Member presents book about National Zoo’s gorillas, Jan. 16

National Press Club member Kara Arundel plans to present her compelling new book, Raising America’s Zoo: How Two Wild Gorillas Helped Transform the National Zoo, on Thursday, Jan. 16, at 6:30 p.m. in the Reliable Source’s Cosgrove Lounge.

The event is free for Club members, but purchasing food and drink at the Reliable Source is encouraged.

In 1955, gorillas were one of the most sought-after species to exhibit for zoo communities and one of the most challenging animals to keep in captivity. Washington, D.C.’s National Zoo had been trying for decades to exhibit gorillas but even with its clout and connections, still could not get the gorillas it so desperately wanted.

Kara’s father-in-law, Nick Arundel – a former Club member, Marine veteran and CIA operative – took on the mission by getting a pair of baby gorillas from the African Congo and flying the apes on a commercial airline to the United States. When he boarded the plane for home, he carried a baby gorilla under each arm. Nick Arundel donated the apes to the National Zoo, where they lived out the rest of their lives and produced the fourth and fifth gorillas born in captivity in the world.

Everyone fell in love with the two gorillas and their offspring at the National Zoo. Their presence and an adoring public taught the zoo a much-needed lesson about caring for the animals entrusted to them and left a lasting legacy. Under watchful eyes of the nation and with the Marine’s coaching and prodding, the National Zoo became an animal conservation model for the world.

Kara plans to be joined by Karie Kirkpatrick, writer of ZooHistories.com, who plans to share joyful and heartbreaking stories of other former National Zoo animals that left lasting impacts on “America’s Zoo.”

This event is part of a series of Book Raps hosted by the Book & Author Group to highlight members and their books. For more information on this group, please attend our monthly meetings on the second Tuesday of each month at noon in the Reliable Source.