Per Aarhaug was born in Cameroon in Africa and has lived there most of his life. His parents were Norwegian missionaries. Per grew up close to nature and early on became fond of everything that lives - animals, plants and people. As a young man, Per traveled to Norway to study medicine. When he returned to Cameroon, he was shocked by what met him. Poaching, overgrazing, deforestation and predatory exploitation of natural resources were on the way to destroying the country.