Dian Fossey

Dian's Accomplishments

Dian put herself through school, working at several jobs while at school. Dian worked hard and took loans to pay for her first trip to Africa. While in Africa, she impressed Dr. Leakey enough that he remembered her when he gave a lecture a few years later. He offered her a job to go study the mountain gorillas. Dian set up camp and eventually earned the trust of the gorilla family she was studying. She became a member of their family. She created a foundation to help protect the mountain gorillas. Dian wrote an autobiography about her life with the gorillas.  She was able to bring international attention to the gorillas to help save their environment.