Serengeti

Lioness Kali has broken the golden rule of family life by having cubs with an outsider, and when she tries to bring the young ones home she is forced into exile. Passionate baboon Bakari starts a deep and jealous rivalry after the female he was devoted to is stolen away by the new leader of the troop, and teenage elephant Tembo feels sidelines when his mother gives birth to a new baby.

The females take centre stage as competition hots up between the families. Lioness Kali and her sister are enjoying being together with their cubs. Hunting is much easier together and life is good. But their happiness is short-lived when male lion Sefu begins to stalk them. Cheetah and new mum Kike moves to the area and must quickly learn to protect her cubs from predators, while Bakari the baboon struggles to raise the baby he rescued when its mother was killed and desperately tries to find a female to help him.

Hunger starts to bite for the animals of the Serengeti, who are anticipating the arrival of the annual great migration - and the feast it will bring. Kali the lioness and her sister entrust their cubs to new male babysitter Sefu, with near disastrous results, while Bakari the baboon is shocked when a trip across the river to collect crocodile eggs looks like ending in tragedy for his new female Cheka. A family of wild dogs moves in, led by male Jasari, who is ready to take advantage of the coming feast for his large litter of pups.

The great migration leads to a series of confrontations for the families on the great savannah. Tragedy strikes for lioness Kali, forcing her to make a difficult decision. Bakari challenges the jealous leader of the baboon troop, leading to a violent battle, and elephant mother Nalla has to decide the future of her badly behaved teenager Tembo. Shani the zebra mother has no choice but to cross the river, fully aware a crocodile is waiting - and if he does not get her, the currents might well sweep her away.

The dry season is now upon the animals - a tough time for some, but for others a food bonanza. Jasari and his wild dog family are under siege from the hyena clan, so he must train his pups to survive, while Bakari the baboon is living in exile from the troop, only to spy the leader bullying his adopted baby. Kali and her cubs are enjoying life back in the heart of the pride, only to be attacked by the black-maned lions. But worse is to come when a storm ignites a devastating fire, consuming the dry land with flames.

The aftermath of the devastating fire has left a blackened smoking wasteland, but rain soon brings hope to the scorched earth. Kike the cheetah and wild dog leader Jasari are both teaching their cubs how to survive on their own, only to be interrupted by a grieving giraffe. A baby elephant struggles in the flooded river, while Bakari returns when his family are threatened by a rival baboon troop. Lioness Kali has surprises in store which bring hope for the future of her pride, and as things draw to a close, a death brings all the families together in a remarkable truce.