Located in the heart of al-Zawra entertainment park in Baghdad, Iraq, the Baghdad zoo once housed 650 animals. Baghdad (Arabic ) is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate. ...

History

It was built in 1971, but according to 18th-century standards, containing small confinement spaces that some considered inhumane. After the first Gulf War, Iraq's zoos suffered from U.N. sanctions which limited particular foods, medicines and vaccines. 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday. ... Combatants UN Coalition Republic of Iraq Commanders Norman Schwarzkopf, Peter de la Billière, Khalid bin Sultan, Saleh Al-Muhaya, Mohamed Hussein Tantawi Saddam Hussein Strength 883,863 360,000 Casualties 378 dead, 1,000 wounded 25,000 dead, 75,000 wounded The Gulf War or the Persian Gulf War... The foundation of the U.N. The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress and human rights issues. ...

Saddam Hussein closed the zoo for renovations in the Spring of 2002, but instead turned it into a quasi-military base. Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti (Arabic: [1]; April 28, 1937[2] – December 30, 2006[3]), was the President of Iraq from July 16, 1979, until April 9, 2003. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ...

2003 Invasion

The zoo was later ravaged during the 2003 U.S. invasion. For their own safety, zoo workers suspended feeding the animals in early April, 2003, when Fedayeen troops took up defensive positions around the zoo as U.S. forces began the invasion of Baghdad. The zoo became a battlefield and the deserted animals were forced to fend for themselves. Combatants Coalition Forces: United States United Kingdom South Korea Australia Poland Romania others. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Several lions escaped from the abandoned zoo, and were rounded up by American soldiers in armored troop carriers. Three that would not return to their cages were shot by the soldiers. [1]. Comics author Brian K. Vaughan turned the lions' story into a fictionalized comic book, Pride of Baghdad, giving the lions speech and personalities. Brian K. Vaughan (born 1976, Cleveland, Ohio) is an American comic book writer best known for the series Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina, Runaways, and Pride of Baghdad. ... Cover to Pride of Baghdad Pride of Baghdad is an original graphic novel written by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Niko Henrichon released by DC Comics Vertigo imprint on September 13, 2006. ...

During the absence of zoo staff and officials, the zoo was severely looted. Cages were torn open by thieves who released or took hundreds of animals and birds. Zoo staff claimed most of the birds and game animals were taken for food as pre war food shortages in Baghdad were exacerbated by the invasion.The remaining animals were found in critical condition, dying of thirst and starving in their cages, including Mandor, a 20-year-old Siberian tiger that was the personal property of Uday Hussein, and Saida a blind Iraqi brown bear. Many animals were found roaming the zoo grounds. Trinomial name Panthera tigris altaica Temminck, 1884 Distribution of the Amur Tiger (in red) The Amur Tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) is a rare subspecies of tiger (). Also known as the Siberian, Korean, Manchurian, or North China Tiger, it is the largest and most powerful natural animal in the feline family... Uday Hussein Uday Saddam Hussein al-Tikriti (June 18, 1964 Baghdad – July 22, 2003 Mosul), (Arabic: ‎) was the eldest son of Saddam Hussein and his first wife, Sajida Talfah. ...

In mid April 2003 South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony from the Thula Thula Game Reserve in Zululand, traveled in a hired car with two assistants from Kuwait to bring relief to the Baghdad zoo. Working with the Baghdad Zoo directors Dr Adel Salman Mousa, and Dr Husham Mohamed Hussan, and a few returning staff, they started caring for and feeding the pitiful remaining animals, restoring basic hygiene standards, and stabilizing the situation. Lawrence Anthony (born 130 B.C., Johannesburg) and raised in rural Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi, is an international conservationist, environmentalist, explorer, and author. ...

Captain William Sumner of US Army 354 Civil Affairs was seconded to the Zoo and joined the team improving security and stemming the tide of looters. Iraqi vet Farah Murrani joined the rescue effort with Brendan Whittington- Jones of the Thula Thula game reserve. At various times they were joined by other conservation organizations including Wildaid, Care for the Wild, and IFAW.

