In this episode, Cathrine shares with us how she left everything behind in her home country, Norway, to start a large cat sanctuary in South Africa. She shares with us details of her journey, including the time that she made a promise, in her mind and in her heart, to a white lion she met named Oliver. Years later, after opening the sanctuary and rescuing Oliver, they invited an animal communicator to the organization. Lo and behold, Oliver had a special message for Cathrine, showing us that he heard her promise and wanting to thank her for following through. Cathrine shares with us the beautiful and divine moments she has shared with the large cats at Panthera Africa, and how she turns to them for guidance all the time about everything big and small. Cathrine tells us how communicating with the animals has been a gateway into her own spiritual journey, and how it has transformed the way that they do their work at Panthera. Panthera Africa is a non-profit company founded by Cathrine and her partner Lizaene. The name "Panthera" is inspired by their passion for the 4 pantheras - the lion, the leopard, the jaguar and the tiger. Their goal is to be an educational platofrm to create awareness about conditions big cats face in captivity, and how animal weflare and enrichmnt plays a vital role in giving them the best captive life possible. No hands-on interaction, breeding or trading happens at their sanctuary. They believe that "In unity there is strength" - that by standing together, human and animal, a prosperous future for the big cats is possible. They take pride in "speaking" on their behalf. Panthera Africa received a 2017 Skål International Sustainable Tourism Award, a "One to Watch - Best Responsible Attraction" award by the African Responsible Tourism Awards in 2019, and the 2020 Trip Advisor Travellers' Choice Award. https://pantheraafrica.com/ https://twitter.com/pantheraafrica https://www.facebook.com/pantheraafricasanctuary https://www.instagram.com/pantheraafricasanctuary https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC47lB9jsSriLSEigza74VoQ -- Podcast website: www.animalsanduspodcast.com Barbara's website: www.barbarashor.com Instagram: instagram.com/animalsanduspodcast Facebook: facebook.com/animalsanduspodcast Twitter: twitter.com/animals_and_us