Lion Hugs: Expressions of Love from The King of the Jungle

John Rendall and Ace Bourke talk with Kerri-Anne on Mornings in Australia about raising Christian, releasing him and the visits they made after his release. First half of interview.

People in Cali, Colombia, are shocked to see the bond between a large African lion and a woman who saved it from abuse, involving long, affectionate kisses and hugs between the pair. Ana Julia Torres, who runs the Villa Lorena animal shelter in Cali, fed and nursed Jupiter the African lion back to health years ago after it was found abused and emaciated in a traveling circus. "It is amazing to see an animal like that be so sweet and affectionate," said Torres. "This hug is the most sincere one that I have received in my life." Torres, 47, said her work rehabilitating animals began more than a decade ago when a friend gave her an owl that had been kept as a pet. Later, when she asked her students to bring their pets to school, she realized many families illegally kept wild fauna from Colombia's biologically diverse jungles in their homes. The number of animals under her care grew, and now Jupiter is among 800 recovering creatures at Villa Lorena, where Torres looks after, among others, burned peacocks, limbless flamengos, blind monkeys and mutilated elephants. Most of the animals are caged, though some, like iguanas, roam freely around the grounds of the shelter, which are enclosed by a 13-foot wall. Torres said she relies on donations and her modest teacher's salary to run the shelter. "We dedicate our lives to the care of these animals without one single peso from the state," Torres said. Torres said many of the animals were rejected as infants by their parents in the wild or found abandoned on the streets of Cali. Torres said because she opposes exhibiting animals in circuses, she decided to keep her shelter closed from the public.

***UPDATE!*** (It's been due for one for a while now!) This footage is from the documentary Christian The Lion, showing the progress of Christian's rehabilitation from London into to the wild by George Adamson; and of the pride that Mr.Adamson had formed around him. And by all means, the story is not over, as long as there are people around to tell it! To find out more, visit The Born Free Foundation's website: http://www.bornfree.org.uk/ and http://www.bornfree.org.uk/campaigns/big-cats/about/christian-the-lion/ If you would like to buy the documentary (or even just donate- all the proceeds go towards animal preservation), you can get it here: http://www.bornfree.org.uk/shop/acatalog/Videos_and_DVDs.html The Born Free Foundation is an international wildlife charity working throughout the world to stop individual wild animal suffering and protect threatened species in the wild. I first heard of this, and got this footage from: http://www.kimbawlion.com/christian.htm Yes, I am the first person to post this on YouTube. And yes, Ace Bourke and John Rendall are awesome. Hats off to George Adamson, may he rest in peace. Here's a perfect example of what happens when you show an animal love. ^_^ Christian was brought up by two humans and here he is greeting one of them. It warms my heart every time I see this, because the lion is like "Hey, I know you! *GLOMP!*" :D And who says cats aren't loyal? Christian's story is told in both a documentary and a book. THIS IS NOT MINE! This footage from the documentary was kleptoed from www.kimbawlion.com- a FANTASTIC website about Kimba the White Lion. ^_^ So send all Kudos where it belongs!

One girl's quest for a new home for her adopted lions. Marlice Van Der Merwe raised 15 orphaned lions on her parents' farm in Namibia, but the lions have grown into restless predators; they need space and freedom to satisfy their primal hunting urges. Follow Marlice and her Bushman friends as they travel across Namibia in search of a new paradise for the adolescent lions