The Wild Life of Christian the Lion

    The lion cub had spent his whole life in a cage. He was born in a zoo, then sold to a fancy store in London, England. 

    Now it was December 1969 and the poor cub was for sale again. He was put on display in the store—between the kittens and the sheepdogs. The lion’s future looked grim.

    Then two young men named Ace Bourke and John Rendall walked into the store. They saw the lion cub trapped in a small cage. 

    Buying a lion cub was probably the last thing the men imagined doing. They had just graduated from college and were living and working in a furniture store. 

    But after they got home, Ace and John couldn’t forget the cub. They collected every cent they had. It was the equivalent of $6,500 today. 

    Then they went back to the store and bought the little lion. Even before they got home, they had a name for him: Christian.

    The lion cub had spent his whole life in a cage. He was born in a zoo. Then he was sold to a store in London, England. 

    It was December 1969. The cub was for sale again. He was put on display in the store. He was between the kittens and the sheepdogs. The cub’s future looked grim.

    Then two young men walked into the store. One was Ace Bourke. The other was John Rendall. They were friends. They saw the cub. 

    The men had just finished college. They worked in a furniture store. They lived in the furniture store too. They were not rich.

    Still, they couldn’t forget the cub. The men gathered all their money. It was the equivalent of $6,500 today. 

    Then Ace and John went back to the store. They bought the cub. They named him Christian.

    The lion cub had spent his entire life in a cage. He was born in a zoo, then sold to a fancy store in London, England.

    Now it was December 1969, and the poor little cub was for sale again. He was put on display in the store between the kittens and the sheepdogs. The lion’s future looked grim.

    Then two young men named Ace Bourke and John Rendall walked into the store and saw the lion cub trapped in its small cage. 

    Buying a lion cub was probably the last thing the men imagined doing—they had recently graduated from college and were living and working in a furniture store. 

    But after they got home, Ace and John couldn’t forget the cub. They collected every cent they had—the equivalent of $6,500 today. 

    Then the men returned to the store and purchased the little lion. Even before they got home, they had a name for him: Christian.

    Christian was a 30-pound ball of fluff when he moved into the furniture store. And he quickly made himself at home. 

    He hid behind chairs—then jumped out to play. He climbed on Ace’s and John’s laps while they talked on the phone. 

    People came to the shop just to see the furniture store lion. A radio host even tried to get Christian to roar into a microphone. 

    Christian chewed up the wires instead.

    Christian weighed 30 pounds. He was a ball of fluff. He moved in with Ace and John at the furniture store. And he quickly made himself at home. 

    Christian hid behind chairs. He would jump out to play. He loved to cuddle. He climbed on laps during phone calls. 

    People came to the shop. They wanted to see the furniture store lion. A radio host came one day. He tried to get Christian to roar into a microphone. Christian chewed up the wires.

    Christian was a 30-pound ball of fluff when he moved into the furniture store, where he quickly made himself at home. 

    He hid behind chairs—then jumped out to play. He clambered onto Ace’s and John’s laps while they used the telephone. 

    People visited the shop just to see the furniture store lion. A radio host even tried to get Christian to roar into a microphone, but Christian chewed up the wires instead.

    By April, Christian was 130 pounds of muscle. He was still gentle. But Ace and John knew he would grow to be a 500-pound predator—with sharp teeth and claws. 

    In the wild, lions prowl in grasslands and forests. A shop in London was no place for Christian, but where could he go? 

    The men didn’t know. They just knew they couldn’t put the lion they loved back in a zoo. 

    Christian was growing. By April, he was 130 pounds of muscle. He was still gentle. But Ace and John knew he would grow. Christian would become a 500-pound predator with sharp teeth and claws. 

    In the wild, lions prowl in grasslands and forests. The shop was not the right place for Christian to live. But where could he go?

    The men didn’t know. But they would not send him to a zoo. They wanted him to be free. 

    By April, Christian was 130 pounds of muscle. He was still gentle, but Ace and John knew he would grow to be a 500-pound predator—with sharp teeth and claws. 

    In the wild, lions prowl in grasslands and forests. A shop in London was no place for Christian, but where could he go? 

    Ace and John didn’t have the answer, but they knew they couldn’t put the lion they loved back in a zoo. 

    Then one day, two surprise visitors walked into the furniture store. Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna were actors who had starred in a popular movie called Born Free. 

    The movie told the true story of a lion cub named Elsa. She was an orphan saved by a couple named Joy and George Adamson. They raised Elsa, then set her free in the wild.

