Dian Fossey

Dian Fossey was an American zoologist and primatologist. She was born in San Francisco, California, in 1932. She spent 18 years living in the mountains of Rwanda studying gorillas. Her work helped save mountain gorillas from extinction.

Early Life

Fossey loved animals from a young age. She studied occupational therapy in college but dreamed of going to Africa. She took out a loan to travel to Africa in 1963, where she met Louis Leakey. Leakey encouraged her to study mountain gorillas.

Life with Gorillas

Fossey set up a research camp in the mountains of Rwanda in 1967. She earned the trust of gorilla families by imitating their sounds and movements. She discovered that gorillas are gentle and social animals. She fought fiercely against poachers who hunted gorillas. Her story was told in the book and movie Gorillas in the Mist.

Fun Facts

• Dian Fossey learned to imitate gorilla sounds to gain their trust.
• She lived in a remote mountain camp in Rwanda for 18 years.
• Her work helped increase the mountain gorilla population.

Did You Know?

When Dian Fossey first arrived in the mountains of Rwanda, there were only about 240 mountain gorillas left. Thanks to her conservation efforts, the population has grown to over 1,000 today.