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.
"Babylon's Ark is a compelling story of one dedicated man's efforts to save the abandoned animals of the Baghdad Zoo amidst the chaos, danger and uncertainty of a city under siege during the coalition invasion of 2003. Lawrence Anthony shows his courage and intense devotion to the animal kingdom as he risks his life in an effort to shut down the Baghdad Zoo and rehabilitate it. Anthony's crusade f
Jay Kopelman, author of From Baghdad, With Love: A Marine, the War, and a Dog Named Lava
