Please join local author and journalist Kara Arundel as she discusses her recent non-fiction book, Raising America’s Zoo: How Two Wild Gorillas Helped Transform the National Zoo. In 1955 Kara’s father-in-law Arthur “Nick” Arundel brought a pair of young gorillas from Africa on a commercial flight to America and donated them to the National Zoo. It was the beginning of dramatic changes for the gorillas and for the zoo that would evolve from an antiquated animal park to an internationally respected animal conservation center. The book also discusses how Nick Arundel at first celebrated capturing the gorillas but then grew to regret his tale of hunting gorillas and spent the rest of his life as an advocate for animal conservation efforts at the National Zoo and in the wild in Africa. 

 

Free event and no registration required. Books will be available for purchase and signing at the event. Families are welcome.