Dian Fossey – American primatologist of the 20th century, author of Gorillas in the Mist and Letters from the Mountain, famed for her groundbreaking research on mountain gorillas in Rwanda. Her work turned gorillas into a global conservation symbol, and her life inspired books and film.
✨ Founded the Karisoke Research Center in the Virunga Mountains in 1967. 🦍 Lived among gorillas, documenting their behaviour for years. 📚 Gorillas in the Mist (1983) became a worldwide bestseller. 🎬 The 1988 film starring Sigourney Weaver brought her story to global audiences. 🌍 Fiercely opposed poachers and wildlife traffickers, often at personal risk. 🤝 Identified and named individual gorillas, describing their personalities. 🏞 Contributed to the creation of conservation areas in Central Africa. ⚔️ Her fight against poaching earned her many enemies. 🤔 Curious: first planned to be a vet, but dropped out after struggling with chemistry. 😄 Funny: joked that gorillas “often have better manners than tourists.”