Panthera Africa is an internationally recognized, award winning, true and ethical non-profit sanctuary founded and funded by Lizaene and Cathrine Cornwall-Nyquist. The name Panthera Africa was inspired by the passion we have for the four pantheras; panthera leo – the lion, panthera pardus – the leopard, panthera tigris – the tiger and panthera onca – the jaguar.

Panthera Africa is a big cat rescue sanctuary for captive bred big cats, where they will be protected and prosper for the rest of their lives, without any trading, breeding or public interaction taking place.

One of Panthera Africa’s most important objectives is to be an educational platform for creating awareness of the conditions big cats face in captivity worldwide, both in zoos, circuses and the South African breeding and canned hunting industry. The most powerful tool in the world is knowledge, so through educational visits, our volunteer program, team building event and presentations, we aim to enhance the understanding of the big cats’ critical situation and enhance the awareness and consciousness of humans.