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"Neither destiny nor fate took me to Africa..."

Dian's Legacy
Dian's work lives on through the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund and the researchers at Karisoke. In fact, the Virunga mountain gorilla population has gradually increased, although they are still far from numerous. Today only remnants of her cabin that was converted into a museum for tourists remain. During the Rwandan Civil War in 1994, the Virunga parks were filled with refugees and illegal logging destroyed vast areas of gorilla habitat.

In 1988, Dian's life and work was made into a movie Gorillas in the Mist: The Story of Dian Fossey starring Sigourney Weaver as Dian. Ms. Weaver was so moved by the experience that she supports the DFGF and has remained an ardent environmentalist. For more information on the movie, visit the movie's profile on imdb here.

In Dian's book Gorillas in the Mist (1983), she writes about both her life among the gorillas and her scientific research including previously unknown gorilla behavior. Her book remains the best-selling book about gorillas of all time. In 1987, Farley Mowat wrote the first biography about Dian Fossey titled Woman in the Mist, which detailed her personal life, her research, and the mystery surrounding her murder.

What You Can Do To Help Gorillas:

  • Learn all you can about gorillas by reading books or watching programs. For some recommended gorilla reading, click here.
  • You can support the Gorilla Fund by adopting a gorilla, donating, or buying merchandise from the foundation. Proceeds go to the Karisoke Research Center and directly support the gorillas.
  • The National Zoo at the Smithsonian Institution also has an adoption program with donations going to the National Zoo and its Conservation Research program.
  • Jane Goodall has some tips and way to help out on her website.
  • Remember, common sense things such as recycling, not littering, reducing energy & electricity, and conserving water also helps!
  • Gorillas are poached for body parts, which some people consider to be souvenirs, and for their meat in the illegal bushmeat trade. DO NOT BUY ANY OF THESE!