Dian Fossey

Dian Fossey

Dian Fossey was born in 1932 in San Francisco, California. She always had an interest for animals. She went to San Jose University as a veterinary student. Soon she got her degree as an occupational student. In 1963 she realized she had a love for mountain gorillas after a trip to Africa.

Dian Fossey then started to study gorillas in Zaire. Later she started a research center in Rwanda. She lived there for 18 years and got to know the gorillas there and soon earned their trust. She was the first person to really come in contact with a gorilla when one of them touched her hand.

Soon she became very attached to the gorillas and especially one of them that she named Digit. She watched Digit grow up and they became very attached to one another. Soon they started to hang out more and Fossey started to learn a great deal about mountain gorrilas from him. Because of Fossey we now know a lot more about mountain gorrilas. About two years later Digit was killed by a bunch of poachers. Then Fossey started a campaign. This campaign ran against gorrila poaching around the world. Later on, when Fossey was in an article in National Geographic, she realized that a large number of donations started to come in. With the donation money she started a Digit Fund and soon dedicated her life to saving gorillas.

A few years later Fossey traveled back to the United States to get her Ph.D. In 1980 she started working at Cornell University where she wrote her book "Gorillas in the Mist." Later on her book was made into a movie. After finishing the book Fossey went back to Karisoke to finish working with the gorillas.

On December 26, 1985 Dian Fossey was found murdered in her home. The reason for her death is still unknown. But her gorilla fund is still supporting gorillas around the world. Her team in Rwanda is still woring hard to protect as many gorillas as possible. Mountain gorillas are now protected by the government of Rwanda and other organizations around the world.