Mabel Stark was the first female tiger trainer in the world. Stark was a depressed young girl, so her doctor suggested she study to be a nurse, hoping the excitement of the job would drive off the blues. In the breaks between studying, she went to the zoo, becoming obsessed with the big cats. Stark left nursing for working in the circus. She began with horses but soon made friends with the big cat wrangler; she would later marry him.
In 1916, Stark began hosting the tiger act but worked with all the big cats. The animals did not always return her affection. She was injured many times. On one occasion, she had to be carried from the ring unconscious after being grabbed and mauled by a lion that broke her arm.
Stark performed with big cats until 1968, when she was forced to retire. After she left, one of her tigers escaped and was shot and killed. Stark killed herself soon after, depressed by the loss of her tiger and her job.
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