.
Somehow, she must find a way through.
If she can't go through them...
..she'll go under them.
She's overcome one challenge, but saving Mafuta will be harder.
Is she too late?
Together once more.
And a dangerous lesson learnt.
Learning to survive can sometimes be as simple as learning to fit in.
Duma is still trying to join the team of male cheetahs.
For now, he's tolerated, but ignored.
He must prove his worth,
show he can be a valued member of the team.
And that means finding the right opportunity.
And doing something to impress.
He'll show them what he can really do.
TENSE MUSIC PLAYS
But he started slow and lost the advantage of surprise.
And, in a breath, the balance of power shifts.
He now needs rescuing from his own hunt!
Success for the team,
humiliation for Duma.
He tried his hardest, but it wasn't enough.
Success is all that counts.
And they've made sure he knows it.
If he's not accepted soon, he'll starve.
Being cast into the wilderness is a fate the baboons know all too well.
As always, it falls to Bakari to keep them safe.
But has he led them into a trap?
The long grass is where hunters hide.
Baboons can sense danger before it is seen.
Bakari raises the alarm.
THEY SQUEAL
His best defence is attack.
Even against the cheetah coalition.
A bite from Bakari could kill.
For Duma, a second chance to prove his worth?
Take on Bakari.
Confront him without flinching.
But Bakari won't retreat this time.
He has a whole troupe supporting him.
For Duma, another setback.
And those he was so desperate to impress
have already moved on.
Magamba left the hippo carcass early.
Every moment away from her hatchlings is a moment too long.
A grey heron has seen the chance to strike.
The hatchlings have learnt to be wary of visitors.
They're no match for a heron.
But their mother is!
DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS
The heron could have taken them all,
but once more Magamba triumphs.
But she can't watch over them forever.
Soon they'll be on their own.
The lions are relishing their dominion over the kopje.
And Kali is back with Askari once more.
Now, both she and her sister have help rearing their cubs.
THEY PURR
Finally, they belong to a pride
where everyone plays their part.
With her cubs well looked after, Kali can hunt on her own.
It's what she does best.
Askari chooses a different path.
And his brother is there as backup.
Despite their strength, it won't be easy.
Battles are best won by surprise, and in a hunt
their size betrays them.
They face a seemingly impossible task.
For those left homeless and defeated,
the river is a refuge they can depend on.
For the baboons, a moment to celebrate.
Bakari has taken them where he knows there will be food...
..and all the freshwater they could ever need.
Mtoto has visited before, but for his baby sister,
it's a new, overwhelming experience.
SHE SQUEALS
What she needs is some brotherly love.
Naturally, that involves some rough and tumble.
But even Mtoto's not too old for a cuddle.
Bakari led the way, but now the river's for everyone to enjoy.
There's just one problem. What's popular for baboons
is popular for others too.
One wildebeest will soon be many.
And numbers will grow by the day.
The disruption will take some getting used to.
Sheer numbers are not the only problem.
Where wildebeest gather, lions prowl.
TENSE MUSIC PLAYS
Chasing baboons is not what Kali came for.
She's far more ambitious than that.
Now they're trapped by the river, Kali can bide her time.
The problem with crowds is it just takes one to see you.
Despite the odds, Askari has triumphed.
And he lets his whole pride know, including those who just can't wait.
Among the hungry arrivals are Kali's cubs.
For once, they're sharing a meal caught by others.
Kali too will share the spoils.
A moment to enjoy the support she deserves.
Duma is yet to find the coalition.
But he has their scent marks to guide him.
He finds them still marking their territory.
But is it wise to join them?
Scent marking is a warning to other cheetahs to keep away.
A warning Duma would be wise to heed.
But he needs to show he can be one of their team.
Do whatever they do.
Even if he doesn't know how...
..or why.
Anything to fit in.
But he's yet to learn how to scent mark.
So he can hardly make an impression.
They leave him still practising,
trying to become the cheetah they need.
They've now found yet another tree to spray.
By the time Duma joins them,
they've left their marks all over it.
Now it's Duma's turn...
..but he still doesn't know what he's doing...
..and now his foot's stuck.
Again, they ignore his plight.
Just as well.
With a sprained foot, he'll be even less use to them.
But he hides his injury...
..as best he can.
Each day, the elephants head to the river.
It's time to cool down from the midday heat...
..and for Kadogo to have some fun.
On the far side of the river,
Nalla's oldest son, Tembo, has arrived with other young males.
As they play at being Great Tuskers,
things start to get boisterous.
And when the tough get rough,
it's wise to get out of their way.
Especially with youngsters to protect.
Nalla ushers Kadogo and the others to the bank.
One day, Tembo's battles will be in earnest.
