Carl Ethan Akeley (1864–1926): The Father of Modern Taxidermy Carl Ethan Akeley (May 19, 1864 – November 17, 1926) stands as a monumental figure in the history of natural science and artistic representation. Born in Clarendon, New York, to Daniel Webster Akeley and Julia Glidden, his early life instilled within him a profound appreciation for the natural world—a passion that would define his extraordinary career as a naturalist, taxidermist, photographer, inventor, and sculptor. He revolutionized museum displays with lifelike animal dioramas and is rightfully recognized as the progenitor of…