Dian Fossey
Dian Fossey was conservationist and a primatologist and she made research about Mountain Gorillas in the year of 1968. However she was murdered in 1986 and its believed that it was those who oppose the protecting of mountain Gorillas including poachers and hunters killed her.
Before her death, Dian Fossey published a book titled “Gorillas in the Mist” and this was in account of her study about mountain Gorillas at the Research center in Karisoke. The book was later on used in casting a film titled Gorillas in the Mist in 1988.
Dian Fossey stayed in Rwanda for all her period during the research and she always supported the conservation efforts opposing those who engaged in poaching the wild inhabited animals. She taught people about the protection of mountain Gorillas. She was brutally murdered in her room which was near the Karisoke Research center.
Dian Fossey her moved to Africa as a tourist and she started with a visit in 1964 in Nairobi Kenya, where she met a hotel owner called William Holden, who later on introduced her to a guide who guided her through all the visits to the National parks including those in Tanzania and Democratic Republic of Congo.
Dian Fossey’s trip included a visit route to Tsavo which is one of the recorded national parks in Africa, Manyara National park which is suitable for bird watching where you have opportunities of spotting the Flamingos and Ngorongoro Crater which is best known for a number of bird life species. She finally made a visit to Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania.
Dian Fossey also stayed in Walter Baumgartel small hotel in Uganda. The hotel offered Gorilla conservation and the owner of the hotel later introduced her to Kenyan Wildlife photographers. Where she started camping behind the hotel. This is where she started to encounter with the Mountain Gorillas. The photographer then after helped her in obtaining work permits in the Virunga Mountains to research about mountain Gorillas in Congo. She learnt how to trek the mountain Gorillas and started mimicking their actions, grunting, behaviors and feeding.
Dian Fossey’s guide was arrested after some time in Kisoro district by the Military. There after she was advised to not go back to her home for her safety precaution. She later on met a local guide who had knowledge about Rwanda & he also offered a suitable site for her research.
Dian Fossey later on established a research center which is located on the foothills of Mount Bisoke. Which she founded in 1967 and named it Karisoke Research center. The name is derived from two mountains Karisimbi and mount Bisoke. The camp covers an area of about 25 square Kilometers.
The locals started naming her Nyirimatchabelli a local word which means a lady who lives alone in the mountain.
Dian Fossey always opposed poaching and she used to see a number of baby gorillas fight to death to protect themselves from poachers.
Dian Fossey financed a number of patrols in order to destroy the idea of poachers in Karisoke. During this time in 1980 the poachers were destroyed by the patrols.
Dian Fossey during this time arrested a big number of poachers and she also prevented the export of Coco and Pucker mountain Gorillas from Rwanda to the Germany zoo. With sad news she learnt that one of the mountain Gorillas was killed.
There after the little Gorillas were given to Dian Fossey by the conservation team for medication. Her favorite Gorilla Digit was killed during a hunting session. Digit took five shots of spears as he bleed lifeless. After self defense the other mountain Gorillas escaped the trap of the poachers. Digit’s death caused so much attention on poaching.
Dian Fossey was discovered murdered in her wash room and her body was found near her bed. Her assistant was summoned at the scene by Dain’s servant and the murders did not steal anything. They came for her life only. Everything in the room was found including her passports. She was buried at Karisoke where she constructed a burial ground for the Mountain Gorillas.
Besides Nyungwe Forest National Park, this tomb of Dian fossey has become a historical landmark in rwanda and tourists all over the world travel to explore this area.
