Fossey, Dian (1932-1985), was an American zoologist who studied the mountain gorillas of the Virunga Mountains in east-central Africa. She founded the Karisoke Research Center in Rwanda and lived there in near-isolation for almost 18 years. Fossey’s research on wild mountain gorillas led to efforts to protect this rare and endangered species. She was mysteriously murdered at her camp in Rwanda in December 1985.
Fossey was born on Jan. 16, 1932, in San Francisco. She received a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy from San Jose State College (now San Jose State University) in 1954. In 1963, inspired by a book about mountain gorillas by American zoologist George Schaller, Fossey borrowed money and traveled to Africa to see the animals. There, Fossey visited the camp of British anthropologist Louis Leakey. In 1966, Leakey picked Fossey to begin a long-term field study of the animals. Fossey received a doctorate for her gorilla research from Cambridge University in Cambridge, England, in 1974.
To gain acceptance by the mountain gorillas, Fossey imitated their habits and sounds. She studied them daily and came to know each animal individually. After several of her favorite mountain gorillas were killed, Fossey focused on protecting the animals from poachers and from the destruction of their mountain habitat. Some United States officials believe Fossey may have been murdered by poachers angered by her strong attempts to protect the animals. Fossey described her research in the book Gorillas in the Mist (1983). A motion picture about her with the same title was released in 1988.
