Christian the lion was born on August 12, 1969, in a zoo in Devon but faced rejection from his mother. At just a few months old, he found himself sold to Harrods, a renowned department store in London (how times have changed!).
John Rendall and Ace Bourke, who had recently moved to London from Australia, stumbled upon the adorable cub in the store window. Captivated, they brought him back to their apartment, where they, along with a couple of friends, provided Christian with exceptional care.
As Christian grew, John and Ace opened an antique shop and fashioned a cozy spot for him below, living above the shop themselves. The local vicar even granted Christian exclusive access to run and play in the graveyard of the Moravian church.
The trio formed a strong bond, enjoying car rides and seaside outings together.
One day, by pure chance, the actors from the movie Born Free visited the antique shop and met a much larger Christian. While he was enjoying his life in the city, it was believed that living in such an environment long-term wouldn’t be favorable for him.
The actors encouraged John and Ace to connect with George Adamson, a British conservationist in Kenya known for rehabilitating lions like Elsa from Born Free. The decision was made to reintegrate Christian into the wild at a reserve in Kora National Park.
George had even identified a small pride for Christian to join once he was ready. However, his new pride faced various struggles, including the loss of its leader. In a turn of events, the lovable former cub evolved into the head of his own pride.
George informed John and Ace of Christian's successful adaptation to the wild, and they planned a reunion, capturing the moment in the documentary Christian, The Lion at World's End. They were warned that Christian might not remember them.
But to their joy—the opposite was true!
Below is a snapshot from their emotional reunion.
Additionally, two lionesses and a foster cub named Supercub came to greet John and Ace.
Fast forward two years to 1973: John and Ace yearned to see Christian again. Although George hadn't spotted him in nine months, they were determined to visit.
Coincidentally, the day before their arrival, Christian returned to the compound!
Now much larger, with his own cubs and a new pride to protect, Christian's growth was significant. Though much of the reunion went unfilmed, the emotional encounter was described vividly:
They called for him, and he cautiously approached. But with recognition, he bounded toward them, throwing himself into their arms just like old times.
Just look at the difference in his mane! Christian may have been a cub in the early photos, but he had transformed into a majestic lion.
The final visit ended with a sleepover, concluding the next morning. Unfortunately, George hadn’t seen Christian around the compound since that spring reunion in 1973.
Here’s Christian's baby photo…
After watching a documentary about this incredible story, I found myself in tears, moved in a way I had never experienced before. Such a beautiful tale!
Thanks for reading one of my favorite stories! 😊
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