African Wildlife

Part of Hall of African Mammals.

Platform exhibit of a group of African elephants in the Museum's Hall of African Mammals.

As a hunter, Theodore Roosevelt was concerned about the wanton destruction of animals in the wild. "More and more, as it becomes necessary to preserve the game," he wrote, "let us hope that the camera will largely supplant the rifle."

Explorer Carl Akeley, who conceived of this hall to celebrate African wildlife met up with Roosevelt on a post-presidency expedition to Africa in search of specimens and new species. Akeley, noting the admiration field naturalists accorded TR, wrote "that he found infinite joy in studying wild animal life in its native haunts; that he had the observing eye and keen mind of the ideal naturalist."