Christian, the Lion at World’s End

Towards the end of 2008 a short video clip became a rapid hit on many streaming video websites and was widely distributed in chain e-mails. It showed a lion, Christian, meeting his previous owners a year after being released in the wild and welcoming the with hugs and affection never seen before.

That video clip was only part of a complete documentary titled “Christian, the Lion at World’s End” which tells the whole story. The DVD of this documentary can be easily found and is definitely worth viewing since it tells a unique tale, which will move you with tears but ultimately fill you with incredible joy and peace.

Towards the end of the ‘60s London was a place were one could literally buy everything, and that’s what Ace and John, two Australians, did: enthralled by the notion that Harrod’s, the famous department store, could provide everything their customer requested, the two decided to put it to the test and ended up purchasing a lion cub, which they then nurtured and cared for the following year. Their approach was one made of hugs and caresses and soon Christian, the lion, started to behave like the biggest pussycat of London, playing football with his owners and leaving in the basement of a furniture shop.

When Christian grew to a point where it became impossible for Ace and John to keep taking care of him, they started seeking help and found it in Virginia McKenna and her husband Bill Harris, who had starred in the hit movie Born Free. Through their connection with George Adamson, the conservationist who they interpreted in that movie, they were able to send Christian to Kenya to be rehabilitated and introduced in the wild.

The documentary then follows the efforts of Adamson to create a pride, introducing other two lions he had previously rescued, Boy, a predominant male, and Katiana, a small female cub. As the three animals interact their very distinct personalities emerge and above all else Christian keeps proving to be a big loving cat. He welcomes everybody with affection and love, is ready to submit to the stronger Boy and above all else wants some hugs and kisses.

The story unfolds, amongst dramas and downfalls, as new animals are introduced to the pride, until finally Christian, two young lionesses (Mona and Lisa) and another cub, called Supercub, are ready to be released in the wild. It is at this moment that the famous video clip picks up showing the moving reunion between John, Ace and Christian. Although in every respect a wild animal, Christian seems not to have forgotten his previous owners and welcomes them with another display of affection.

Whilst the documentary ends on this heart warming images, the story went on, and a second reunion took place the following year. By then Christian had actually established his own pride and had not been seen by Adamson for months, but when Ace and John arrived Christian showed up at the compound and once more proved to remember them. It appears that subsequently Christian and his pride never showed up again, and are supposed to have successfully been reintroduced and survived in the wild.

This documentary is a precious gem and is sure to make everybody happy at heart, from kids to adults.