Thomas Blakiston was a British explorer and naturalist born in 1820. He is best known for his explorations in Japan and Siberia, where he studied the region's unique flora and fauna. Blakiston's work contributed significantly to the understanding of the natural history of these areas. In 1853, he became the first European to cross the Blakiston Line, a biogeographical boundary that separates the species of Asia and North America. His findings helped to highlight the differences in wildlife on either side of this line, making him an important figure in the study of zoogeography.