Zoo Quest for a Dragon was published by Lutterworth Press in 1957. The expedition’s objective was to film and, if possible, capture a Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) — the largest living lizard, reaching lengths of over ten feet and weights exceeding 150 pounds. The species had been scientifically described only in 1912, and in the 1950s it remained poorly known outside Indonesia. The journey to Komodo took Attenborough and his crew through Bali (where they filmed temple ceremonies and traditional dance), Java, and the increasingly remote islands of the lesser Sunda chain.
The approach to Komodo itself involved a sea crossing in a local sailing vessel, followed by a trek across the island’s dry, rugged terrain. The dragons, when encountered, were as extraordinary as their reputation: massive, powerful, moving with a deliberate, swaying gait, their forked tongues sampling the air. Attenborough describes the animals with the precision of a naturalist and the awe of a man confronting a creature that seems to belong to another geological era.
The book captures the golden age of natural history television, when filming expeditions combined genuine scientific discovery with physical adventure. The equipment was heavy, unreliable, and designed for studio conditions; the locations were remote, hot, and logistically challenging; and the results were television programs that introduced millions of viewers to animals they had never seen and places they would never visit.
Collecting Zoo Quest for a Dragon
First edition (Lutterworth Press, London, 1957): Cloth binding, dust jacket.
Market values:
- First edition, fine/fine: $80–$200
- Very good/very good: $30–$80
- Signed: $150–$400