Dian Fossey: Life with Mountain Gorillas
Dian Fossey
World-renowned primatologist and conservationist, Dian Fossey, is most celebrated for her work on mountain gorillas, in which she effectively saved them from extinction. Over the course of her lifetime, she had made countless travels to Africa where she lived for many years with gorillas. Throughout her life, she has faced many obstacles. Today, she truly inspires how one person can follow their passion persistently to fulfill their dreams and possibly change the world. Even after her passing, her work lives on as the Karisoke Research Center in Rwanda continues to study primates as well as her work in gorilla protection, education, science and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.
Dian Fossey was born on January 16th in 1932 at San Francisco, California where she grew up with her mother and step father. Her love for animals began at a young age and continued throughout her life. Although her calling was to animals, it took her a while to get there as she studied in various areas before settling on zoology.
Dian Fossey was born on January 16th in 1932 at San Francisco, California where she grew up with her mother and step father. Her love for animals began at a young age and continued throughout her life. Although her calling was to animals, it took her a while to get there as she studied in various areas before settling on zoology.
On her first trip to Africa, she visited Kenya in September of 1963, including Tanzania, Congo, and Zimbabwe. There she met with Dr. Louis Leakey, a Kenyan-British archeologist at Olduvai Gorge telling her his belief that long-term research on primates has great importance. This was the catlyst that was going to embark her on a journey of the study of primates. Fossey took many inspirations from various primatologists, zoologists, and biologists such as George Schaller, a German-American biologist. Although her passion had no limit, she was met with multiple obstacles, one of which was funding. No matter the amount of passion she had, she was still faced with discrimination, being turned away or not being able to conduct her research. To solve this problem, she enrolled at the University of Cambridge in the hopes of getting an actual education on the behaviour of animals would get her the necessary sponsors to fund for her research. At the University of Cambridge she was privileged to work under the very same supervisor that famous primatologist Jane Goodall worked under, Dr. Robert Hinde. After earning her PhD in Animal Behaviour, she gained the respect she needed from the world, effectively earning sponsors and funding for her research.
Her groundbreaking studies on gorillas have changed our world today. In her 14 years of research she changed the scientific and worldly perception of gorillas. She revealed the life and behaviours of this certain primate. The study of primates benefits the world as the study is also used to understand human behaviour because of evolution, primates are humanity's closest beings. To go into further detail of the work of Dian Fossey, she discovered parallels from humans and gorillas for instance, how gorillas too have families and have deep connections and relationships with their offsprings. What was different about Fossey compared to other people who have seen or worked with primates is that she developed a connection with them. “‘But [Fossey] was successful in winning the trust of the gorillas; not just as an observer but an honorary member of the family,’ says Dr. Redmond, who also worked with Fossey” (The Christian Science Monitor, 2014).
Through Dian Fossey, the world got to know about a certain gorilla named Digit. He and Dian Fossey shared a deep and close friendship with Fossey calling him her “beloved Digit, where he got his name from an injured finger on his right hand. Tragically, Digit was killed brutally by some poachers. This event left an enormous scar on Fossey and she grieved his loss with a heavy heart. Consequently, this was the catalyst to the creation of the Digit Fund (later renamed the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund in honour of her passing). Digit’s story grew famous worldwide, so she used his fame to spread awareness on the topic of animal poaching. Although her response to poachers is controversial, some say that her actions were immoral and unethical. Even so, take this information how you interpret it.
In the year 1970, Dian Fossey left Africa to continue her doctorate at Cambridge University in England, thus concluding her degree in zoology with her dissertation of “The Behaviour of Mountain Gorillas.” She then returned back to Rwanda to continue with her work with mountain gorillas. After about 6 years, she moved to Ithaca, New York as a visiting associate professor at Cornell University as well as successfully publishing her bestselling novel “Gorillas in the Mist” which depicts her studies in the African wilderness. In 1985, she returned back to Africa where shortly a most tragic event unfolded; her dead body was discovered in the morning of December 27th. Her body was found slain thus being the result of a murder. Theories suggests that she was murdered by poachers whom she had very turbulent relationships with. A few days later, she was laid to rest next to her beloved gorilla, Digit at the Gorilla Cemetery at Karisoke Research Station.
Dian’s life is not short of remarkable, her determination, her will to fight for animals that she loved so dearly and her connection to primates made her who she was and the world has benefited greatly because of her. She is an inspiration to continue the study of primates and the action of following what she believes was right. All in all, we have much to thank for primatologist, Dian Fossey.
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Sources
Chowdhury, Sudeshna. “Dian Fossey: What was her biggest discovery?” Christian Science Monitor, 16 January 2014, https://www.csmonitor.com/Technology/Tech-Culture/2014/0116/Dian-Fossey-What-was-her-biggest-discovery
Accessed 26 May 2022.
Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. “Dian Fossey Biography.” Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, 2021, https://gorillafund.org/who-we-are/dian-fossey/dian-fossey-bio/ Accessed 27 May 2022.
Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. “Digit and Dian Fossey’s Historic Gorillas.” Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, 15 November 2017, https://gorillafund.org/dian-fossey/digit-dian-fosseys-historic-gorillas/ Accessed 25 May 2022.
Giving Compass, and Devex International Development. “Countries Band Together to Save Central African Rainforest.” Giving Compass, 5 May 2018, https://givingcompass.org/article/countries-band-together-to-save-central-african-rainforest Accessed 26 May 2022.
Accessed 26 May 2022.
Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. “Dian Fossey Biography.” Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, 2021, https://gorillafund.org/who-we-are/dian-fossey/dian-fossey-bio/ Accessed 27 May 2022.
Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. “Digit and Dian Fossey’s Historic Gorillas.” Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, 15 November 2017, https://gorillafund.org/dian-fossey/digit-dian-fosseys-historic-gorillas/ Accessed 25 May 2022.
Giving Compass, and Devex International Development. “Countries Band Together to Save Central African Rainforest.” Giving Compass, 5 May 2018, https://givingcompass.org/article/countries-band-together-to-save-central-african-rainforest Accessed 26 May 2022.