THE Inside DIAN From Dian’s journals: FOSSEY Her first weeks at Karisoke 4 Identifying the first Karisoke gorillas 4 Meet historic gorillas Whinny, Gorılla Uncle Bert, Digit, Peanuts, Poppy 5 Meet a donor: ournal September 2017 Sandy Price 8 J Daily protection | Scientific research | Educating conservationists | Helping communities

50 Years and forever

Dian Fossey founded the Karisoke Research Center on Sept. 24, 1967, and Sign up! soon realized their future was Free monthly in danger. Gorilla eNews gorillafund. org/enews focus and pas- Conservation sion inspired a generation is a long-term of conserva- tionists that followed. And investment her constant commitment, despite so many challenges, still motivates so many who sup- By Tara Stoinski, Ph.D. port our work (and her initial vision) today. Fossey Fund President and While her tragic death could have ended the CEO/Chief Scientific Officer quest to save mountain gorillas, it actually had the opposite effect — it solidified her As we reach the 50th anniversary of the found- legacy and thus her mission. Her passion TheHelping Gorilla people. Saving Journal gorilla s. gorillafund.org ing of our Karisoke Research Center, I am and perseverance live on today in the people is a publication often asked how an organization like ours of the Gorilla Fund. of the Dian Fossey — with a very specific focus, working with a Less than a decade after Fossey’s death, Gorilla Fund® species and in countries that are outside of the Rwandan genocide enveloped the coun- International, mainstream media interest — has survived all try and its people. After this devastating 800 Cherokee these years. It’s a great question! For me, the time, with so many losses, it was hard to Ave., SE, Atlanta, answer comes down to a few key elements. know what the consequences might be. But GA 30315-1440, 1-800-851-0203. First and foremost, there is our founder. thanks to the dedication of our trackers, we Our story started with one woman whose never gave up protecting the gorillas, and ©2017 Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund® memory still impresses itself on us even we continued our direct, on-the-ground International. All three decades after her death. Dian Fossey’s commitment to saving them no matter the rights reserved. work to discover the intimate lives of the obstacles. We all owe an enormous debt of No information gorillas and to take on the poachers who gratitude to the individuals who worked from this publica- were trying to kill them touched the hearts of with the Fossey Fund at that time — putting tion may be used people around the world. Her single-minded See 5o YEARS, page 2 without written permission from the Fossey Fund. 50 years and forever take on the difficult job of pro- tecting these amazing individuals. From Fossey’s favorite silverback Digit, to my favorite silverback Bwenge, these gorillas have touched the hearts of not just us at the Fos- sey Fund but of the world. They are truly a world treasure.

What has 50 years taught us Karisoke is the longest-running gorilla research site in the world. More than five generations of gorillas have been meticulously Dr. Tara Stoinski’s favorite gorilla Bwenge, who died in 2014. He was the observed by researchers from all son of legendary silverback Titus and formed his own group in 2007. Dr. Stoinski over the world. For almost any enjoyed studying him for her work on male gorilla social dynamics, observing him topic you can think of, we’ve done interact with his growing group, especially the infants and his brothers. a study on it. Yet, one of the most 50 YEARS, continued from page 1 real signal of their passion for our important lessons we’ve learned cause. Our donors have saved goril- from 50 years of this huge bank of their own lives at risk to ensure the las, enabled development within research is that, honestly, we still gorillas’ continued protection. Rwandan and Congolese communi- have a lot to learn. Additionally, we have been so ties, and funded important scien- Gorillas are intelligent and lucky in our 50-year history to work tific advances through their giving. complex animals who live in eco- side by side with amazing partners And then, of course, there are systems that are equally complex who share our dedication to the the gorillas themselves. They are and ever-changing. They’re highly long-term survival of the species. so much like us, especially in their adapted to change, having shown Our primary partner, the Rwandan rich social lives, how they care for time after time that there is no one government, is deeply committed and protect their families, and in way to be a gorilla; instead, being a to the conservation of its animals how they mourn their dead. We gorilla means being flexible within and resources, and we are proud of know them well — indeed, they are the situation at hand. We have seen its efforts to work in concert with like family members to us — and the gorillas go through periods us and others. our ability to be with them every when groups were very small, as The Fossey Fund would not be day and to tell their stories is one they were in Fossey’s time, to peri- here today without our vast inter- of the best examples of how we ods when groups grew to as large national community of supporters carry on the work started by Dian. as 65 individuals. Group size, which and friends. Some of these donors Knowing the gorillas so personally might seem to be a minor element have been with us for more than 30 enables us to keep inspiring new of the gorillas’ lives, ultimately can years and their giving history is a generations of conservationists to affect feeding behavior, reproduc-

We’re celebrating Dian Fossey’s courage and commitment in protecting gorillas on this 50th anniversary, with a special campaign to continue her legacy for many more years to come. Please visit our website at gorillafund. org/protect to find out how you can join the campaign to ensure a future for gorillas.

