I received an email today with the attached image and video clip. While watching I was moved to tears (I cry at Hallmark ads) but being skeptical of emails, I decided to learn more. What I discovered was very touching.
A couple of chaps named Anthony Bourke and John Rendall purchased a lion cub in 1969 from the Harrods department store in London. It was not understood at the time that wild animals do not make good pets.
For a year, Bourke and Rendall took Christian the lion to social functions, local restaurants, and for rides in the back of their Bentley. Christian enjoyed playing football and romping in the park with his two human companions. The three would become best friends. Eventually, though, the chaps would have to make a difficult decision.
As Christian matured in age, his size increased exponentially. He went from a 35lb cub to a rather daunting 135lb young lion. (Who wants to clean that cat box?) Bourke and Rendall quickly realized that the streets of London were no place to raise a lion.
After hearing about wildlife conservationist George Adamson and his wife Joy, who raised a lion cub called Elsa in Kenya then rehabilitated it into the wild; they decided to contact Adamson for help. Bourke and Rendall released Christian into the wild in 1979 on the Kora Reserve in Kenya where he slowly became accustomed to his natural habitat.
Many years later Bourke and Rendall returned to Kenya to take part in the filming of a documentary, The Lion at Words End, featuring Christian. The documentary was released in 1971 along with a book, A Lion Called Christian, authored by Anthony Bourke and John Rendall. The movie clip below is from that film.
Experts warned the two men that Christian was now a wild animal and would not remember them. Watch the video below and tell me if you believe the “experts.”
A couple of chaps named Anthony Bourke and John Rendall purchased a lion cub in 1969 from the Harrods department store in London. It was not understood at the time that wild animals do not make good pets.
For a year, Bourke and Rendall took Christian the lion to social functions, local restaurants, and for rides in the back of their Bentley. Christian enjoyed playing football and romping in the park with his two human companions. The three would become best friends. Eventually, though, the chaps would have to make a difficult decision.
As Christian matured in age, his size increased exponentially. He went from a 35lb cub to a rather daunting 135lb young lion. (Who wants to clean that cat box?) Bourke and Rendall quickly realized that the streets of London were no place to raise a lion.
After hearing about wildlife conservationist George Adamson and his wife Joy, who raised a lion cub called Elsa in Kenya then rehabilitated it into the wild; they decided to contact Adamson for help. Bourke and Rendall released Christian into the wild in 1979 on the Kora Reserve in Kenya where he slowly became accustomed to his natural habitat.
Many years later Bourke and Rendall returned to Kenya to take part in the filming of a documentary, The Lion at Words End, featuring Christian. The documentary was released in 1971 along with a book, A Lion Called Christian, authored by Anthony Bourke and John Rendall. The movie clip below is from that film.
Experts warned the two men that Christian was now a wild animal and would not remember them. Watch the video below and tell me if you believe the “experts.”
1 comment:
I'd be lion if I said I didn't cry big crocodile tears.
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