    The actors contacted George Adamson. He was still living in Kenya—the country in Africa where he had found Elsa. And he agreed to help set Christian free.

    One day, two actors came to the shop. They were Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna. They had starred in a movie. It was called Born Free. 

    The movie told a true story. It was about a lion cub named Elsa. She was an orphan. A couple named Joy and George Adamson saved her. They raised her. Then they set her free in the wild.

    The actors contacted George Adamson. He still lived in Kenya. That is the country in Africa where Elsa was from. Adamson agreed to help set Christian free.

    Then one day, two surprise visitors entered the furniture store. Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna were actors who had starred in a popular movie called Born Free, which told the true story of a lion cub named Elsa. Elsa was an orphan that had been saved by a couple named Joy and George Adamson. They raised Elsa, then released her into the wild.

    The actors contacted George Adamson, who was still living in Kenya (the country in Africa where he had found Elsa), and he agreed to help set Christian free.

    In August 1970, Ace and John took Christian to Kenya. The plan was to set Christian free, but it wasn’t so simple. 

    Animals raised in captivity—in zoos, cages, or homes—don’t have the skills they need to stay alive in the wild. Christian had never lived among lions or hunted for food. 

    But Adamson had a plan. He had a small group of lions living at his camp. Adamson hoped Christian would bond with them and form his own pride, or group. Christian and his pride could then go into the wild together. 

    At first, Christian wanted to stay with Ace and John. But he soon made friends with the other lions. Before long, it was clear that Ace and John could leave him. 

    The goodbye was heartbreaking for Ace and John. Christian even chased after their truck as they drove away.  

    It was August 1970. Ace and John took Christian to Kenya. They planned to set him free. But it would not be simple. 

    Animals raised in cages or homes are different. They don’t know how to live in the wild. Christian had never lived with other lions. He had never hunted for food. 

    But Adamson had a plan. A few other lions lived at his camp. He hoped Christian would bond with them. They could form their own pride, or group of lions. They could live in the wild together. 

    At first, Christian wanted to stay with Ace and John. But he became friends with the other lions. It was clear that he would be OK. Ace and John could leave him. 

    Still, leaving was hard. Christian chased after the truck as the men left. 

    In August 1970, Ace and John took Christian to Kenya. Their plan was to set Christian free, but it wasn’t so simple. 

    Animals raised in captivity—in zoos, cages, or homes—don’t have the skills they need to survive in the wild. Christian had never lived among lions or hunted for food. 

    But Adamson had a plan. He had a small group of lions living at his camp, and he hoped Christian would bond with them and form his own pride, or group. Then Christian and the other lions could go and live in the wild together. 

    Initially, Christian wanted to stay with Ace and John—but he soon befriended the other lions. Before long, it was clear that it was OK for Ace and John to leave him. 

    The goodbye was heartbreaking for the men. Christian even chased after their truck as they drove away. 

    Ten months later, the men returned to Kenya to visit Christian. They found him not far from the camp. He was now 300 pounds and 6 feet long. Would he even recognize them? 

    Ace and John called out to Christian. When he heard the men’s voices, he rushed over. He put his paws on Ace’s shoulders. Then he reached over to John and pulled him in. 

    There was no doubt about it: This half-wild lion was hugging the men who had raised him.

    Ace and John cried when they left. They knew they would always miss Christian. But as their plane took off, they saw Christian and his new family on top of a rocky hill. 

    Christian was now free to prowl the wild as he was meant to do. And he would never see the inside of a cage again.

    It was 10 months later. The men went back to Kenya. They found Christian near the camp. He was 300 pounds. He was 6 feet long. Would he still know them? 

    Ace and John called out to Christian. He heard their voices. Christian rushed over. He put his paws on Ace’s shoulders. Then Christian reached over to John. He pulled John in.

    There was no doubt about it. Christian wanted a hug. 

    The men cried when they left. They would miss Christian. But they saw him from their plane. He was with his new family. 

    Christian was free. He was where he belonged. He would never be caged again.

    Ten months later, Ace and John returned to Kenya to visit Christian. They found him not far from the camp. Christian was now 300 pounds and 6 feet long—would he even recognize them? 

    Ace and John called out to Christian. When the lion heard their voices, he rushed over to them, put his paws on Ace’s shoulders, then reached over to John and pulled him in. 

    There was no doubt about it: This half-wild lion was hugging the men who had raised him.

    Ace and John cried when they left. They knew they would always miss Christian, but as their plane took off, they saw the lion and his new family on top of a rocky hill. 

    Christian was now free to prowl the wild as nature intended, and he would never see the inside of a cage again.