Christian the lion was born in Africa in 1969. He was brought to England as a cub and raised by John Rendall and Ace Bourke. The lion quickly became a beloved pet and grew very attached to his human companions.
In 1971 John and Ace decided that Christian should live in Africa where he would have more space to roam and be with other lions. They took him to a wildlife preserve and said goodbye.
It was a bittersweet parting but John and Ace knew it was the best thing for Christian. They kept in touch with the preserve and visited Christian several times over the years.
In 2009 a video of Christian reunion with John and Ace went viral touching the hearts of millions of people around the world.
Christian lived out the rest of his days at the preserve and died of old age in 2011. He was 22 years old.
How long did Christian the lion live?
10 years
How did Christian the lion live?
In the wild
How did Christian the lion die?
Of natural causes
Where did Christian the lion live?
Africa
How many owners did Christian the lion have?
3
Who were Christian the lion’s owners?
George Adamson John Rendall and Ace Bourke
What did Christian the lion’s owners do with him?
They released him into the wild
How did Christian the lion’s owners find him again?
They saw him on a BBC news program
When did Christian the lion’s owners see him again?
1 year after they released him
What was Christian the lion doing when his owners saw him again?
He was with a pride of lions
What did Christian the lion do when he saw his old owners again?
He ran to them and greeted them
How long did Christian the lion stay with his old owners?
A few days
What did Christian the lion’s old owners do with him?
They took him back to Africa
How long did Christian the lion live after his reunion with his old owners?
8 months
What was the cause of Christian the lion’s death?
old age
