‘Mygrations’ Second Episode Review With Spoilers: Into The Lion’s Den
During the first two days into their trek across the Serengeti, the human Mygrations herd has already lost three members. There is strength in numbers, especially since the Mygrations group is unarmed, and with Jesse Holder, Tom Pohaku Stone, and Duke Edwards leaving the migration, they are definitely becoming weaker as a unit.
To recap, Mygrations is following an elite group of survivalists, athletes, former special forces military, and others as they undertake a grueling and dangerous journey by foot along the well-traveled wildebeest migration route across the Serengeti plains. According to Reality Blurred, the Mygrations herd plans to reach the Mara River in Tanzania in approximately six weeks, which is proving difficult at times with no compass or other navigational aid. To make the travel even tougher, the Mygrations herd must carry all their supplies, food, and water by hand or on their backs.
The second episode of Mygrations titled “Lions Den” picks up five days into the human herd’s journey. To keep up with the wildebeest, they face one of their most dangerous challenges yet. The Mygrations herd must navigate a thick forest to the left, the Serengeti plains to their right, and in between a vast channel of granite outcroppings called Kopjes. They set their sights on the Kopjes hoping to find pools of fresh water, wood, and shelter, but this is a risky decision. The granite boulders are also favored by lions and other dangerous predators.
All the walking is having a detrimental effect on 21-year-old Joshua Reese’s right leg. He is wavering toward leaving the Mygrations herd, but decides to try and give it one more day to see if his injury is something he can work through. After reaching his decision, the Mygrations herd packs up, and following the tree line off to their left, they march toward the Kopjes, which are six miles away.
After dodging a potentially dangerous storm, the Mygrations herd makes a final push and arrive at the Kopjes. Immediately, they hear a lion and she appears on top of a boulder, stopping the Mygrations herd in their tracks. To make matters worse, she has two young cubs with her. Surprisingly, the Mygrations herd decides to stop right there and set up camp, feeling that as long as they have a fire they will be fine. Fire is their only form of defense, but if the lion feels the Mygrations herd is a threat to her cubs, she could still attack.
#WouldYouRather camp near a lioness and her cubs OR trek in scorching heat to find another campsite? #Mygrationshttps://t.co/bs5R1g107g
— National Geographic TV (@NatGeoTV) May 30, 2016
Fortunately for the Mygrations herd they are able to get a big fire going, and Broadway World shared that a rain storm almost douses their only form of protection. The lioness watches them all night, but doesn’t come down from her perch above them. Wet, cold, and hungry, the Mygrations herd realizes the weather is also rotting their valuable food supplies. Everyone is losing weight and rationing the food is essential.
The Mygrations herd moves on and five miles into the new day, the heat and humidity becomes too much, and they move into the trees for shade and water. Almost out of water, they need to find a Kopje that can provide them with drinking water. After their break, they spot another Kopje and head in that direction. They are thrilled to find plenty of pure water on top of the boulders from the recent rains, and they scramble to drink their fill.
Exhausted and almost out of water, the herd finally has a stroke of luck: water cleansed by UV rays. #Mygrationshttps://t.co/RwOkyxxAMB
— National Geographic TV (@NatGeoTV) May 30, 2016
The Mygrations herd sets up camp, once again building a large fire and watching for any predators that may wander their way in the darkness. During the night, a Mygrations herd member is having second thoughts about staying in the challenge. As the Mygrations herd moves out the next morning, Keith England cannot get thoughts of his farm and family out of his mind and tells the Mygrations group he is leaving. He tells them that his wife is having health issues, and he feels he should be at home. After he leaves, the Mygrations herd is down to 16 members.
The next day, the Mygrations group pushes to make it past the Kopjes and away from predators. As they get ready to set up camp for the night, they discover fresh lion tracks, but then their attention is diverted by wildebeests charging through the area. The Mygrations herd have made it through the Kopjes after a four-day, 26-mile trek. Joshua missed the show, staying back at camp, and despite his best efforts, he announces he can no longer continue. Now the Mygrations herd is down to 15.
The rest of the herd realizes they are losing people too quickly, and at the rate they’re going, none of them will finish. Both physical and mental fortitude is required, but in the end even that may not be enough as they prepare to embark on one of the most difficult parts of their journey to date. To make matters worse, as they talk around the campfire, they realize a hunting pride of lions is closing in on their camp. The Mygrations herd realizes that if the lions choose to, they could come right in and decimate the group. On high alert, the herd stays vigilant and keeps the fire stoked all night.
Next week’s preview doesn’t show it getting any easier for the Mygrations herd. They must scale new and dangerous terrain without losing another valuable member of the herd. Have you been watching Mygrations? What do you think about the herd losing so many members so quickly? Leave your comments, thoughts, and opinions below. Mygrations airs on Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on the National Geographic Channel.
[Image via Jens Rasmussen/Twitter]