For Kadogo, fighting is just for fun.
No matter their age,
both brothers expect to win.
Nearby, Magamba is still guarding her hatchlings.
They're growing more independent by the day.
Tembo has had enough of play fighting.
But he's heading straight towards Magamba and her young.
Now they take their own cue.
They can't rely on Magamba for much longer.
But while she's here, she'll confront the danger.
Tembo has no fear of crocodiles.
Magamba's only fear is for her young.
But in deeper water,
Tembo needs to be cautious.
Here, Magamba is in her element...
..and Tembo out of his.
Magamba blocks his path.
Even Tembo proceeds with caution.
She's still dealt with the threat when she needed to...
..but her motherly duties are nearly over.
Her young are now ready for a life on their own.
Baboons are right to be wary of crocodiles...
..but crocodiles have gifts to give
for those who dare to look.
The dikkops are still nesting.
They're as brave as ever.
But dikkops eggs aren't worth the bother.
Bakari is after a bigger prize.
But he's late.
Magamba's eggs have hatched.
Even Bakari can sometimes get it wrong.
Today, his troop leave empty-handed.
For the dikkops, good news.
A chick has hatched.
A reward for their commitment and courage.
Soon, another chick will follow.
The baboons are left hungry but safe.
While they work out what to do,
the leaderless hippo pod is heading downstream.
With their protector gone,
their safety depends on sticking together...
..but two hippos are missing.
Mafuta and his mother.
Reunited with their pod at last.
But without a leader,
they're still not safe.
For a roaming bull,
a leaderless pod is an opportunity.
But any takeover will have to wait.
Another crossing puts the bull's plans on hold...
..but brings another danger to Mafuta.
This time, the pod forms a blockade to keep him from harm...
..while the herds keep the would-be challenger at bay.
Today is not the day for a fight.
Magamba, though, is in a fighting mood.
Freed from maternal duties,
she's ready to take on the crossing.
She's spoilt for choice.
But that's also her dilemma.
The closer she goes...
..the harder it gets.
She has no room to manoeuvre at all.
As they reach the other side,
she becomes increasingly desperate.
Every failure drains her energy.
And now the crossing is ebbing away.
Has she missed her chance?
With fewer wildebeest,
she's free to move once more.
Now she has the space to choose and strike.
She has it in her jaws,
but has she any strength left to take it down?
Her grip is weak
and the wildebeest strong.
In the shallows,
the wildebeest gains the advantage.
Another failure.
One she can't afford.
Despite his best efforts,
Duma is yet to be accepted by the coalition.
But he'll keep trying to show his worth.
Prove he could be a valued member of the team.
It's a heroic effort...
..and a successful one.
But it's a victory overshadowed.
Those he was trying to impress have had success of their own.
They didn't notice his triumph...
..even when he implores them to.
It's as if he isn't there.
DUMA YELPS
Enough is enough.
He'll dine alone...
..on a meal he earned alone.
But perhaps it wasn't in vain.
Although he's too absorbed to notice...
..the other cheetahs, too, have finally seen.
In a sign of acceptance,
they leave their carcass for his.
Duma has finally joined the team.
After the river crossing,
the leaderless hippo pod moved back to the place they knew best.
While all is calm,
Mafuta is taken to graze on the lush grass
above the river bank.
But tranquillity doesn't mean peace.
The roaming bull hasn't given up...
..and he's in a fighting mood.
He takes on a young bull.
A chance to take Mafuta to safety.
For the roaming bull, an easy win...
..but he's after a bigger prize -
the entire hippo pod.
Once more, Mafuta is in grave danger.
Downstream, the crossings continue...
..in numbers unthinkable.
The crowds keep building.
The wildebeest have chosen to cross at the most challenging point.
The rocks are slippery...
..the current fast.
One slip can break a leg.
But nothing stops the crowd.
For Magamba, one last chance.
The rapids are treacherous.
But a wildebeest in trouble is a gift for Magamba.
Then, just like that...
..gone
Magamba has no choice.
She joins them in the torrents.
She emerges unscathed...
..and it's far from over.
This time her grip is strong.
Magamba finally has the success she deserves.
A feast at last.
The hippo challenger decides his next move.
Those who want him gone
will have to confront him.
But none will stand and fight.
The river is now a refuge for the weak and scared.
With the pod in disarray,
and his father gone,
Mafuta can only rely on his mother.
The challenger dares any rivals to step forward.
Nothing.
A pod without a leader offers weak resistance.
All he needs to do is assert his power.
There can only be one outcome.
One that Mafuta can't stay to see.
Again and again,
the bull shows his dominance.
To survive,
Mafuta must flee for his life.
But where can he go?
# Serengeti
# She is speaking
# Hear her whisper. #