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26. On the Spoor of the Big Snake - Part 4: To the River's End
February 20, 2015
Charting new territory, the team sets off down the Great !Gariep with the help of a local Nama farmer and friend of Oompie
25. On the Spoor of the Big Snake - Part 3: Making Deep Tracks
February 22, 2015
Now that they have visited the richest of all deserts in the world in terms of biodiversity, and they have seen the oldest paintings in Africa, they are ready to visit the biggest canyon on the continent. All of that while following the spoor of the Big Snake! Travelling across seemingly endless plains, the explorers finally make their way to the Fish River Canyon, the biggest in Africa. According to legend, the Big Snake created the deep canyon with its twists and turns when people chased it through the desert. Treading carefully closer to the edge, they learn about geology and how the canyon was shaped through the eons. That night, they make camp on the precipice of the cliffs and tell stories of the Big Snake around a campfire with a mixture of scepticism and belief. The next morning, leaving some tired explorers behind at the Zebra Bus, Oompie and three of the team members descend into the canyon to touch the waters of the Fish River. They make it back to the top just before dark.
24. On the Spoor of the Big Snake - Part 2: Signs from the Past
February 22, 2015
The search for the Big Snake continues as the Zebra Bus team treks further and further into the ancient mountains in search of signs and messages left from ancient times, when people roamed freely across the landscape. They cross the Orange River from South Africa into Namibia using a pont held on course by chains, and continue on the dusty roads of the |Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park until a family of baboons crosses their path. When they run out of road, the Zebra Bus ventures into the pathless wilderness of rock and sand, along a range of mountains in which the oldest paintings in Africa are found. Using a compass, they try to find the caves filled with cultural treasures that Oompie once visited a long time ago. Unsuccessful on their first try, the team stays over in the veld for the night, using the bus as shelter. In the morning they find engravings of the ancient Nama in a dry riverbed and follow the river to the cave. Here there are many engravings and paintings about
23. On the Spoor of the Big Snake - Part 1: The Serpent
February 22, 2015
In the far northwest of South Africa lies a forgotten land, known as the Richtersveld. It stretches eastwards from a desert coast beaten by the cold Atlantic Ocean, deep into a mountainous hinterland of sand, rock and sky. Five young explorers set off from Alexander Bay High School on a mission into the arid land to find the legendary Big Snake (
22. Place of Big Noise
February 22, 2015
Hear the mighty Augrabies Falls roar as our new batch of explorers venture into its misty beauty. Greeted by giraffes and baboons, they discover the secrets of life in the desert, including how the white bark of a tree reflects the deadly heat of the sun. A trail of otter, dassie and baboon dung leads them to a creek where the natural filtration system of wetlands is at work. Water filters through a bed of reeds and come out crystal clear and clean on the other side. They follow the tributary to the mighty canyon itself. After assessing the white water rapids down below and taking a sunbath with some lizards, the team sets up camp in the bush and let their minds and hearts soar as they watch the sunset from a rock hill. Rested from a night of roosterbroodjies and jokes around the fire, they wake before sunrise. This is the big day! They launch a raft some kilometres upstream of the main falls, and head straight into some scary rapids. Facing their fears head-on and relying on good team
21. The Golden Gate
February 22, 2015
The Zebra Bus treks up the high grassy plains of Golden Gate Highlands National Park, where some of the most dramatic landscapes are found. Watched over by a big rock called the Sentinel, the bus tries to merge in with an actual zebra herd, but no one is fooled by this little trickery! Continuing on foot, the adventurers stumble upon some fresh dung and stalk a grazing eland. A helicopter ride gives them a stupendous view of the sandstone formations shaped through the eons where dinosaurs once roamed. To get into the deep canyons they use horses and discover a cave sculpted by water, learning about the origins of the natural world in Nature
20. Horn of Africa
February 22, 2015
