Wild At Heart

It's the grand re-opening of Mara and a British wildlife charity is using the event to release a vulture back into the wild. Fatani (Thapelo Mokoena), the new, young and ambitious manager of Mara has hired Danny (Stephen Tompkinson) as the vet to oversee the release. Sarah (Amanda Holden) is delighted when he also asks if Leopard's Den can help accommodate the guests. It's a real coup for the Trevanions - they're desperate for the cash and the publicity is sure to help fill their empty beds and keep the bailiffs away.

The charity entourage arrive. Among them; spokesperson Tessa Roebuck (Samantha Janus), life long patron of the charity, glamorous but fading TV star Dora Aitken (Edith MacArthur), and her long suffering husband Bill (Geoffrey Hutchings), and the star attraction Vinnie the vulture.

After close examination Danny raises his concerns that Vinnie isn't fit to be released. He's too domesticated and probably too fat to fly. But, much to Sarah's chagrin, Tessa uses her feminine wiles and persuades Danny to proceed with the release.

Meanwhile Rosie (Lucy-Jo Hudson) gets to know Dora. She tells Rosie how she and Bill met 30 years ago on safari and had their first kiss under the stars. She asks Rosie to help re-create the night they met in the hope it will re-ignite some of Bill's fading spark.

Vinnie is released back into the wild and the champagne flows at Mara. Local journalist Johnny takes a shine to Sarah and Tessa flirts outrageously with Danny. Back at home, Thandi (Busi Lurayi) has her hands full with Evan (Luke Ward-Wilkinson) and Olivia (Rafaella Hutchinson). But when she manages to scare off the bailiffs she wins their new found respect.

With Max's (Martinus Van Der Berg) help, Rosie deposits Dora and a disgruntled Bill at their camp. On their way back to Leopard's Den, they find a badly injured Vinnie at the side of the road. Danny's fear that Vinnie wouldn't survive is confirmed. His wing is badly damaged and Du Plessis (Deon Stewardson) thinks they should put him out of his misery. But, Danny is confident he can survive.