After losing his wife, Dolittle hermits himself away behind the high wall of his manor, but is forced to set sail on an epic adventure when the queen falls gravely ill. Helping him in search of a rare cure are his rambunctious animal friends—including Chee-Chee, an anxious, self-conscious gorilla; Dab-Dab, an enthusiastic but bird-brained duck; the bickering duo of cynical, neurotic ostrich Plimpton and chilly-but-chill polar bear Yoshi; as well as a headstrong parrot named Polynesia.