After their brush with life and death in the wilderness, the adventurers are more than eager to explore the land further and see firsthand how the game rangers handle endangered species. Trotting carefully behind the game ranger in rhino territory, they learn about the difference between Black Rhinos and White Rhinos. Soon they spot a Black Rhino in the thick brush! With nowhere to run they need to overcome their initial panic and try to make themselves invisible. They stand still in awe when the rhino gets even closer with its young calf. They cannot understand why anyone would hurt such an incredibly rare and beautiful species. Now the game rangers show the team how they relocate rhinos to different parks to protect the gene pool. Using a helicopter a rhino is immobilised with a dart gun, and the team can go up close and touch it. They feel the rhino
19. Searching for White Eye
February 22, 2015
One beautiful sunny day on the edge of the Karoo, the Zebra Bus adventurers are on a quest for a legendary cheetah called White Eye. Once in the Mountain Zebra National Park they spot zebras, buffalos, springboks and vervet monkeys, but no cheetah. As twilight approaches and the stars gather to light up the park, they spot a cheetah in the half light. Then he is gone. The next morning, a ranger named Richard helps them to get within metres of the legendary White Eye, only to find that he was hurt and hungry. Respectfully they retreat, resolving to return one day to learn more about his life. They return in the heart of winter, in a heavy snow storm, worried about how White Eye will survive the cold. Soon Richard takes them to a spot where he breaks the news. This is where they found White Eye, he is dead. Saddened, the youth learn a valuable lesson on the cycle of life. On their journey down the mountain they run into White Eye
18. When the Moon Talks
February 22, 2015
The rains have already gone, leaving the Kalahari brown and dry again when our adventurers return to continue their journey with the San. The park
17. Into the Thirstland
February 22, 2015
The Zebra bus ventures into the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park during the rainy season, when animals and people celebrate the much-needed rains. Four local Kalahari girls are on a mission to not only explore the many wonders of the park, but also become acquainted with the San people who live in the area. As the roads become narrower and finally only two tracks remain, the Zebra Bus gets stuck in the red sands of a big dune. The team walks to where a small group of San people has a camp. They learn some San words and an elderly lady takes them into the dunes to discover the secrets of which plants you can survive on for food and water, and which ones you can use for curing all sorts of ailments. Besides the flora, they also learn the ways of the millipede, gemsbok, hyena, cheetah and other inhabitants of the Kgalagadi. The girls feel privileged to be so close to Nature and invite the youth of South Africa to come and see what their part of the world has to offer. As the day draws to a cl
16. Noah's Ark
February 22, 2015
In this episode, five young adventurers take you on a wild Zebra Bus ride to experience a modern day version of Noah
15. Mountain of Water
February 22, 2015
Summary is not available.
14. Tshavhadzimu
February 23, 2015
In the land of rainmakers and baobab trees, the Zebra Bus travels in the shadow of the ancient Kingdom of Mapungubwe, also known in Venda as Tshavhadzimu or
13. The Flowering Desert
October 29, 2017
When they return to the Namaqua National Park, the short rainy season has started and the desert is in full bloom. This time their mission is to find out how plants, animals and people survive in a land that is harsh and seemingly inhospitable for most of the year. Walking through fields of bright orange and yellow flowers, they learn about the succulent vegetation, many species of which spend most of their time underground in the dry periods. They come across a pond of frogs that have only a short period to complete their breeding cycle before the dry period starts again. They visit a Khoisan livestock farmer who shows them how their forefathers used Nature as a pharmacy, as he still does today, relying on plants that have medicinal powers. Then they look at how architecture evolved from just a hollow in the dunes, to a hut woven from reeds, to a house made of bark, and finally to houses made of clay bricks. The youngsters are astonished to discover so much about the traditional ways
12. Desert Coast
February 24, 2015
Namaqualand is a desert region along the west side of South Africa, also known as the Succulent Karoo. This biodiversity hotspot has the largest concentration of succulent plants in the world. The team
11. Half Land Half Water
October 29, 2017
Imagine a place that is half land, half water - and you have the West Coast National Park. This gentle wilderness is celebrated for its unspoiled beauty, its meandering water channels and a sparkling lagoon that surpasses all expectations. Langebaan is the largest lagoon system in South Africa and an internationally important bird area. Four young explorers set off on an adventure of a lifetime, from canoeing and snorkelling in the turquoise waters of the lagoon, to roaming with wild animals, including getting close to large snakes! Under the cover of darkness they discover animals the most unusual animals, including snakes that live underground. They even find an Egg-Eater snake, which lives exclusively on birds
