All of the main characters from the original film return – Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe and Gloria the Hippo, King Julien and his assistant Maurice, and the penguins. They find themselves in the wildest place of all – the vast plains of Africa – where the zoo-raised crew encounter species of their own kind for the very first time. While discovering their roots, they quickly find the differences between the concrete jungle and the heart of Africa. Despite long-lost relatives, romantic rivals and scheming hunters, Africa seems like a great place...but is it better than their home in New York?