Babylon's Ark: The Incredible Wartime Rescue of the Baghdad Zoo

Lawrence Anthony · Graham Spence

Mar 2007 · Sold by Macmillan

About this ebook

The astonishing story of the soldiers, conservationists, and ordinary Iraqis who united to save the animals of the Baghdad Zoo

When the Iraq war began, conservationist Lawrence Anthony could think of only one thing: the fate of the Baghdad Zoo, caught in the crossfire at the heart of the city. Once Anthony entered Iraq he discovered that hostilities and uncontrolled looting had devastated the zoo and its animals. Working with members of the zoo staff and a few compassionate U.S. soldiers, he defended the zoo, bartered for food on war-torn streets, and scoured bombed palaces for desperately needed supplies.

Babylon's Ark chronicles Anthony's hair-raising efforts to save a pride of Saddam's lions, close a deplorable black-market zoo, run ostriches through shoot-to-kill checkpoints, and rescue the dictator's personal herd of Thoroughbred Arabian horses. A tale of the selfless courage and humanity of a few men and women living dangerously for all the right reasons, Babylon's Ark is an inspiring and uplifting true-life adventure of individuals on both sides working together for the sake of magnificent wildlife caught in a war zone.

Ratings and reviews

This was a great mix of adventure, the kind you find in nature and war, and hope for the future of the Earth. Greta Thunberg is acknowledged this week by Time magazine for her concerns, the same week I finish reading this book. May I put my hope into action to honor the lives of Lawrence Anthony & Greta Thunberg and the millions of others who share a similar concern and hope.

Lawrence Anthony was such an amazing man. He saw the news reports on the conditions of the abandoned zoo during war in Iraq. Saw images of staving tigers etc. While the rest of us just watch from comforts of our homes, Lawrence Anthony made the trek himself with supplies to bring to the zoo. He put his own life aside, leaving his wife & his own thula thula for 6 months! Cuz he was not just going to drop off supplies to the Bagdad zoo, he had to see it to the end.

This book is so inspiring... I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves animals and wants to see if there is any good people left in the world. Based on what I read, the animals at the Baghdad Zoo have some guardian angels!

About the author

LAWRENCE ANTHONY is an acclaimed conservationist and founder of the Earth Organization. He received the UN's Earth Day award (making him the first South African to receive the award) for his work in Baghdad. He lives in Zululand, South Africa. GRAHAM SPENCE is a journalist and editor. Originally from South Africa, he now lives in England.