Bettie Page met photographers Jan Caldwell, H. W. Hannau and Bunny Yeager during one of her annual pilgrimages to Miami, Florida, in 1954. Page was the top pin-up model in New York at the time. Former model Yeager signed Page for a photoshoot at Africa USA, which closed in Boca Raton, Florida.
Some of her most cherished photos were taken during this photoshoot. They include shots with a pair of cheetahs named Mojah and Mbili. Page made the leopard-print Jungle Girl outfit she wore, along with most of her lingerie. Bettie sewed the leopard-print one-piece that she wore in the photographs the night before the shoot. It had an off-the-shoulder Tarzan look, a triangle front flap, and five thin ties along the side.
A closer look at the photographs will reveal that the cheetahs’ eyes appear glassy. Bettie was introduced to Moja and Mbili (meaning one and two in Swahili). The trainer warned her to hang onto their chains since they would be challenging to catch. He also reported that the cheetahs were ill and had been awake all night.
