Babylon's Ark by Lawrence Anthony

 

   Lawrence Anthony’s inner calling launched his efforts to travel to a war zone to rescue the animals in the city of Baghdad in the year 2003. Those animals were deprived of food and water under temperatures of over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Baghdad city was under siege; Saddam Hussein had been overthrown.

    Lawrence Anthony, author of The Elephant Whisperer, was determined to help the animals of the Baghdad Zoo, even though he had no clue on how he would proceed to accomplish his goal.

   Lawrence feared the worst, and his concerns were confirmed when he managed to reach the animals. He was able to witness how animals who had nothing to do with the human conflict and had no understanding of the political situation were neglected, attacked and abused in multiple ways. It was disturbing to read about imprisoned animals who had no way of defending themselves while they battled hunger and thirst amid the bombings. People vandalized the zoo. It was sad  to read that some of them even shot the animals for fun.

  Lawrence witnessed their trauma, and he was determined to rescue them. Babylon’s Ark is an engrossing account on how he was able to care for these animals against all odds. Initially, Lawrence Anthony had no connections or formal support from organizations. He was just a man with a clear purpose. Eventually, he was able to inspire others to support his mission and share his goal of saving the animals in Baghdad.

   Saddam Hussein was a brutal dictator whose cruelty to human beings was also directed at the animals. Saddam and his son Uday had neglected, abused and abandoned several wild animals and dogs. They had been involved in the trafficking of wild animals, and Lawrence was able to find and rescue them under the most dangerous circumstances.

   I was in awe to read what he managed to accomplish despite the hopelessness of the situation. I was speechless to learn about the rescue of lions and dogs inside a cage in Uday’s palace. There were two cubs and three adult lions along with two emaciated dogs inside the same cage. Lawrence was shocked because the pride of lions had not devoured the dogs despite the fact that they had all been starving.

 “There was no explanation why the starving lions had not already killed and eaten the dogs. We guessed it was because the animals had huddled together through so much terror during the bombing raids that they had bonded in a way only nature could fathom, forging some mystical affinity that transcended the torment of hunger. Indeed, even in their sapped state, the two dogs were nuzzling and cuddling the cubs—testimony that nature is not always red in tooth and claw.”

   Babylon’s Ark is about finding common ground with others to develop solutions that align with kindness and ethical principles. Putting aside their differences, soldiers, conservationists and civilians came together to rescue the wild animals. However, this did not happen by chance. Lawrence had to work hard to convince people and garner their support and approval. I admire the ways in which he interacted with those around him to gain their respect and understanding. His book is an inspiration and a testament to his resilience and courage. His messages deserve to be shared across the world.  

  Lawrence Anthony risked his life to attain his goal. It was an adventure full of roadblocks and hazards, but the unsettling frustrations, setbacks and conflicts he had to contend with did not deter him. Being in a combat zone was not easy, but, thankfully, Lawrence survived the plight and wrote this fascinating book whose narrative will captivate your heart.

  Perhaps his quest for empathy and compassion will not be forgotten, and it may help people to understand that we need to come together to care for our home. Mother Earth needs our cooperation to support the ecosystems that make our life possible on the planet.

  Another important aspect of the book is the fact that it helps us to see how unfair and terrifying it is to live under the abuse of power of a dictator. I think the book plays an important role in explaining the dangers dictators pose to the livelihoods of its citizens.

  Last but not least, Lawrence Anthony’s musings and reflections at the end have the potential to summon people to do what is best for their communities, democracies and the planet. His statements are based on facts. Lawrence’s thoughts are as relevant today as they were when he wrote the book:

 “In our ruthless quest for technology, material wealth and scientific progress, the humanities have been sorely neglected. And, as most of us are almost completely ignorant of the character and function of other forms of life, we abuse the natural world and diminish once robust survival systems without any real understanding of the consequences—especially for our own continued existence. Why do we inflict harm on the only home we have? Most people intrinsically have empathy with nature. Everybody I speak to is against cruelty to animals; everybody wants fresh air, open spaces, unpolluted rivers, and a healthy livable planet. So why do we so dreadfully abuse our sole life-support system?”

