Mary Jobe Akeley was an American explorer, author, mountaineer, and photographer. She undertook expeditions in the Canadian Rockies and in the Belgian Congo. She worked at the American Museum of Natural History creating exhibits featuring taxidermy animals in realistic natural settings. Akeley worked on behalf of conservation efforts, including advocating for the creation of game preserves. She founded Camp Mystic, an outdoor camp near Mystic, Connecticut, for girls.