A remarkable video documenting a reunion between a lion named Christian and two men who had cared for him early in his life has been making the rounds on the internet and in the media and I wanted to share some additional information about this story because it is very personal to me and central to the being of Born Free Foundation as an organisation.
This lion used to live in my garden.
Christian was bought from Harrods pet store in London and came, via a furniture shop and my garden in England, to live in Africa (Kora in Kenya), where he was returned to the wild by the world-famous George Adamson.
My late dad (Bill) filmed this great adventure.
The film is extraordinary and exemplifies the spirit that underpins Born Free - every individual matters. Even way back in the 1970’s, this was our way of giving Christian a shot at freedom.
This is part of the Born Free legacy. If it wasn’t for Born Free, the film, my dad and mum (Born Free’s founder, Virginia McKenna) would never have met Ace and John (the two young men in the clip) who would never have brought Christian from London to my garden. My dad, Bill, would never have negotiated with the Kenyan government for Christian’s return to Africa. We would never have had this memorable and inspiring story - and Christian would never have had his freedom.
Today, the Born Free Foundation (and Born Free USA in the States) carry on the spirit of Born Free - helping wild animals in need, fighting injustice, cruelty and neglect and working to change animals’ lives for good.
Support Born Free by joining us and you can become part of the Born Free family. To watch the clip, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adYbFQFXG0U (please note “Ace” is incorrectly named Ace Berg in the clip - his name is in fact Ace Bourke)
Thank you. Do share this story and film clip with your friends. And do join us.
Will Travers
CEO
Born Free Foundation
P.S. Born Free does not advocate the keeping of any wild
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