 “As living organisms, we are all part of the greater whole, and as such, we are embodied with exactly the same fundamental purpose: to survive. And to do so—as individuals, families, groups, and as a species—we have to live in dynamic collaboration with the plant and animal kingdoms in a healthy, life-sustaining environment.”

  The experience of reading Babylon’s Ark was so immersive that I had vivid dreams at night related to the setting and situations he encountered. Read Babylon’s Ark and share it with others.

 

Feel free to read my posts on the following books:

What a Bee Knows: Exploring the Thoughts, Memories and Personalities of Bees, by Stephen Buchmann

Unlikely Friendships by Jennifer Holland

Volcanic Adventures in Tonga by Ann Goth

Sweet inTooth and Claw by Kristin Ohlson

 

 

 The photo of the lion is by Luke Tanis. Source: unsplash.com

 Here’s a conversation with Lawrence Anthony about his experiences in Baghdad:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46fQBDfYAJo

 

 

The Elephant Whisperer

“When you are feeling down and out and defeated and ready to give up, read this inspiring book and share it widely with others.” Marc Bekoff

Elephants are intriguing creatures and after reading The Elephant Whisperer I fell in love with them. I was spellbound by the compassion, intuition and wisdom that elephants reveal through their actions.  If you have an interest in the emotional life of elephants The Elephant Whisperer will fascinate you, and even if you are indifferent to them you may find this book life-transforming.

After saving the life of a herd of elephants from being shot to death, Lawrence Anthony developed a special bond with them over time. Building up trust led to a connection of love that surpassed the boundaries of their own lives. Lawrence Anthony transports us to the natural reserve of Thula Thula in South Africa.

 Nana, the matriarch of this enigmatic herd, saved Lawrence’s life when Thula Thula was on fire. She also rescued him on other occasions.

 If you think that these elephants only act out of self-interest you are wrong. Nana released a group of antelopes that had been caught to be transported to another natural reserve. 
 Lawrence also rescued a female teenage elephant (ET) whose herd had been shot by poachers. ET was adopted by Nana's herd. ET did not trust Lawrence at the beginning, and the interaction with her was dangerous. It became a complex process, but the final outcome was a positive one.

 “From ET I learned forgiveness. I had managed to reach out to her through her heartbreak and distrust, but only because she had let me. Somewhere along the way she had recovered her life and in the process taught me how to forgive, as she had forgiven humans for the horrors they had visited on her own family before she came to us. She had given birth while I was away and was standing close by looking at me, proudly showing off her baby.”

Good writing can make us laugh, cry and think. Lawrence Anthony can do this well. His deep understanding of the jungle and his communication with elephants left me in awe. He ignited my curiosity, and now I'd like to read his book about rhinos.
 "The Elephant Whisperer" also introduces us to the beliefs  and behaviors of the Zulu culture.
  

“Perhaps the most important lesson I learned is that there are no walls between humans and the elephants except those we put up ourselves, and that until we allow not only elephants, but all living creatures their place in the sun, we can never be whole ourselves.”

  Through his interactions with this herd of elephants  we learn about their emotional lives and behaviors, but there is still a lot that we can't comprehend about these mysterious creatures.

 “During the twenty-year war between northern and southern Sudan elephants were being slaughtered both for ivory and meat and so large numbers migrated to Kenya for safety. Within days of the final ceasefire being signed, the elephants left their adopted residence en masse and trekked the hundreds of miles back home to Sudan. How they knew that their home range was now safe is just another indication of the incredible abilities of these amazing creatures.”

    The chemistry between this herd of elephants and Lawrence Anthony is a gift to the world, and Mr. Anthony’s legacy will live on in the actions of Earth Organization. When Lawrence died in 2012, the beloved herd walked to his home. They were mourning the loss of their friend. 

  
 Here's another website/organization where I learned a lot about elephants.

I received a few e-mails from readers of this blog asking about the lack of comments. To answer your question I will share Matt Gemmel's blog post. He gives you some ideas on what you can do if you come across a blog post that has disabled comments when you feel motivated to comment.

 All blogs are different. Some blogs have comments. Others don't. They all appeal to different audiences and contribute to our diversity.
  

"The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed."

 Albert Einstein

Till next time.