Fans of nature-focused kids’ shows like Zoboomafoo or educational shows like The Crocodile Hunter from days past will be pleased to learn that a lesser-known National Geographic Wild show is being renewed! Team Sayari is apparently coming back for a second season!
This show was created by the Walt Disney Company Africa alongside USAID, the U.S. State Department, and WildlifeDirect. The second season of the show will air on National Geographic Wild every Saturday as of March 4. The first season of the African show faced “a successful launch and enthusiastic reception”, so “viewers can look forward to more adventures in the natural world“!
Team Sayari is a show hosted by children that also features children or teenagers as “field presenters” from all over Africa. The show has been described as “the first of its kind”.
Episodes begin with hosts Mysha Hodson, Marita Lucas, Shanah Manjeru, Railey Mwai, and Adarsh Nagda welcoming viewers to their basecamp known as “Sayari Basecamp”, which is set around an enormous tree. An AI companion called Funzi “imparts knowledge about the environment and gives the team various challenges on which to embark.”
On the next #TeamSayari we face our fears and learn more about these beautiful and majestic slithering serpents that are worthy of our respect and protection. Slither in this Saturday and you might just see a familiar face. Only on Wild pic.twitter.com/sqmvXnbwL5
— National Geographic (@natgeoafrica) March 6, 2023
Apparently, “this authentic African children’s programme aims to encourage viewers to engage in conservation of Africa’s vast biodiversity and natural resources”. The show is also meant to “inspire curiosity, ignite positive behaviour change and nurture environmental champions”
The correspondents in the field that the show’s young hosts speak to on the show range from ages 11 to 15, and include Thandolwethu Fani, Khahliso Khojane, Sabrina Kilumanga, Atule Mazane, Christian Mekhi, Toluwanimi Olaoye, and Sheilah Sheldone. These correspondents take trips to visit Africa’s topmost experts on environmental issues.
In Rwanda our partners @primebc1 marked #WorldWildlifeDay2023 by taking 50 children from 3 schools to Umusambi village, a beautifully restored wetland area, providing a sanctuary for over 50 endangered Grey Crowned Cranes saved from the illegal pet trade. #TeamSayari pic.twitter.com/JBoXy6pUBF
— WildlifeDirect (@wildlifedirect) March 3, 2023
They also “provide viewers with the knowledge of how to protect the natural world, in a fun way”.
Team Sayari is also accompanied by “an outreach programme” led by WildlifeDirect in East Africa! This Nature Positive Kids Outreach program is reading 10,000 children. The 200 schools that are involved also embarked on an endeavor to create “conservation project proposals” in Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania as part of World Wildlife Day.
There is even a Team Sayari app coming into play! Have you heard of this show? Did you know about Disney’s conservation efforts and the efforts of Disneynature (not to mention the ocean conservation initiative and easy fundraising game created for the premiere of Avatar: The Way of Water last year)?