Sometimes, a strong, powerful woman is a bee in Costa Rica. National Geographic is gearing up to introduce us to some of the most impressive matriarchs in the animal kingdom with the new docu-series, Queens.

The show aims to bring the natural world into focus through the female lens for the very first time. Each episode showcases different matriarchies and female leaders, from the peace-loving bonobos of the Congo basin to the powerful elephants of the Savanna. Through watching their struggles, successes and heartbreaks, we see the importance of intergenerational love and protection, the fierce lengths a mother will go to to have her children succeed, how the thirst for power can rip families apart, and how even in the face of tragedy, a mother must selflessly persevere.

Plus, the docu-series is narrated by one of our favorite human queens, Angela Bassett! Check out the trailer for National Geographic’s Queens below.

The series took four years to produce, but that timely dedication led to some incredibly unique and rare footage. A few highlights include the first filming of bonobos in the canopy from tree platforms, rarely seen hyena infanticide, color documentation of the Ngorongoro Crater through the night, and a development time-lapse of the Orchid bee brood. 

Queens also took the premise of producing a series through the female lens to heart; a female-led production team from around the world helms the project. Vanessa Berlowit serves as executive producer for Wildstar Films, with Chloe Sarosh serving as showrunner and writer. Sophie Darlington and Justine Evans are the series’ directors of photography. The final episode of the series celebrates the women who dedicated their lives to documenting and protecting animal queens.

Queens begins streaming March 4 on both Disney+ and Hulu.

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