Alex the lion is the king of the jungle, the main attraction in New York's Central Park Zoo. His best friends along with he --Marty the zebra, Melman the giraffe and Gloria the hippo--'ve spent their lives in captivity before an admiring public also regular meals provided by them. Not satisfied to leave well enough alone, Marty lets his curiosity get the best of him makes his getaway --with the support of a couple of penguins--to explore the environment.