It's been a bad day-here's something good.

[riverdeep]

If you haven't seen this yet, you're in for a treat. Christian the lion:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adYbFQFXG0U

(Warning: if you're not a Whitney Houston fan, turn your sound off- you won't miss the story)

[SammyWinstonJack]

1. Okay that is amazing and thank you so much!

:cry: :hug: :cry:

[riverdeep]

2. Isn't it amazing.

The joy pouring out of that lion is too much.

[SammyWinstonJack]

5. It made me cry! And thanks again.

[AwakeAtLast]

3. The men in the video were on the Today show last week

They both looked very well and happy. They said they were completely blown away by the renewed interest because of YouTube.

[Inchworm]

4. I truly hope the story was real

I cried like a .. a... a.. gurl.

:hug:

[SammyWinstonJack]

6. I bet it is real. nt

[riverdeep]

7. Yes, it's real.

http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/christian.asp


(Christian back in London)

The gist of the story: in 1969, two guys (Bourke and Rendall) were in Harrod's department store in London, where believe it or not, they sold lions. Well, these men saw it was no life for the cub and took it to live with them in thier own store where they would take it outside to play. Unfortunately, it was getting big fast and they had to decide what to do. By amazing chance, the actors from the movie Born Free who had portrayed the real-life naturalist couple in Born Free (George and Joy Adamson), wandered into the furniture store these guys owned and where they kept the lion. They said they that George and Joy could take the lion and teach it to live in the wild (they were pioneers in this endeavor).

So they agreed. They flew down off and on, but mostly stayed out of sight. The above clip is from their first reunion, in 1972. George (the shirtless white-haired guy in the clip) wrote to them in 1974 saying the lion had now become completely wild, prompting one last reunion.

There are sad things in this story, however. After the last meeting, Christian was never heard from again. Although, hopefully, he lived a long time in the wild, no one knows. Many of the lions and other large animals in that part of Africa where George and Joy worked had largely been driven away or killed by human encroachment and poachers by the end of their careers. And both George and Joy were killed by the deadliest and most vicious killer of all- humans. George was killed by poachers and Joy was killed by a former employee.

Good news, a group the two men started (George Adamson Trust) is working to reintroduce endangered species back into Africa.

http://wildlifenow.com/

For video about the two men's recent interview on Today Show with Meredith Viera:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25797678/