Alex the lion is the king of the urban jungle, the main attraction in New York's Central Park Zoo. He and his friends--Marty the zebra, Melman the giraffe and Gloria the hippo--also have spent their lives in blissful captivity also regular meals provided by them. Not content to leave well enough alone, Marty gets his escape with the help of a couple of penguins -- to learn more about the environment lets his curiosity get the better of him.