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Zoo Quest for a Dragon
Zoo Quest for a Dragon
174 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1957
6 people are currently reading
254 people want to read
About the author
David Attenborough
172 books2,735 followersSir David Frederick Attenborough is a naturalist and broadcaster, who is most well-known for writing and presenting the nine "Life" series, produced in conjunction with BBC's Natural History Unit. The series includes Life on Earth (1979), The Living Planet (1984), The Trials of Life (1990), Life in the Freezer (about Antarctica; 1993), The Private Life of Plants (1995), The Life of Birds (1998), The Life of Mammals (2002), Life in the Undergrowth (2005) and Life in Cold Blood (2008).
He is the younger brother of director and actor Richard Attenborough.
Photo credit: Wildscreen's photograph of David Attenborough at ARKive's launch in Bristol, England © May 2003
He is the younger brother of director and actor Richard Attenborough.
Photo credit: Wildscreen's photograph of David Attenborough at ARKive's launch in Bristol, England © May 2003
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 29, 2023
Another of Attenborough's Zoo Quest books from his early years where he jets off to remote locations with the aim of photographing and recording rare animals in the wild and capturing certain types live to be housed in the London Zoo. The primary goal of this expedition was a Komodo Dragon, which as we all now know live only on the Indonesian Island of Komodo (and a few nearby minor islands).
Attenborough's secondary goal was to visit the islands of Aru to witness the Birds of Paradise, but Indonesian authorities would not under any circumstances permit them to visit, and so the second book (contained only within the Readers Book Club edition) charts a second, separate expedition to Papua New Guinea to see the many Birds of Paradise.
Once again Attenborough is joined by cameraman Charles Lagus, but this time companions from London Zoo who previously dealt with the actual capture of the animals were not able to accompany them, so they had to draw on their previous experiences to take on this role themselves.
As one might expect, the books covers all aspects of the expedition, from the planning (albeit pretty minimal, as they made up their plans on the go) and preparations to the permit gathering, local transport arrangements, and time spent with the local tribes. Locating and observing of the various animals and capture of these probably only occupies a half of the overall narrative, as much time and effort is spent in engaging with the tribes-people, obtaining food stores and porters and actually travelling (mostly on foot once the remoteness rules out boats and vehicles). Culture, festivals and interactions are captured as well as the birds and animals.
Overall, another excellent look into the early days of David Attenborough's life - some may say his formative years.
4 stars
Attenborough's secondary goal was to visit the islands of Aru to witness the Birds of Paradise, but Indonesian authorities would not under any circumstances permit them to visit, and so the second book (contained only within the Readers Book Club edition) charts a second, separate expedition to Papua New Guinea to see the many Birds of Paradise.
Once again Attenborough is joined by cameraman Charles Lagus, but this time companions from London Zoo who previously dealt with the actual capture of the animals were not able to accompany them, so they had to draw on their previous experiences to take on this role themselves.
As one might expect, the books covers all aspects of the expedition, from the planning (albeit pretty minimal, as they made up their plans on the go) and preparations to the permit gathering, local transport arrangements, and time spent with the local tribes. Locating and observing of the various animals and capture of these probably only occupies a half of the overall narrative, as much time and effort is spent in engaging with the tribes-people, obtaining food stores and porters and actually travelling (mostly on foot once the remoteness rules out boats and vehicles). Culture, festivals and interactions are captured as well as the birds and animals.
Overall, another excellent look into the early days of David Attenborough's life - some may say his formative years.
4 stars
February 23, 2025
Enjoyable, interesting listen. Makes me want to watch the series.
April 5, 2019
I wanted to read the books of the legendary David Attenborough from early childhood, but I did it only now... This book is so great, so extremely interesting. It turns out that Sir David has an excellent writing language and the most subtle humor that I have ever met in literature. There is nothing superfluous in the book. Narrative is masterfully concise and reads all in one breath. It is just crazy great that in YouTube you can find small scraps from world famous documentary films made by Sir David and his friend and cameraman Charles Lagus, which depict certain episodes from this book – you read the text written more than 60 years ago and at the same time you watch those outstanding video footage on your gadget... This is marvelous.
October 26, 2017
What an adventure. Sir David opens with a history of how he got into televised animal stories, and recounts some of his early adventures, ending with a trip to Indonesia and their effort to hunt down the then elusive Komodo Dragon. I loved the detail, and I could really visualize what it must have been like to visit Indonesia at that time.
February 8, 2021
Not written by the gentle old man we adore but by his young, roguish, intrepid and less polished self.
This little book full of wit, insight and enthusiasm will delight everyone who loves the man he is now.
This little book full of wit, insight and enthusiasm will delight everyone who loves the man he is now.
