Dian Fossey, born on January 16, 1932, was an American primatologist famously remembered for her extensive study of mountain gorillas from 1966 until her murder in 1985. Dian Fossey spent twenty years among the mountain gorillas of Rwanda. She was to them what Jane Goodall was to the chimpanzees of Tanzania: she devoted her life to the mountain gorillas and not only made the world aware of their existence but also emphasized the need to protect them.
In 1967, she set up camp in the Virunga Mountains, a chain of mainly extinct volcanoes along the borders of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. This chain of mountains is home to about 1000 mountain gorillas shared among three national parks: Mgahinga National Park in Uganda, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in the neighborhood.
In that same year, she established the Karisoke Research Foundation in Volcanoes National Park (Rwanda) to aid in the study of mountain gorillas, while simultaneously working towards securing a Ph.D. at Cambridge University. She obtained her degree in 1976 and later accepted a visiting associate professorship at Cornell University.
During her time in the Virunga region, Dian actively opposed poaching, supported mountain gorilla conservation efforts, and raised global awareness about the mountain gorillas. Dian Fossey’s habituation of mountain gorillas was remarkable as she achieved it without “provisioning” or bribing them, unlike her counterpart Jane Goodall who had to use bananas to habituate chimpanzees.
The more time she spent with these giant apes, the more Dian feared for them. Mountain gorillas were being poached at a shocking rate, sometimes in groups of five or ten in a single day. With her team, Fossey initiated poaching patrols, destroying and removing traps, and caring for injured and abandoned infant gorillas.
Her research then shifted towards conservation efforts rather than purely scientific study. She corresponded with various organizations including the Rwandan National Park System, the African Wildlife Foundation, and the World Wildlife Fund, urging them to join the anti-poaching efforts to save what would later become the world’s most sought-after primate species.
Fossey’s book “Gorillas in the Mist” became a global bestseller and was later adapted into a movie of the same name. Both the book and the film significantly boosted conservation efforts by exposing the Western world to the severe threats faced by mountain gorillas in the Virunga region.
Regarded as a leading advocate for the conservation of mountain gorillas, Dian Fossey worked tirelessly to protect these “gentle giants” from human and environmental threats. She viewed gorillas as highly dignified and social creatures with distinct personalities and strong family bonds.
Sadly, on December 26, 1985, Dian Fossey was found brutally murdered at her Rwandan forest camp, likely by poachers. Several individuals were arrested, but no one was convicted, and her tragic death remains unresolved to this day.
Even after her death, her legacy lives on through the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International and the Karisoke Research Foundation, which continue their work against all odds. Her unwavering dedication to conservation made her a celebrated figure worldwide, and she remains an iconic symbol of gorilla conservation efforts.
Daily hikes are still taken to her gravesite on the outskirts of Volcanoes National Park to honor the woman who sacrificed her life to protect the endangered mountain gorillas.
