Babylon's Ark [Hardback]

Traces the shared efforts of American soldiers, Iraqi staffpeople, conservationists, and ordinary citizens to safeguard the lives of the animals at the Baghdad Zoo who survived the outbreak of the Iraq war, an endeavor marked by hair-raising efforts to save a pride of lions, close a black-market zoo, and rescue Saddam's Arabian horses. 15,000 first printing.

When the Iraq War began, conservationist Lawrence Anthony could think of only one thing: the fate of the Baghdad Zoo, located in the city center and caught in the cross fire. His worst fears were confirmed when he entered Baghdad and discovered that full-scale combat and uncontrolled looting had killed many of the animals of the zoo.
But not all of them. Even during the heat of battle, individual U.S. soldiers had taken the time to help care for the remaining animals, and a few of the zoo's staff had returned to work in spite of the constant firefights. Together, the Americans and Iraqis had managed to keep alive the animals that had survived the invasion.
Babylon's Ark chronicles the zoo's transformation from war-torn chaos to peaceful park, and the heroic efforts of Anthony and others to restore the zoo's inhabitants to health and safety. Along the way, Anthony recounts hair-raising efforts to save a pride of Uday Hussein's lions, close a deplorable black-market zoo, and rescue Saddam Hussein's Arabian horses from a hidden stable in Abu Ghraib.
Anthony's unique ground-level experience makes Babylon's Ark an eye-opening story of how conservationists, soldiers, and civilians put aside their differences and worked together for the sake of the wild animals of Baghdad.

South African conservationist and environmentalist Anthony received the Earth Day Medal for his work in Baghdad. Here he recounts his own efforts and those of Iraqis and Americans to care for the animals in the Baghdad Zoo as people were getting killed all around it. Part of the story includes saving a pride of Uday Hussein's lions, closing a black-market zoo, and rescuing Saddam's Arabian horses from a hidden stable in Abo Ghraib. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Internationally acclaimed conservationist Lawrence Anthony (recipient of the UN’s Earth Day award) entered Baghdad just weeks after U.S. troops first took control of the city in 2003. After discovering the plight of the sick and injured wild animals stranded there, Anthony led the effort to rescue them. Overcoming every “can’t possibly be done,” Anthony was able to accomplish what seemed impossible: he got Iraqi civilians and U.S. military personnel to work together for a common goal -- to save the animals. The story of his incredible act of heroism is captured in his new book, Babylon’s Ark: The Incredible Wartime Rescue of the Baghdad Zoo.

First Anthony had to gain authorized entry into Iraq as a volunteer administrator for the Zoo. He then went about enlisting a team of local Iraqis, and with the support of the U.S. forces, began the painstaking process of getting inside the Zoo to assess the damage. Anthony and an international coalition of animal lovers and supporters soon discovered the tragic condition of the Zoo itself: scores of dead or starving animals, locked in filthy cages, to which no one had keys. There were also missing animals likely stolen for food or profit on the black market. The Zoo staff was reduced to just three workers – the rest had left after receiving no pay for weeks. No water, food or power was anywhere to be found for either the animals still alive or the remaining staff.

Tigers, lions, and bears were among the animals rescued at the Zoo. Despite the on-going war, many U.S. servicemen had taken the time to care for the animals and soon thereafter some of the Zoo’s staff returned amidst the firefights to provide aid for the sick and injured animals as well.

The author describes the scene on the ground as this: “Some animals had to be fed to other animals. Cages had to be broken and the filth scrubbed with disinfectant and water – when there was water.” The Zoo was stripped of virtually all materials that weren’t nailed down. Buckets, wheelbarrows, hoses, shovels, even door knobs were taken by the looters. Anthony locked up the animal’s food for safekeeping. In a desperate measure, Anthony and his staff set up the “Baghdad Zoo Jail” where they held looters for a week.

As Anthony and team slowly start to bring a small measure of stability to the Zoo they discover their work was a long way from being done. Their rescue efforts soon included locating throughout Baghdad numerous secret black-market “zoos” where they found many more sick and dying wild animals. The author also describes the rescue of Hussein’s stolen Arabian horses, some of the most prized in the world, from a hidden stable in Abu Ghraib.

Lawrence Anthony’s efforts to save the Baghdad Zoo did not conclude with his rescue in 2003. He has traveled the globe in an effort to raise money necessary to rebuild and refurbish the Zoo, which is ongoing to this day. Babylon’s Ark chronicles the transformation of the Zoo from bombed-out rubble to peaceful park. Throughout, Anthony reflects on near deadly encounters, incredible acts of courage, and of selflessness. His unique ground-level experience makes Babylon’s Ark an uplifting story of two sides working together for the sake of innocent animals caught up in the tragedies of war.