The animals are at the centre of the sanctuary, but people make the daily work possible. Meet Shandor Larenty and the team involved in care, guiding and welcoming guests to Lion & Cheetah Sanctuary.
Their work connects the moments visitors remember with the routines that continue quietly in the background.
Shandor’s connection with wildlife began early. In a public account of his childhood, he described accompanying his father to work and deciding that he wanted a life around animals.
He has since become widely known for sharing that work with an online audience. At the sanctuary, the interest those moments create is an opportunity to talk about the animals themselves and the responsibility of working around them.
Archival photograph from Shandor’s earlier wildlife-care work.
A photograph captures a moment. Understanding an animal, recognising a change and knowing when to give it space take time. Shandor’s public reflections on his work return to the patience involved in building relationships around wildlife.
Discover the background to his work and the questions a visit can open up.
A sanctuary relies on a range of people: those preparing food and maintaining enclosures, guides introducing visitors to the animals, and the hospitality team making a stay or a day out work.
Each role contributes something different. Together they turn a place people visit into a place that can keep caring for its animals.
The people and everyday work behind a sanctuary visit.
Guests often mention Blessing’s warm welcome and the knowledge he shares on a guided visit. His part in the experience is a reminder of how much a good guide can add.
Musoni is another guide regularly named by visitors for an engaging, informative drive. Bring your questions and let the guiding team help you see more of the sanctuary.
If you know Shandor through social media, a sanctuary visit offers a broader context for that interest. Ask about the species, the daily routine and the differences between professional care and the visitor programme.
A named appearance or meeting should be arranged in advance rather than assumed. Tell the team what brings you here and we will explain the programme available for your date.
Get to know the animals with a guide, explore the setting or ask how you could contribute through volunteering and practical support.
