Share

7 animal animations for curious kids

Cape Town - Whether your little ones are already back at school, or if they’re the lucky ones with a few days left of holidays, these series and movies starring creatures big and small will brighten their weekend - and for some of them, you’ll be supporting locally made content at the same time.

1. Jungle Beat (Showmax)

In this family-friendly series of five-minute CGI-animated episodes, you’ll get to see some of the bizarre situations animals encounter in nature. It’s won awards all over the world, including Best Animation at the African Eye Animation Festival, the SAFTA for Best Series for Children, Two Platinum Awards at the American Pixel Academy and the main prize at the Sprockets Toronto International Film Festival for Children. Seasons 1 and 2 are now available on Showmax. 

2. Lost and Found (Showmax)

When a penguin appears on his doorstep, a boy decides to take him home to the North Pole - but what does the penguin want? This multi-award-winning (including the BAFTA for Best Animation), touching, gorgeous animation is based on Oliver Jeffers’s popular children’s picture book.

3. Endangered Species (Showmax)

Get ready for the antics of the Endangered Species! Pickle, Merl and Gull share a home in the same tree stump, but they couldn’t be more different. Pickle the rabbit is always ready for action and pushes things to the max. Merl is a nervous squirrel who wants to plan everything in advance. And Gull… well, Gull is not the brightest seagull, but he’s always there to back Pickle and Merl. Together they are an explosive trio of misfits, ready to explore the world together. 

4. Oscar’s Oasis (Showmax)

In this zany series, Oscar the lizard spends his days trying to outwit his greatest enemies - the desert sun, bigger animals, the lack of water - and, most of the time, ends up in even deeper trouble.

5. Sahara (Netflix)

In this Netflix Original film, a cobra sets off across the Sahara to rescue his one true love, the serpent princess Eva, who was snatched by a snake handler. He gets some help from his scorpion friend and other desert creatures on his mission, which takes him further than he’s ever been before.

6. Khumba (DStv Now)

Nominated for a number of international awards, this homegrown animation, by Cape Town-based Triggerfish Animation Studios, is about a half-striped zebra who’s ousted by his superstitious herd, and heads off to earn his stripes, no matter what it takes. But then he becomes the unwitting hero of the Great Karoo when he finds a way to save all the wildlife that live there.

7. Adventures in Zambezia (DStv Now)

Another Triggerfish triumph, this time about a young falcon called Kai who lives on the edge of Vic Falls. He travels to the bird city of Zambezia, where he learns more about where he came from, and where he’s going. The movie won the award for Best South African Feature Film at the Durban International Film Festival, and, like Khumba, was also nominated for a few international awards.


DStv Premium subscribers get Showmax at no extra cost. Here’s how.

Not a DStv Premium subscriber? Sign up to Showmax now and you’ll get a 14-day free trial 

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE