Dian Fossey

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Biography

Dian Fossey decided to study the endangered mountain gorilla in Africa after she was inspired by naturalist and conservationist George B. Schaller.

She was born in Fairfax California on January 16, 1932. She grew up in San Francisco as the only child of George and Kitty Fossey. Her parents divorced when she was only three. When she was five, her mother married Richard Price. He did not treat Dian very well. He made Dian eat her meals in the kitchen with the housekeeper until the age of 10.

"When you realize the value of all life, you dwell less on what is past and concentrate on the preservation of the future."

TechnoSchool

Grade 7A

James t.

In 1949 Dian graduated high school. When she was ready to go to college, her parents would not help pay for it. Instead, Dian’s aunt helped her out with school fees. She went to many schools including Marian Junior College, University of California and San Jose State College. In 1954 she graduated with a degree in occupational therapy (treatment or rehabilitation of physically or emotionally disabled people).

She Spent 7 years as the director of occupational therapy at Kosair Children’s Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky working with disabled children.

Through friends Dian became interested in Africa and made a six week trip there in 1963. She was especially interested in the excavations at Olduvia, and the mountain gorillas of the Virunga Volcans of Central Africa. After that trip, she was determined to work in Africa. Dian won support from the National Geographic Society in 1966 for a research program in the Zaire.

In 1967 she moved to Rwanda and set up Karisoke; a research camp that was located between two volcanic mountain ranges, Mt. Karisimbi and Mt. Visoke in the Parc National des Volcans.

By 1970 her hard work to get the gorillas used to her being there was finally rewarded when Peanuts, an adult male gorilla, reached out and touched her hand.

Rafiki and Peanuts

Base camp at Karisoke.

This was the first friendly gorilla to human contact ever recorded.

Dian realized that in order to continue her studies she needed to have a degree related to what she was doing in Africa. In 1970 she returned to the United States and attended Cambridge University where she graduated 4 years later with a Ph. D in Zoology.

Dian then went back to her gorillas in Rwanda to continue her studies. In 1983 she published the book Gorillas in the Mist teaching the world about the endangerment of the mountain gorilla. She became famous as people reading the book realized her studies and accomplishments in Africa.

On December 26, 1985 she was murdered in her cabin in Karisoke. Although her murder was considered unsolved for more than 15 years. Today the man believed responsible, a former Rwandan government official known as Mr. Z, is in custody awaiting trial.