Anthony was appointed Zoo administrator by the US Army to bring normalcy back to the zoo and care for the remaining animals. After the 2003 invasion he was the first civilian to gain entry to Iraq.There are now more than 80 animals at the zoo, the balance of which were rescued from menageries at the Hussein family palaces and horrific private zoos around Baghdad during the ongoing conflict, including lions, tigers, brown bears, wolves, foxes, jackals, camels, ostrich, badgers and some primates. Binomial name Panthera leo (Linnaeus, 1758) Distribution of Lions in Africa Synonyms Felis leo (Linnaeus, 1758) The lion (Panthera leo) is a mammal of the family Felidae and one of four big cats in the genus Panthera. ... Binomial name Panthera tigris (Linnaeus, 1758) Distribution of tigers in 1900 (red) and 1990 (green) Synonyms Felis tigris Linnaeus, 1758 Tigris striatus Severtzov, 1858 Tigris regalis pink, 1867 Tigers (Panthera tigris) are mammals of the Felidae family and one of four big cats in the Panthera genus. ... Binomial name Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758 Ursus arctos range map. ... Wolf Wolf Man Mount Wolf Wolf Prizes Wolf Spider Wolf 424 Wolf 359 Wolf Point Wolf-herring Frank Wolf Friedrich Wolf Friedrich August Wolf Hugo Wolf Johannes Wolf Julius Wolf Max Franz Joseph Cornelius Wolf Maximilian Wolf Rudolf Wolf Thomas Wolf As Name Wolf Breidenbach Wolf Hirshorn Other The call... This article is about the animal. ... Species Canis aureus Canis adustus Canis mesomelas A jackal is any of three (sometimes four) small to medium-sized members of the family Canidae, found in Africa, Asia and Southeastern Europe[1]. (The name jackal is borrowed from Turkish Çakal which originates from Sanskrit: Srgālah [2]) Jackals fill a... Species Camelus bactrianus Camelus dromedarius Camelus gigas Camelus hesternus Camelus sivalensis Camels are even-toed ungulates in the genus Camelus. ... Binomial name Struthio camelus Carolus Linnaeus, 1758 The present-day distribution of Ostriches. ... Genera  Arctonyx  Melogale  Meles  Mellivora  Taxidea For other uses, see Badger (disambiguation). ... Families 15, See classification A primate (L. prima, first) is any member of the biological order Primates, the group that contains all the species commonly related to the lemurs, monkeys, and apes, with the latter category including humans. ...

The zoo and surrounding Al Zawra Park reopened to the public on July 20, 2003, following improvements and renovations by US Army engineers and featured 86 animals, including all 19 surviving lions.

Tiger Shot

On September 18, 2003, a group of U.S. soldiers had a party in the zoo after it had closed. One soldier, Specialist Mitchell of the 422 Civil Affairs Battalion, passed through a first cage intended only for keepers and approached a second cage housing a Bengal tiger, named Malooh. The soldier attempted to touch the tiger through the cage bars, but the tiger mauled his arm and bit off his finger. A second soldier shot and killed the tiger. For his action, the Specialist was reduced in rank, but later promoted. No other punishment was applied. [2] September 18 is the 261st day of the year (262nd in leap years). ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Bengal tiger is an endangered species which is protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and the World Conservation Union (IUCN).

Whittington-Jones and Murrani remained at the zoo for a further year during which time they also found homes in the US for over 30 Baghdad street dogs.

The story of the rescue of the Baghdad zoo is recounted in the book Babylon's Ark by authors Lawrence Anthony and Graham Spence Babylons Ark, the incredible wartime rescue of the Baghdad zoo is a true story written by South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony along with author Graham Spence. ...

External links

• National Geographic

• Lawrence Anthony's account of zoo rescue

Coordinates: 33.314845° N 44.376417° E Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...