A trade manager named Renard Dumont makes his trading post where the rhino herd is, causing them to move into gorilla territories. Will the gorillas have to move?

Poachers arrive in the jungle and are setting traps everywhere, so Tarzan warns everyone to be careful. Meanwhile, Terk encourages Tantor to act on his attractions to a female elephant named Dania with a talent for singing. The first date goes well, and though everybody finds Dania perfectly charming, she herself gets off on the wrong foot with Terk. When Terk discovers Tantor would rather spend his time with Dania than her, she plans to break them up, but ends up getting caught in one of the poachers' traps instead. Now Tantor must decide which is more important to him—his relationship with the difficult Dania, or saving his best friend from being kidnapped.

The Professor learns about a spiritual silver ape that, supposedly, cures the injured of the jungle. Not believing this is a spiritual creature, he plans to study it more. But when Philander steals his notes and finds out about the ape, he plans to capture it.

Tarzan's leadership of the gorilla family is challenged by a young silverback male named Moyo. Moyo wins leadership only when Tarzan sacrifices his in the fight in order to save Moyo's life. The new leader leaves with the gorillas to escape the threat of Histah, a giant python that used to terrorize the gorillas when Kala was young, leaving Tarzan to choose what's dearest to him—Jane or the gorillas.

Zutho, a shady mandrill from Tarzan's past, resurfaces, demanding a favor he claims is owed for keeping a 20-year-old secret. This results in Tarzan having to do everything Zutho tells him to. What secrets does Zutho know to gain such a hold over the lord of the jungle?

A violent thunderstorm has Tarzan, Jane and the rest of the gorilla family seeking shelter in nearby caves. Along the way, Tarzan feels unsure that he can protect the family as well as Kerchak did. Upon reaching the cave and thinking they are safe, they realize they are in the same cave where Tublat lives in. Tarzan is no physical match for Tublat and must use his superior cunning and ingenuity to defeat him.