Summary: In Senegal, west Africa, live a group of chimpanzees led by an alpha male named David. He has already been alpha for three years - a time when leaders here are usually overthrown. To make matters worse, David has no allies - no-one to help him defend his leadership. As the dry season sets in, the group are forced closer together to survive. But David is now surrounded by rivals who all want his crown and are prepared to kill him for it. David faces brutal battles, has his world engulfed in flames and has to pull off an extraordinary act of deception. In a story of power and politics, can David overcome the threats to his leadership and hold on to the alpha position long enough to sire a possible future heir to his throne?

Summary: A colony of emperor penguins gather in Atka Bay, on the coast of Antarctica, after three months of feeding at sea. They arrive as the water freezes over and all the other Antarctic animals have left the continent for the relative safety of the sea. The penguins have come here to raise the next generation in their emperor's dynasty. But to do so they will have to work together to keep themselves and their chicks alive through the coming winter - the coldest and cruellest on earth.

Summary: This episode features one of the most famous lion prides in Africa - the Marsh Pride of Kenya's Masai Mara. As the story begins, the Marsh Pride is in a unique situation in their history. They have been abandoned by all of the adult males who - until now - defended the pride. Just two adult females are left to feed and protect their eight youngsters. The future of the whole family rests entirely on the shoulders of these two mothers, Charm and her cousin Sienna. They need to raise their cubs to adulthood if this great dynasty is to continue. They and their cubs will face the great perils of the African savannah, including raging herds of buffalo, rival lion prides, the constant menace of marauding hyena and, in a fateful turn of events, a clash with humanity. An extraordinary story of leadership against all odds.

Summary: This episode features a painted wolf named Tait, matriarch of one of the last great families of this endangered animal. She has ruled her dynasty for many years on the banks of Zambezi river in Zimbabwe, keeping the peace within her sprawling family. But tensions are rising as Tait is growing old and her power is waning. One of her daughters, Blacktip, lives close by. Her own pack is growing fast and they are running out of space. She urgently needs to get more territory so that her pack can catch enough food. But she has a problem, she is hemmed in on one side by human lands and there is only one way she can go to get what she needs - her own mother's lands. Painted wolves thrive through cooperation. It is what had made this dynasty so strong for so long. A family feud could bring it to its knees.