Buzz
Dian Fossey, born in San Francisco on January 16, 1932, grew up far from the tropical forests of East Africa. It wasn’t until her thirties that she ventured into this environment, dedicating the rest of her life to studying the mountain gorillas residing there. From her revolutionary work in primatology to her enigmatic death, here are 11 intriguing facts about the woman behind Gorillas in the Mist.
1. HER PASSION FOR ANIMALS STARTED WITH A PET GOLDFISH.
Despite becoming one of the most renowned animal advocates in history, Fossey wasn’t raised in a pet-friendly home. The only animal she had as a child was a solitary goldfish, which she cherished deeply. When it passed away, her parents prohibited her from getting a replacement. Even a hamster offered by a classmate was not allowed into the house.
2. SHE WAS AN AWARD-WINNING EQUESTRIAN.
Unable to have pets at home, Fossey channeled her love for animals into equestrianism. She took her first horseback-riding lesson at just six years old. By her teenage years, she had advanced to the point where she was invited to join the Lowell High School riding team in San Francisco. Her passion for horses won her several awards and led her to pursue a degree in animal husbandry at the University of California, Davis. Later, even after deciding to study occupational therapy, Fossey moved to Kentucky to be closer to rural life.
3. SHE INVESTED HER ENTIRE LIFE SAVINGS IN HER FIRST TRIP TO AFRICA.
At 31, Dian Fossey embarked on her first journey to the continent where she would eventually make her mark. Motivated by a friend's African adventure, she spent her life savings of around $8000, took out a three-year bank loan, and planned a seven-week exploration of Kenya, Tanzania, Congo, and Zimbabwe. It was during this trip that she met the renowned anthropologist Louis Leakey, who had supported the careers of the 'trimates'—Jane Goodall, Biruté Galdikas, and later, Fossey herself. It was also on this journey that Fossey first encountered gorillas in their natural habitat. She joined wildlife photographers Joan and Alan Root in their quest to document the animals in the Congolese mountains. Though this trip wasn’t directly scientific, Fossey later reflected, "The seed was planted in my head, even if unconsciously, that I would someday return to Africa to study the gorillas of the mountains."
4. SHE SHOWED HER COMMITMENT WITH AN APPENDECTOMY.
Leakey reconnected with Fossey in the United States in 1966. Having spent the previous years aiding his former secretary, Jane Goodall, with her chimpanzee research, the anthropologist was now searching for someone who could do for gorillas what Goodall had accomplished for chimps. After getting to know Fossey better, Leakey determined she was the perfect fit for the role. He offered to secure funding for her return to Africa, but before she left, Fossey would need to undergo an appendectomy as a precaution. This didn't deter her. When Leakey wrote six weeks later to inform her that the surgery was no longer necessary and that he had simply wanted to ensure her commitment, Fossey was already appendix-free.
5. HER FIRST RESEARCH EXPEDITION WAS CUT SHORT.
Fossey ventured back to the Congo in late 1966, just months before civil war erupted in the region. In July 1967, rebel soldiers captured her at her base camp. After two weeks in military custody, she managed to bribe her way out by offering money and her Land Rover. The guards agreed to escort her to Uganda, but once there, she had them arrested. Despite this harrowing experience, Fossey was eager to continue her research. She quickly moved her camp to Rwanda, ignoring the warnings from the U.S. Embassy.
6. SHE REVEALED THE TRUE NATURE OF GORILLAS.
Before Fossey’s research, gorillas were widely perceived as violent creatures, comparable to the monstrous King Kong. Fossey’s work debunked the myth that gorillas were dangerous and would attack humans at any opportunity, demonstrating their true, peaceful nature.
To blend into gorilla society, she adopted their behaviors. Mimicking their movements, like walking on her knuckles and chewing celery stalks, helped her earn their trust. By keeping a low profile and always making her presence clear, Fossey ensured her safety around the enormous yet gentle creatures. Today, we understand that, despite their massive size, gorillas are among the least aggressive of the great apes.
7. SHE WAS GIVEN A DISTINCTIVE NAME BY THE LOCALS.
Having spent considerable time at her research center in Rwanda, Dian Fossey became well-known among the locals. They affectionately referred to her as Nyiramachabelli, which, when roughly translated from Swahili, means "the woman who lives alone on the mountain."
8. SHE IDENTIFIED GORILLAS BY THEIR NOSES.
Many of the gorillas Fossey studied were named, including Peanut, Rafiki, and Uncle Bert. However, Fossey also had a unique way of distinguishing them: She sketched their noses. Each gorilla’s nose has a distinctive wrinkle pattern, which Fossey used to identify them. These ‘nose prints’ are like human fingerprints, and rather than getting close, Fossey documented them from a distance using binoculars and a sketchpad.
9. ONE OF HER GORILLAS IS STILL ALIVE TODAY.
Dian Fossey’s research included hundreds of gorillas, but as of 2017, only one of her original subjects is still living. Poppy, born in 1976, was part of the gorilla group Fossey was studying at the time. Fossey documented Poppy's early years in her journals. Now, at the age of 41, Poppy holds the title of the oldest gorilla being monitored by the Dian Fossey Fund.
10. HER STORY INSPIRED A BOOK, A MOVIE, AND AN OPERA.
In 1983, Fossey released the book that catapulted her into the spotlight. Gorillas in the Mist is an autobiographical narrative detailing her first 13 years spent studying gorillas in the African wilderness and the groundbreaking scientific insights she uncovered. The book became a bestseller, and five years later, it was adapted into a film, with Sigourney Weaver portraying Fossey. The film earned five Oscar nominations and turned Weaver into a gorilla conservation advocate.
A lesser-known portrayal of Fossey’s life also exists: In 2006, the Kentucky Opera’s VISIONS! program performed an opera titled Nyiramachabelli— a reference to Fossey’s Swahili nickname.
11. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF HER DEATH REMAIN UNSOLVED.
In addition to her revolutionary work with gorillas, Fossey is widely remembered for her tragic and enigmatic murder. On December 27, 1985, her lifeless body was discovered in her cabin at the research camp she had established in Rwanda. A machete blow to the head was determined to be the cause of death, but the identity of her killer has never been conclusively identified. (In a Rwandan court, Fossey's American research assistant, Wayne McGuire, was convicted in absentia for the crime and sentenced to death. McGuire, who had fled Rwanda prior to the trial, has consistently denied any involvement.) Fossey was laid to rest in the mountains near the grave of her beloved gorilla, Digit, who had been killed by poachers. Just before her death, Fossey made one final entry in her diary, which reads:
“When you realize the value of all life, you dwell less on what is past and concentrate on the preservation of the future.”
