Albertsons Library Associate Professor and Archivist Alessandro Meregaglia has published an article in The Conversation US about Mabel Stark, a well-known female tiger trainer in the United States. The article, titled “The Inspiring and tragic story of Mabel Stark, America’s most famous female tiger trainer,” was published on March 3, 2026.
In the article, Meregaglia discusses his research into Caxton Printers, the publisher of Stark’s autobiography. He discovered unpublished archival material that sheds light on Stark’s long career working with animals. According to Meregaglia:
“But before Joe Exotic, there was Mabel Stark. Often described as America’s most famous female tiger trainer, the Tiger Queen was renowned for her pluck and charisma.
While researching Caxton Printers, the publisher of Stark’s autobiography, I came across unpublished archival material about Stark’s long career training animals. Like Joe Exotic, Stark had a knack for the spotlight. But even more impressively, she did it under the scrutiny of being a woman in a male-dominated world, while caring for her animals with love rather than fear.”
Meregaglia highlights how Stark gained recognition not only for her ability to perform with tigers but also for achieving success at a time when few women held similar roles.
