While on honeymoon in London Danny and Alice meet Danny's estranged father Robert, who returns with them to Leopards Den to help save the pride of lions from a deadly outbreak of canine distemper. Robert reveals he has brain cancer. How will Danny cope with the loss of both his father and his beloved pride of lions?

Grieving Danny throws himself into his work and applies for the prestigious role of State Vet. His attempts to involve Thabo in the lion-breeding project leave Dup feeling like an outsider. Meanwhile, a geologist arrives to survey the area, and a rogue baboon causes havoc.

On his first day as State Vet Danny faces a tough decision when his investigation into an animal-smuggling ring takes him surprisingly close to home. Meanwhile, Thabo is settling in, but the arrival of his delinquent older brother brings trouble and casts doubt on Thabo's sincerity.

Danny oversees an animal translocation for his first big project as State Vet. Alice is confident she can run the surgery in his absence - until she has a close encounter with lions.

Strange events are occurring at Leopards Den, and Danny must work fast to solve the mystery before more animals die. His investigation reveals a looming threat to Leopards Den. Dup jumps to the wrong conclusion when he discovers a positive pregnancy test in the trash.

Danny is called in to investigate when the routine transportation of a valuable tiger goes wrong, and he discovers that Alice could be to blame for the animal's death. Meanwhile, Dup resorts to desperate measures to save his home and land when Christian Peeters, manager of the mining company AfriSpec, reveals the company's real intentions.

Danny and Alice are divided when Peeters wants their help relocating a pack of rogue hyenas. Meanwhile, Dup launches a one-man campaign of vandalism against Peeters and the mining company. A restraining order and a fine are not the only consequences of his actions.

As the High Court case looms, pitting AfriSpec against the Trevanion Family, Danny realises he may have to sacrifice his principles to save Leopards Den. Caroline decides to take matters into her own hands by going undercover at the mining company.

When AfriSpec takes over Leopards Den, Danny reaches an agreement with Peeters to set up a field hospital in the bush until all the animals have been rehomed. Dup tries to claim squatters' rights, but when the electrical generator fails, their protest takes a catastrophic turn.

The family's last stand to stop the mining company from destroying Leopards Den ends in tragedy. Now essentially homeless, Danny decides it would be best for everyone to return temporarily to the UK to live with Georgina until he can find a new home for them.