The Gorilla Lady, Terrifying the Locals & Extreme Conservation: Who Murdered Dian Fossey‪?‬ Mile Higher

Dian Fossey was one of the world’s most well-known primatologists, as she dedicated nearly 20 years to the study of Rwanda’s critically endangered Mountain Gorillas high up in the Virunga Mountain Range. Without Dian, we wouldn’t know the habits of these animals, their social structures, and the efforts necessary to save the species. But, as an untrained scientist, Dian’s methods weren’t always scientific, and as the years went on, her war against local poachers made her grow increasingly unhinged. She called the locals slurs, captured and tortured anyone she accused of poaching, and engaged in witchcraft to prey upon the beliefs of the locals living around her. She also made enemies with her Western research assistants and even fired shots at Dutch tourists exploring the park with her ex-students. Her antics made her hated by the Rwandan government, too, whom she accused of assisting poachers and using the park to engage in illegal smuggling. Dian had made many enemies before she was