No One Loved Gorillas More – The Life and Legacy of Dian Fossey

Abstract

Dian Fossey graduated as an occupational therapist and was working at a children’s hospital. In 1963 she went on safari to Africa and was so fascinated by the mountain gorillas that she decided to return to them. She started her gorilla research project three years later. Dian Fossey accumulated a huge amount of data on the behaviour of mountain gorillas and had important scientific observations about countless aspects of gorilla life. What is even more important, she became an activist to protect mountain gorillas. She destroyed thousands of traps, rescued and healed trapped animals, and captured poachers. While Fossey’s scientific achievements and tireless conservation activity brought her international recognition, her single-mindedness also earned her several enemies. She was brutally murdered in her cabin on December the 26^th, 1985. Mountain gorillas are still endangered, but, thanks partly to the efforts of Dian Fossey, their population is increasing.