Hide and Seek Little Big Cat

Hello, or jambo, as we say here.

Welcome to the wide grassy plains of Africa

and a very special place called the Masai Mara.

This is home to all of our little big cats

and it's a land full of stories.

For the animals that live here,

the Masai Mara is just like a big, fun playground.

Already the gazelle are dancing and leaping,

playing tig in the long grass.

The mongoose have been sleeping in an old tree trunk.

Now they are up and ready for another day of fun.

While the elephants are splashing and splishing

as they enjoy their early morning swim.

Everyone just loves to play games.

But which of our little big cats will be playing games today?

Will it be the lazy lions?

The speedy cheetahs?

Or the lonesome leopards?

It's the...

Wait a minute!

Where is everyone?

Oh, I see, it's time to play hide and seek!

The long grass is a good place for our little big cats to hide.

But who is hiding today?

Oh, there's something moving.

Could that be a leopard cub?

Hmmm, no, no. Not enough spots to be a leopard.

Hee hee hee!

But it's definitely one of our cubs.

Ha ha ha ha!

Ah, yes!

Ha ha ha ha, yes!

It's Neema, our lion cub.

Jambo, Neema.

Hee hee. I love playing hide and seek.

I've been hiding from my sister for ages and she still can't find me.

I'm going to sneak up behind her and surprise her.

Boo!

Right, sis, it's your turn.

Go on. You go and hide and I'll come and look for you.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7...99, 100!

Coming, ready or not.

I know she's round here somewhere.

Ha ha! Found you!

Hey, that was great fun.

I love hide and seek.

Wait, where's Mama going?

Oh, that tickles!

Stop it! Come on, we don't want to lose her.

Oh dear, I can't see anything through this long grass.

Neema's sister begins to worry. She can't see their mama.

Don't forget to look for her tail.

She said she would hold it high above the grass

so we will always know where she is.

There! There! There! Look!

There's her tail, just like she told us.

Mama, Mama, wait for us!

We thought we'd lost you.

Thank goodness your tail is so long.

This long grass may be great for hiding but it's not good for finding.

But that's perfect for their game of hide and seek.

They just need to keep an eye out for their mama's tail

so they don't lose her.

HISSING

Hey, what's that noise?

HISSING

There it is again.

No, Mama, look down here.

It's Nyoka the snake.

Hi, Nyoka!

Are you playing hide and seek too?

Ssss...

No, I'm keeping cool in the shade of the tall grassssss.

We're playing hide and seek. You can play too if you like.

-Right, sis, whose turn is it to hide?

-I think it's mine.

You hid last time. You count and I'll go and hide.

While Neema has fun playing hide and seek,

let's see if any of our other little big cats are still hiding

in the long grass.

Goodbye, Neema.

Or kwaheri, as we say here.

Kwaheri!

Our little big cats are hiding so well today

that no-one can see them.

Not the ostrich.

The zebra.

The baboon.

Or even the elephant.

Ah, I know. Maybe the giraffes can see them with their big, long necks.

They can see high above the grass.

They can see a big, stripy herd of zebra.

The wildebeest eating the long, long grass.

But they can't see any of our little big cats.

The grass is just too long.

It was kind of the giraffes to have a look

but I think our little big cats may be a little harder to find.

Oh, hold on a minute!

Who is that?

Is it Kito, our cheetah cub?

I wonder what he's doing.

Sssh! I'm hiding from that big, scary baboon!

Mama says to stay away from baboons

so I'm keeping very still and quiet so he can't find me.

I've been here for ages and he hasn't even come close.

Aaatchoo!

Oh no! I've given myself away!

No?

No, he's walking away.

Pheweee!

Hey, Mama, I stayed hidden from that big baboon just like you said.

Look, he's gone now and none of the other animals found me either.

I'm the best at hiding.

It's been great fun.

I love hide and seek!

Can we play again tomorrow? Can we? Can we?

Oh, Mama, where have you gone?

I keep losing you in all this grass.

Oh, there you are!

Hi, Mama.

Our little big cats have had great fun hiding today

and it's all good practice for the cubs.

They are learning how to hide for fun

but if they ever need to, they can also hide from danger.

Lots of animals are arriving here now

because they like to eat the long grass.

So next time we come to the Masai Mara,

it should be a lot easier for us to find all our little big cats.

But, for now, it's time to say goodbye.

Kwaheri from the wide, grassy plains of Africa.

Goodbye, gazelle.

Kwaheri, gazelle.

Goodbye, mongoose.

Kwaheri, mongoose.

Goodbye, elephants.

Kwaheri, elephants.

Goodbye, Neema.

Kwaheri, Neema.

Goodbye, Kito.

Kwaheri.

Africa is a land full of stories.

Whose story will we hear next time?

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

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