10. Cliffhanger
March 4, 2015
The mysterious Table Mountain is often shrouded in swirling clouds. There are deep canyons, waterfalls and of course vertical cliffs, where only eagles dare (or so the team thought). To get up to the flat table top, the team uses the cable car. In their ascent they stare in awe as the steep cliffs give way below them. Once on top, they learn that Table Mountain has some 2200 species of plants - more than in the entire United Kingdom! They are amazed how well animals such as dassies and the little antelopes known as klipspringers (
9. Under the Sea
February 25, 2015
The team travels further into the realm of the sea with canoes to study a penguin colony on the beach from across the water. Then it is time to put on wetsuits and get right into the water, with masks and fins. In a deep rock pool they marvel at the splendour of the water world. Oompie lets them in on a few secrets that lie beneath the water. A remarkable starfish, sea anemones, and a host of other creatures intrigue them, until the cold water forces them out to a rock in the sun. Oompie offers them a taste a leafy green algae, which did not go down too well. But the sea has far more to offer - a group of animals most people fear, but who live their secret lives deep under the surface of the water: sharks! They venture far offshore into shark territory with a patrol boat, and to prove the point that most sharks are peaceful creatures that mean no harm to humans, Oompie dives down to swim amongst a school of Seven Gill Cow Sharks, some of them as long as himself. Although they wait in a
8. Surfing Snails
February 19, 2015
After their bout with wind, rain and the history of the Cape, the time has come for the team to have a close look at the plant and animal world of Table Mountain National Park, specifically focusing on the strange adaptations that some animals have to survive in their secret worlds. Their first foray is into a dark cave system of wet and narrow channels that twist and turn in the bowels of the mountain. Here they encounter a colony of bats that uses echolocation to find their way and zero in on prey in the lightless cave. When they finally see the light of day, they are in a fairyland known as the fynbos, a plant kingdom of thousands of species of plants, where there are plants that actually enlist aggressive ants to protect them! Then it is down to the beach to study an animal with the strangest adaptation to the waves lapping at the shore - surfing snails! Further along they catch a smelly whiff of the seagulls
7. Chronicles of the Foreland
February 12, 2015
Known for its rich biodiversity and heritage, the Cape of Good Hope is where Table Mountain is found - one of the Seven Wonders of the World! The majestic mountain is visible far out to the sea, and lured early explorers to come and see for themselves. They found a fertile land full of amazing animals and strange plants found nowhere else. But there is another side to the Cape of Good Hope: the weather can change in a jiffy and a blue calm sea turns into a cauldron of waves that wreak havoc on any boat that dares to be outside the protection of Table Bay, giving it the alternative name of Cape of Storms. Our modern-day explorers start their investigation in the rocky outcrops of the mountain. Soon they manage to find rock art dating to long before the Europeans
6. The Enchanted Forest
February 5, 2015
The team is back in the largest evergreen moist forest in South Africa. Singing comforting songs, they eagerly await the surprises that the forest has in store for them. Around the corner they see broken branches strewn over the road and fresh elephant dung. Could this be one of the legendary Knysna elephants? Carefully they retreat and continue their journey. They come to a giant tree so old and so huge, that they and Oompie can barely reach around the trunk holding hands. Oompie teaches them the value of protecting the forest for the benefit of every living creature, including human beings. Trotting deeper into the forest with their cautious eyes glued to the soaring trees, they wonder how one can explore the canopy. Within no time they are doing just that, hanging between heaven and earth and zip lining from one tree platform to the next. Their faces shine with pride as they discover the shy animals that dwell in the treetops. Feeling victorious, the team is eager to learn more abou
5. To the River
January 29, 2015
