Tales from Zambia - Season 2

Spend a season with the Woodland Troop, a group of thirty vervets, Africa's smallest and lightest monkeys. At the center of this troop, two young monkeys are facing the toughest time of their lives. With their mothers tending to new babies, these juveniles are on their own for the very first time. Watch as they learn to feed themselves, distinguish friend from foe, and make their place in the world. While they might have lost their mothers' attention, they've gained something a lot more important: freedom.

The wilds of Zambia are a tough place to live. Food can be scarce, and hidden dangers lurk everywhere. For some animals, there's safety in numbers. Witness the different ways buffalo, lions, hyenas, wild dogs, and even some birds work together to help each other protect their offspring, overcome predators, hunt, and defend their territory. When every day presents new threats to survival, teamwork is everything.

Safety is scarce in the Zambian wilderness. Three of its inhabitants have just met their fate: a bull hippo struck down in his prime; a young lion discovered in the bush; and a massive buffalo, snuffed out in the mud. Who--or what--ended their lives? In this harsh environment, predators hide in the shadows, away from prying eyes. With vultures and scavengers quickly consuming the evidence, the chase is on to identify the culprit.

Few places in the world rival Zambia's natural beauty and ecological diversity. Travel to three of these extraordinary habitats to witness the lives of three remarkable animals. Watch as a baby giraffe takes its first steps in the sweltering Luangwa Valley. Ascend to the high plateau of Kasanka, where two thousand Kinda baboons have found a primate paradise in the forest. Follow a cheetah family on the prowl for meat on the desolate Liuwa Plain. For the animals who call these lands home, their uncompromising environments are paradise.

Over the course of a year, more than 480 different species of birds spread their wings in the Luangwa Valley. From tiny kingfishers, to flocks of great white pelicans, and some of Africa's most endangered vultures, these aerial masters have found a use for every inch of the land. As these winged wonders search for food, shelter, and mates, discover why Luangwa is a utopia for both residents and visitors alike.

Africa is home to some of the largest, strangest, and more fearsome creatures on Earth. For centuries, humans have tried to make sense of them. Why does the zebra have a striped coat? What's the purpose of the giraffe's long neck? How did crocodiles get their protective armor? Our ancient ancestors tried to find explanations through stories. Now, modern science brings us the answers--and it turns out the truth is stranger than fiction.

In the heart of Zambia's Luangwa Valley live two special elephants. Chilema is a young female who lost half her trunk to a poacher's snare. She must now learn how to live without her most important appendage. Meanwhile, her brother Mavuto faces his own set of problems. As he approaches adulthood, he must cut ties with his family and join a bachelor herd. To make matters worse, it's the height of the dry season. Can these two siblings overcome the toughest challenges of their lives?

Spend the dry season in the shadows of Africa's oldest living residents: trees. The Luangwa Valley has hundreds of species, each one a habitat in its own right. Discover the myriad ways they provide food, shelter, and hunting ground for animals of all sizes, from the miniscule praying mantis to the formidable leopard. Trees enrich this massive ecosystem, making it a haven for sixty species of large mammals and over four hundred types of birds.