Gorillas in the Mist

A) Gorillas in the Mist is the non-fiction story of a Kentucky woman’s experience living among the wild gorillas of the Virungas Mountains. The conservation parks that she worked in are located in areas that cover parts of the three African countries of Rwanda, Uganda, and Zaire. Dian Fossey was inspired to devote her life to these primates by the famous anthropologist Dr. Louis Leakey, who funded her research. Through her stay in the wild terrain Dian soon thinks of as home, she educates us on gorilla society and why it is so vital to protect them. Her research helps bring understanding to the social structure of these endangered animals. Diane succeeds in persuading you to deeply connect and care for the mountain gorillas on a whole new level.

Fossey begins her study in the area of Kabara at the base of Mt. Mikeno. During this time, she learns the basic skills in tracking, approaching, and maintaining the trust of gorillas. She had finally gained acceptance by the particular animals that she was studying when an unexpected interference brought her research to a halt. Zairian soldiers captured and detained her due to the uprising of civil war. Seeing there was little hope for her release, Diane made a narrow escape to Rwanda that almost cost her her life.

Once in Rwanda, Fossey sets up a new camp she names Karisoke. Most of the research she gained was gathered here over the next thirteen years. Because of her re-location, Diane’s studies are greatly delayed due to the fact that she had to establish connections with the new gorilla families. To help speed this process, Fossey learned basic gorilla actions to make them more comfortable with her presence. She performed techniques such as feeding and making the same hooting noises that they produced.

Each family unit, which Dian liked to call a “group”, consisted of one dominating silverback male and up to twenty two other members. The dominating male performed such duties as leading the group to feeding and resting areas, being the key male for reproducing, and protecting the group from interactions with other gorillas and poachers. A younger silverback was often born within the group, and would assume responsibilities of the dominating one