“Africa: Earth’s Wild Home” takes audiences on a trip across Africa to see the continent’s wildlife and landscapes. Throughout the seven-part series, actress Wunmi Mosaku narrates the journey, sharing her perspective on the animals, environments and ecosystems all across the region.
While filming, Mosaku reflects on one of the moments that surprised her: the lives of Barbary macaques.
“I was really surprised by the Barbary macaques and their circle of life. When the alpha male gets older, younger males start testing him until he eventually loses his position and is exiled from the pack. In the freezing cold, he could freeze to death. You think, ‘Wow, that was brutal,’” Mosaku said.
However, through observing the macaques, Mosaku also saw a softer side as the older male found a new role within the group.
“One of the little kids comes up to him the next day and says, basically, ‘Come play with me.’ So this alpha male becomes the childminder for the group, which is beautiful and relatable,” Mosaku said. “It’s that aging process of being the muscle and strength, then entering that second childhood Shakespeare talks about, when you become the whistling elder but still have a place in the community.”
Additionally, this series highlights the beauty of various ways that animals depend on each other to survive.
“I really found that the sacrificial ant, this tiny little being that had never stepped a day outside of its nest and spent its whole life in a nest of community. And then its first day out in the desert sun, you have like a 30 minute window in order to bring food back to your colony. And you know that that is like a suicide mission. You know you’re not coming back. That kind of sacrifice and community was just mind blowing and so beautiful to witness,” Mosaku said.
This diversity extends beyond the continent’s landscapes, with Africa’s history coming into focus as well.
“It deserves much praise and recognition and that we should look at it with humility because if it wasn’t for Africa, we wouldn’t be where we are right now,” Mosaku said.
Beyond the animals themselves, the film also emphasizes the variety of landscapes and environments all across Africa.
“I found it quite eye-opening just the different climates that were in Africa, like from the snow to the desert to the wildfires and the rivers and lakes,” Mosaku said. ” I feel like we underestimate and don’t appreciate how diverse and rich and integral to our survival, Africa is and has been.”
Africa is another puzzle piece connecting Mosaku to her ancestry, land, people and purpose.
“Being born on the continent of Africa, being born in Nigeria and raised in the UK, it feels like every opportunity to tether myself emotionally back to that land feels enriching,” Mosaku said.
Mosaku hopes that viewers take away a greater sense of responsibility toward their communities and their planet.
“I wish there was that desire to feed and nourish and care for our community, our species and our world, that we would sacrifice ourselves for the greater good,” Mosaku said.
“Africa: Earth’s Wild Home” is now available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu.
