Babylon S Ark

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.

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 I was allowed to enter Iraq, and when the border guard saw that I was bringing supplies into the country, he gave me a permit. But my two Kuwaiti assistants were afraid that the Iraqi soldiers would target them as Arabs, so they stole their plates. #2 I knew that being a neutral South African would not help me when it came to dealing with Iraqi gunmen. I was a visible Westerner, and as far as Saddam’s Baathist fanatics were concerned, any foreigner would do. #3 I felt dread creep into my belly. The atmosphere in Iraq hung like a pall, and it had tempered the enthusiasm of my companions. As it had mine. #4 After driving through the biblical landscape of Iraq, we finally reached the outer periphery of Baghdad. We asked for directions to the zoo, and an Iraqi pointed ahead. Al Zawra Park, he said. We were entering the belly of the beast.

In THE ARK BEFORE NOAH, British Museum expert Dr Irving Finkel reveals how decoding the symbols on a 4,000 year old piece of clay enable a radical new interpretation of the Noah's Ark myth. A world authority on the period, Dr Finkel's enthralling real-life detective story began with a most remarkable event at the British Museum - the arrival one day in 2008 of a single, modest-sized Babylonian cuneiform tablet - the palm-sized clay rectangles on which our ancestors created the first documents. It had been brought in by a member of the public and this particular tablet proved to be of quite extraordinary importance. Not only does it date from about 1850 BC, but it is a copy of the Babylonian Story of the Flood, a myth from ancient Mesopotamia revealing among other things, instructions for building a large boat to survive a flood. But Dr Finkel's pioneering work didn't stop there. Through another series of enthralling discoveries he has been able to decode the story of the Flood in ways which offer unanticipated revelations to readers of THE ARK BEFORE NOAH.

When South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony was asked to accept a herd of "rogue" wild elephants on his Thula Thula game reserve in Zululand, his common sense told him to refuse. But he was the herd's last chance of survival: they would be killed if he wouldn't take them. In order to save their lives, Anthony took them in. In the years that followed he became a part of their family. And as he battled to create a bond with the elephants, he came to realize that they had a great deal to teach him about life, loyalty, and freedom. The Elephant Whisperer is a heartwarming, exciting, funny, and sometimes sad account of Anthony's experiences with these huge yet sympathetic creatures. Set against the background of life on an African game reserve, with unforgettable characters and exotic wildlife, it is a delightful book that will appeal to animal lovers and adventurous souls everywhere.

Another extraordinary story of life on a South African game reserve from the authors of The Elephant Whisperer. Lawrence Anthony's South African game reserve is home to many animals he has saved, from a remarkable herd of elephants to a badly behaved bushbaby called George. Described as "the Indiana Jones of conservation", when one of his rhinos was brutally slaughtered for her horn, he didn't hesitate to lead an armed response against the poachers. Then he learned that there were only a handful of northern white rhinos left in the wild, living in an area of the Congo controlled by the infamous Lord's Resistance Army and soon to be hunted into extinction. Lawrence knew he had to take action. What followed was an extraordinary adventure, as he headed into the jungle to negotiate with the rebels, while battling to save his own animals from terrible drought and to save the eyesight of his beloved elephant matriarch Nana. The Last Rhinos is peopled with unforgettable characters, both human and animal, and is a sometimes funny, sometimes moving, always exciting read.

When Lawrence Anthony learned that the northern white rhino, living in the war-ravaged Congo, was on the very brink of extinction, he knew he had to act. If the world lost the sub-species, it would be the largest land mammal since the woolly mammoth to go extinct. In The Last Rhinos, Anthony recounts his attempts to save these remarkable animals. The demand for rhino horns in the Far East has turned poaching into a dangerous black market that threatens the lives of not just these rare beasts, but also the rangers who protect them. The northern white rhino's last refuge was in an area controlled by the infamous Lord's Resistance Army, one of the most vicious rebel groups in the world. In the face of unmoving government bureaucracy, Anthony made a perilous journey deep into the jungle to try to find and convince them to help save the rhino. An inspiring story of conservation in the face of brutal war and bureaucratic quagmires, The Last Rhinos will move animal lovers everywhere.

Meet a man forced to live in a fast changing and godless society. He faced fears about the future, concern for his safety, and the discouragement of world that seemed to be falling apart at warp speed. Sound familiar? His name was Daniel, and with the power of hope, humility, and wisdom, he not only thrived, he changed an empire while he was at it. Though he lived thousands of years ago, he has a much to teach us today. Even in Babylon, God Is in Control In Thriving in Babylon, Larry Osborne explores the “adult” story of Daniel to help us not only survive – but actually thrive in an increasingly godless culture. Here Pastor Osborne looks at: - Why panic and despair are never from God- What true optimism looks like- How humility disarms even our greatest of enemies- Why respect causes even those who will have nothing to do with God to listen- How wisdom can snatch victory out of the jaws of defeat For those who know Jesus and understand the full implications of the cross, the resurrection, and the promises of Jesus, everything changes – not only in us, but also in our world.

'A superb read ... brilliantly chronicles the incredible passion, poignancy, and nail-biting excitement in pulling off one of the most inspiring animal rescue stories of all time.' Graham Spence, co-author of Babylon's Ark, The Elephant Whisperer and Saving the Last Rhinos'One of those rare, true stories that gives a voice to the people swept up in events larger than themselves ... If I had not seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe any of it either.' Lieutenant Colonel William Sumner, U.S. ArmyAs the world watched engrossed or outraged by the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, abandoned, caged animals near Baghdad's iconic crossed-swords dehydrated towards death. Through a rout of the Fedayeen militia in that leafy city park, American soldiers unknowingly triggered Baghdad Zoo's bizarre and unlikely revival. Coincidentally, in a South African game reserve, an irrational scheme to find precisely that zoo had already started. The desperation of tigers, lions and a pelican mobilised compassionate soldiers, Iraqi volunteers and stubborn foreigners to improvise audacious rescues across the city. Abandoned palace menageries, Green Zone politicking, raw violence, Saddam Hussein's stolen Arabian horses, wounded bears and checkpoint puppies spiralled the recovery into animal welfare theatre. The Accidental Invasion of Baghdad Zoo is not just a zoo story. Immerse yourself into an unshackled post-invasion Baghdad through uplifting successes, brutality and comedy, Iraqi hospitality and American adventurism, animal lust and unshakable camaraderie.