Nestled between a mountain range and the coast, lies an enchanted rainforest through which crystal clear rivers flow - much of this natural domain falls in the Garden Route National Park. Four youngsters discover the source of a creek high in the Outeniqua Mountains: their mission is to follow the river all the way down the mountain slopes, through the forest, to where it finally meets the sea. They bash their way through the dense undergrowth where they encounter beautiful habitats with unique biodiversity. The going gets tougher as the river becomes a torrent of rapids. Then suddenly, the angry river disappears into a deep canyon. The team finds its way to the edge of a high cliff, from where they can catch a glimpse of the river flowing in a deep canyon sculpted through millennia. Their courage is tested when the only way forward is to jump from the cliff into the black waters far below them. Now they have to fight their fears in the dark canyon from which there is no escape, except
4. Search for the Big Seven Part 4: Hunters of the Deep
January 22, 2015
The Zebra Bus embarks on a final mission to find that last and most elusive member of the Big Seven - the Great White Shark! They set off on a mission to Bird Island, a feathery paradise without equal and home to the biggest Cape Gannet colony in the world. Here the adventurers have to dodge birds in flight in order to get a closer look at the nests and newly hatched chicks. The team soon meets other residents of the island, like the African Penguin, who has no fear of the visitors. With wetsuits and flippers the children explore the watery world of the flightless birds. This however is no way to look for sharks. The explorers board a research boat tagging sharks in the hope to catch a glimpse of the last animal on their list. Suddenly, there is a frenzy of activity as the predators surround the boat! A massive five- meter shark makes an appearance, one of the biggest ever seen at Bird Island. Although the kids are scared, they learn how amazing this sea creature is. With the hunt for
3. Search for the Big Seven Part 3: Whale of a Time
January 15, 2015
The search for the Big Seven continues, and the Zebra Bus heads for the marine and coastal section of the park in Algoa Bay. For this part of their mission, the team has to venture into the deep sea to find the biggest of the Big Seven - the whale. But first they have to traverse shifting sand dunes in a howling gale where they find shells and rock utensils left behind from a time when people lived off the land around them. As night falls, the youngsters explore the creatures of the dark such as giant snails and bulbous frogs calling for their mates. As the sun ushers in a new day with perfect weather, they take their quest to sea in a research boat. Keeping their eyes peeled, they spot dolphins and African penguins on St Croix Island, but the sea giants fail to make an appearance. They do however find the remains of a whale long dead and are in awe of the enormity of its spine. Sad to already be on their way home, their luck changes as two playful whales greet the team, saying hello t
2. Search for the Big Seven Part 2: The Big Ones
January 8, 2015
Woken up by the sweet song of hummingbirds, the adventurers continue their quest for the Big Seven. They hike up ancient mountains and explore mysterious caves covered in rock art. Oompie explains the meaning behind the pictures and tells stories of our Khoisan ancestors who lived here a long time ago. Back in the Zebra Bus, the pressure soon starts building when the road is blocked by elephants. Soon they are trapped in the middle of a large herd! The youngsters are overwhelmed by the size of these giants. With mixed emotions of fear and pleasure, they watch two young elephant bulls fight one another while the rest of the herd walks past the Zebra Bus. But there
1. Search for the Big Seven Part 1: The Garden of Eden
January 1, 2015
When five youngsters set off for an adventure into to the vast Addo Elephant National Park, they get more than they had bargained for. You may know that South Africa is famous for its Big Five, but this is the only park in the world where the Big Seven are found. Immediately after entering the wilderness, their quest for the Big Seven starts. Which one will they encounter first? They bubble with excitement when they came face-to-face with the Cape Buffalo. In a large enclosure, they dart two young buffalo orphans that are old enough to be released into the wild, and get a chance to touch the buffaloes while they put collars on them. Using a special camera, they capture pictures of the elusive leopard at night, and track an endangered Black Rhino through the thick bush. They learn to handle snakes and a giant lizard big enough to kill a rabbit. In the calm twilight the adventurers flinch with fear as they spot the King of the Jungle, feasting on a warthog. With four of the Big Seven dow
Description
Where to Watch Siyaya
Siyaya is available for streaming on the TINIZINE website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch Siyaya on demand at Amazon Prime, Amazon and Tubi TV.
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Genres
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CastFrancois OdendaalChi MhendeEmily Gouws
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Channel
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Premiere DateJanuary 1, 2015
