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

Babylon's Ark is the astonishing true story of the soldiers, conservationists, and ordinary Iraqis who united to save the animals of the Baghdad Zoo amidst the chaos of war.

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 active hostilities and uncontrolled looting had devastated the zoo and its inhabitants. Working alongside dedicated members of the zoo staff and compassionate U.S. soldiers, Anthony defended the facility, 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 Hussein's lions, shut down a deplorable black-market zoo, herd ostriches through shoot-to-kill checkpoints, and rescue the dictator's personal herd of Thoroughbred Arabian horses. A powerful testament to selfless courage and shared humanity, this inspiring real-life adventure shows individuals on opposite sides of a conflict working together to protect magnificent wildlife caught in a war zone.