A lion's tale

When he was just a cub, Christian the lion lived indoors in London with John Rendall and Anthony "Ace" Bourke, who had spotted him in a small cage at the department store Harrods.

Though Christian would soon be a full-grown lion in the wild, as a cub he played like any kitten -- which was tough on the furnishings.

Just like a playful kitten, Christian the cub loved getting into mischief. Here he rummages through his owners' drawers.

Rendall and Bourke and their friends in swinging Austin Powers-era London treated Christian like any other member of the household, even sharing meals with him.

Still a cub (but growing rapidly), Christian relaxes at home in John Rendall's flat in the fashionable Chelsea district of London.

Though developing rapidly, Christian remained a pet at heart: he enjoyed cuddling and napping with his owners.

Rendall and Bourke sometimes packed Christian into the back of their car and took him out to London restaurants.

The affectionate nature that Christian displays into the hit YouTube video dates back to his gentle upbringing by Rendall and Bourke. Here Christian makes a young friend.

Christian was always curious, exploring every nook and cranny including open drawers and the toilet bowl.

As Christian quickly grew, Rendall and Bourke soon realized that they would not be able to keep their beloved pet in an urban environment much longer.

The basement of the furniture store Rendall and Bourke worked at became Christian's den -- and soon he began to outgrow it.

Christian endured a long journey back to Africa, and fell asleep soon after reaching Nairobi, Kenya. It took him two days to fully recover from the trip.

It was George Adamson, the wildlife preservation activist whose story was told in the movie 'Born Free,' who introduced Christian to his natural environment in Kenya.

Though Christian successfully adapted from swinging London to the wilds of Africa, he never forgot the loving owners who raised him as a cub.

Christian had successfully taken to his new environment. Rendall and Bourke spent nine days with him and found that he could handle himself in fights with other lions and was even mating.

Rendall and Bourke saw Christian for the last time during this trip. In 1973, Christian crossed a river away from the wildlife park and it is not known where he ended up. The duo hopes that Christian was able to start his own pride and that his descendants still reside in Kenya today.