February 15, 2021
I really enjoyed the Zoo Quest: Guyana episode, so I read this too. This one, set in and around various islands of Indonesia on the way to Komodo, is arguably even more interesting. As Sir Dave says at the beginning, this expedition wasn't planned in any great detail, so he sets off to Jakarta and essentially 'wings it' from there, aiming to film and pick up whatever creatures he should come across along the way, ending up with a Komodo dragon. The quaintness of the 1950s, the descriptions of such exotic (still mostly unspoilt) lands, the air of adventure and especially the writing style exude such an air of rare class, even if Komodo dragons aren't your favourite creatures in the world, this still makes for very worthwhile reading. 5/5
April 16, 2021
Another great jaunt into Attenborough's beginnings, this time following his progress on the third of his "Zoo Quest" expeditions to collect animals.
The act of collecting animals in the wild to display in zoos now seems strange and outdated, as Attenborough himself has said. However, the picture painted of a world of only ~60 years ago is vivid and intriguing while reminding us of the natural world we have lost and the knowledge we have gained.
While the language used to describe non-British people is 'of its time's, the only person mocked in Attenborough's writing is himself and usually in instances where he highlights his Western biases and practices can't compete with those of local experts.
I look forward to the next one!
The act of collecting animals in the wild to display in zoos now seems strange and outdated, as Attenborough himself has said. However, the picture painted of a world of only ~60 years ago is vivid and intriguing while reminding us of the natural world we have lost and the knowledge we have gained.
While the language used to describe non-British people is 'of its time's, the only person mocked in Attenborough's writing is himself and usually in instances where he highlights his Western biases and practices can't compete with those of local experts.
I look forward to the next one!
July 8, 2024
I originally read Attenborough's Zoo Quest books in the 1960s, and they kindled in me a love of animals and a yearning to travel that remain with me to this day.
Re-reading this book now, for the first time in over fifty years, with an adult's eyes, I'm certainly struck by how much has changed - in the world, about zoos, about global travel - mostly but not always for the better.
What has not changed is Attenborough's ability to convey a sense of what it was like to be there; to create an intimate sense of places and of people through his eyes.
Re-reading this book now, for the first time in over fifty years, with an adult's eyes, I'm certainly struck by how much has changed - in the world, about zoos, about global travel - mostly but not always for the better.
What has not changed is Attenborough's ability to convey a sense of what it was like to be there; to create an intimate sense of places and of people through his eyes.
March 15, 2018
Second zoo-quest book I have read, is similar in kind to the first one (Guyana) This one takes us to Indonesia and Borneo and is again simply and straight forward with its prose but a fascinating document in terms of its history of the culture of the different people he meets and the places he goes to.
It is only about sixty years ago, and yet in some ways it feels much longer.
A book worth reading.
It is only about sixty years ago, and yet in some ways it feels much longer.
A book worth reading.
June 26, 2024
This is Sir David Attenborough’s sophomore literary effort, following the famed biologist’s expedition to the Komodo Islands, hoping to photograph and capture one of their titular Dragons. It’s not as immediately enjoyable as his documentation of his preceding Amazonian foray, mostly because much of this trip is tied up in Kafka-like bureaucratic back-and-forths, but Attenborough remains a compelling storyteller.
June 15, 2017
A charming story from David Attenborough's youth, searching for Komodo dragons in Indonesia. Although much of it is quite dated (some of the cultural critiques, and the very idea that they were trying to capture animals to bring to the UK).
January 27, 2022
One of the lively accounts of the author's adventures with a BBC film crew to collect animals in Indonesia, specifically of course the dragon on Komodo. Some actual moments of peril, though more due to the incompetent boat captain taking them to the island, than from the dragons themselves.
April 27, 2018
A little more about the tribes and people than of the animals in this book, than there was in Zoo Quest to Guiana, but still a really enjoyable read.
April 18, 2020
Fantastic. Funny caring. Nature. Bureaucracy. Silliness.
February 10, 2021
Brilliant early travelogue, these guys were pioneers!
June 15, 2024
Short and easy book that details one of the first trips sir David took for his animal programmes. Would have liked a bit more at the end but it was a good story about travel in the days gone by
October 27, 2011
Devoured the original print edition of this as a child. Now happily listening to David Attenborough narrate the audio version. Bought it for research purposes and am so so delighted to find it lives up to my childhood memories of it.
January 31, 2022
Looks like I am including Dragon in my Challenge twice but including this as it is a twin volume and only listing I can find of Attenborough's Papua New Guinea expedition to look for birds of paradise. Fascinating stuff.
May 2, 2011
David Attenborough is adorable. This delightful beach-read provides a facinating insight into his early career. It is inspiring to think of the random good fortune that led to his career.
March 3, 2016
Just a feel good read
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews