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Dian Fossey
1932–1985 · Primatologist & Conservationist
An American primatologist and conservationist who spent much of 18 years studying mountain gorillas in Rwanda and transformed scientific understanding of their behaviour.
“The more you learn about the dignity and awe of gorillas, the more you want to help.”
Why is this scientist famous?
Carried out a long-term study of mountain gorillas and helped build international support for their conservation.
Fossey's research revealed the complex social lives of mountain gorillas and helped change public attitudes towards them. Her conservation work also drew worldwide attention to the threats they faced. The recovery of mountain gorilla populations has depended on decades of work by researchers, rangers, governments, conservation organisations and local communities.
Dian's story
Early Life
Born in 1932 in San Francisco, Fossey was fascinated with animals from childhood. She originally trained as an occupational therapist and worked in a children's hospital. But after reading George Schaller's work on mountain gorillas and visiting Africa in 1963, she dedicated her life to studying them.
Karisoke Research Center
In 1967 Fossey established the Karisoke Research Centre in Rwanda's Virunga Mountains. She and the people who worked with her gradually habituated gorilla groups to careful human observation, allowing researchers to study their behaviour at close range. The long-term research programme she began continues through the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.
Gorilla Families
Fossey documented gorilla family relationships, individual behaviour and social interactions, helping challenge the popular image of gorillas as naturally aggressive animals. Her 1983 book Gorillas in the Mist later inspired the 1988 film of the same name.
Conservation and Her Death
Fossey increasingly focused on protecting gorillas from poaching and habitat threats. After the gorilla Digit was killed by poachers in 1977, she expanded her anti-poaching efforts and public campaigning. Some of her methods were highly confrontational and remain controversial. On 26 December 1985, Fossey was found dead in her cabin at Karisoke. She had been killed, and the case remains unsolved.
What did they discover?
18-Year Study of Mountain Gorillas
Conducted a long-running field study of mountain gorillas that greatly expanded scientific knowledge of their social behaviour and family relationships.
Karisoke Research Center
Founded the Karisoke Research Centre in 1967. The long-term research programme she began continues through the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.
Anti-Poaching
Made direct protection and anti-poaching work a major part of her conservation programme. The later recovery of mountain gorillas has depended on sustained work by many organisations, governments, rangers and local communities.
Amazing facts
She spent much of 18 years studying mountain gorillas in the Virunga Mountains, working with trackers, students and research assistants.
She identified individual gorillas by their features and gave many of them names, including Digit, Beethoven and Uncle Bert.
She was killed at Karisoke in December 1985. The case remains unsolved.
Her book Gorillas in the Mist was made into a film starring Sigourney Weaver in 1988.
Louis Leakey supported the field research of Dian Fossey, Jane Goodall and Birutė Galdikas, who studied gorillas, chimpanzees and orangutans.
Mountain gorillas are a rare conservation success: their numbers have risen through decades of work by governments, rangers, researchers, conservation groups and local communities.
Timeline
Born in San Francisco, California on January 16
First visited Africa and met paleoanthropologist Louis Leakey
Established the Karisoke Research Centre in Rwanda
A gorilla named Peanuts made friendly physical contact with her during her habituation work
Her beloved gorilla Digit was killed by poachers
Returned to the U.S. to teach at Cornell University
Published Gorillas in the Mist, a bestselling book
Found dead at Karisoke in Rwanda, age 53; her killing remains unsolved
Gorillas in the Mist film released, starring Sigourney Weaver
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