Dian Fossey: Animal Rights Activist and Protector of Mountain Gorillas

Dian Fossey: Animal Rights Activist and Protector of Mountain Gorillas — page 7
tHe trimates Because of the close genetic relationships between humans chimpanzees gorillas and orangutans Louis Leakey believed that much could be learned about human evolution by studying the behavior of great apes in their natural habitats To that end in 1958 he commissioned Jane Goodall to study chimpanzees in Tanganyika now Tanzania In 1966 he hired Dian Fossey to observe mountain gorillas in the nations of Congo and Rwanda And in 1971 he sponsored Birute Galdikas in a study of orangutans in Borneo These three female researchers became known as Leakey’s Ladies Leakey’s Angels or in a pun on primate which is a grouping of mammals that includes humans and apes the Trimates Gorilla Expert During her years in Africa Dian did more than observe gorillas She also recognized that human activities threatened their survival as a species She shared these facts of gorilla life with the world Over the years Dian wrote four books and seven scientific papers about mountain gorilla behavior She discovered they were curious affectionate creatures that loved to socialize and play A mountain gorilla family in Africa As Dian spent more time with mountain gorillas she found them to be in her words dignified highly social gentle giants with individual personalities and strong family relationships 10