The lion cub from harrods

[reptile1517]

Recently on Channel 5, there was a programme about 2 Australians who bought a lion cub from Harrods in the 1960's. This was long before the DWA kicked in. I settled down to watch this programme as it looked interesting. After buying this lion from Harrods, it was kept in a cellar under a shop in Kings Road, Chelsea and exercised in a graveyard. It turns out the cub and its brother came from Ilfracombe Zoo and there was a 30 second clip of the parents. Then, without a warning from the announcer, Virginia McKenna was on spouting off about keeping lions in captivity instead of staying in her "Oh Darling you were wonderful make-believe world". After a few months it was decided the lion should be returned to the wild. So George Adamson who was definitely a sandwich short of a picnic was involved. GA's methods let me remind you were responsible for several lions killing the natives. After a year or two, the lion wandered off, never to be seen again. Probably shot for killing an African. Like most of programmes like these, a good start but then it let the inmates run the asylum.

 

[stephend]

Recently on Channel 5, there was a programme about 2 Australians who bought a lion cub from Harrods in the 1960's. This was long before the DWA kicked in. I settled down to watch this programme as it looked interesting. After buying this lion from Harrods, it was kept in a cellar under a shop in Kings Road, Chelsea and exercised in a graveyard. It turns out the cub and its brother came from Ilfracombe Zoo and there was a 30 second clip of the parents. Then, without a warning from the announcer, Virginia McKenna was on spouting off about keeping lions in captivity instead of staying in her "Oh Darling you were wonderful make-believe world". After a few months it was decided the lion should be returned to the wild. So George Adamson who was definitely a sandwich short of a picnic was involved. GA's methods let me remind you were responsible for several lions killing the natives. After a year or two, the lion wandered off, never to be seen again. Probably shot for killing an African. Like most of programmes like these, a good start but then it let the inmates run the asylum.

Another classic case of do gooders with no idea getting involved. Lets hope it won't happen again.

 

[Monty]

George Adams lions were a good story and sold to the gulable public.

Elsa was shot after killing a ranger ment to be looking after her. At least one of her cubs was shot after taking to man eating.

 

[James27]

And another lion they were re-habilitating killed one of their staff, so he got shot too.
Another thing about this re-introduction: No one knows what subspecies any African lions are in captivity, as they're all just generic lions, so surely they'd have no way of knowing what subspecies Christian was? So, am I right in thinking that if he were to survive in the wild and breed then he'd mess up all the gene pools and there'd be no purebred lions in that area of Africa?
Why didn't they just send him to a decent zoo? He was born in captivity, the owners of him would be able to see him all the time, and he'd have a certain future as opposed to probably getting shot for trying to play with a native.

 

[Monty]

There is a place in Zim I think where they are planning to breed lions for release back into the wild. They have young hunanised lions which they take out to teach them to hunt. Their plan is to keep them in an enclosure of hundreds or thousands of acres. There they will hunt and not be fed. Their cubs will not be humanized so will remain wild and will be released in areas where lions are required.

 

[tetrapod]

And another lion they were re-habilitating killed one of their staff, so he got shot too.
Another thing about this re-introduction: No one knows what subspecies any African lions are in captivity, as they're all just generic lions, so surely they'd have no way of knowing what subspecies Christian was? So, am I right in thinking that if he were to survive in the wild and breed then he'd mess up all the gene pools and there'd be no purebred lions in that area of Africa?
Why didn't they just send him to a decent zoo? He was born in captivity, the owners of him would be able to see him all the time, and he'd have a certain future as opposed to probably getting shot for trying to play with a native.

Why didn't they send Christian to another zoo when he got to big for them? Because they had a crazy idea (actually McKenna's) that releasing him into the wild was the best thing for a totally humanised big cat. Surely protection of the existing cats in Africa would make more sense (but obviously far less publicity...). Yes I too thought about the purity problem in light of the impure Twycross tiger released in India.

What hasn't been mentioned so far, about the Adamson-raised lions killed, was that it was George himself who had to shoot a number of them. Don't get that in 'Born Free' do you?

 

[Jarkari]

For Australian forumsters. In place of RSPCA Animal Rescue there will be a special about christian the lion and his story.

 

[Zambar]

When I was at work in the pet shop today, my colleague said she saw 'handbag' dogs being sold live in Harrods as more a fashion itemm recentley. It may not be lions, but it shows attitudes there haven't really differed in forty years.