2 September 2017 | THE DIAN FOSSEY GORILLA FUND INTERNATIONAL 50 years and forever tive strategies, infant survivorship, awful lot like what Dian faced 50 know, study, and protect the gorillas even decisions about whether to years ago — a fragile species in need of . And what a privilege we strike out on your own or stay in of massive intervention. have to add to her mission today by the group where you were born. Conservation of this magnitude turning our experienced conserva- The gorillas of today are not the requires local, organizational, and tion model toward Congo and its same as those of Dian Fossey’s global investment. It’s not a job fragile Grauer’s gorillas. time, and they will not be the same that can be done in isolation by one Today, when I see images of as those we will observe 20 years agency, community, or by govern- Dian from those earliest years, I from now. Cataloguing the goril- ments that struggle with complex see something real and inspiring las’ incredible behavioral diversity and challenging human needs, let in her eyes. I see her courage, her is truly one of the most special, alone conservation concerns. Any conviction, and even sometimes unique and powerful aspects of the sustainable conservation work her tiredness. But I also see fierce Fossey Fund’s work. must have as its ultimate aim determination and sheer humanity the thriving of species, humans, in the face of a big challenge. Those From now forward and dynamic ecosystems. It must things are our reference points for We are proud of the successes serve the needs and aspirations of the next 50 years here at the Fossey we’ve had in protecting mountain animals and people alike. In our Fund, and I’m excited to be part of gorillas since Dian Fossey’s day. case, the work to save gorillas is our next chapter. This growth has also created new mirrored by the work to empower challenges, such as the limitations people who share the gorillas’ forest of habitat they may now face. How- home. And that is why we delib- National Geographic, ever, relative to what could have erately chose our motto: “Helping an early supporter of been a downward trend toward People. Saving Gorillas.” We know Dian Fossey’s work and extinction, any new problems that without educated local leaders, writing, is celebrating that emerge from the survival of a trained emerging generation of our 50th anniversary with the species is regarded as a “good” African conservationists, strong a feature article in the problem to have. food and water security, and the While mountain gorillas thrive, like, gorilla conservation will ulti- September issue of National we do continue to struggle and mately fail in the long-term. Geographic magazine and a work against the decline other I feel incredibly lucky to be able three-part television series gorillas are experiencing. In partic- to continue the amazing legacy to air in December. ular, for Grauer’s gorillas the level that Dian Fossey created. This year of loss is simply staggering — 80 marks my 23rd year of working with The TV series includes rare percent have been killed in the gorillas, and to be able to lead the archival footage and is last 20 years. Without a continued, amazing people who are the Fossey narrated by Fossey Fund major commitment on the ground, Fund is such an honor. At the same honorary chair, Sigourney we will lose Grauer’s gorillas, and time, I also feel a lot of responsibil- Weaver, who played Fossey many of the amazing animals who ity for the gorillas and for our teams share their habitat, in the next and staff who work diligently every in Gorillas in the Mist. decade. The story begins to feel an day to follow in Dian’s footsteps to

Inaugural World Gorilla Day launches on Sept. 24 In honor of Fossey’s 50th anniversary, the global conservation community is launching the first-ever World Gorilla Day! Organizations around the world will be celebrating with special events, activities and conservation opportunities, all to help foster greater awareness for supporting protection of gorillas and other endangered species. Visit www.worldgorilladay.com

THE DIAN FOSSEY GORILLA FUND INTERNATIONAL | September 2017 3 From the archives 50 years ago Fossey’s first weeks at Karisoke, 1967 On Sept. 24, 1967, Dian Fossey set up gorilla population on this mountain — Fossey then reported that she’d two small tents in the wilderness of one of the Virunga chain. I’m not much already met four gorilla groups the in Rwanda, more than five hours walking distance within a three-hour radius of her and began a pioneering study of from my old camp on Mikeno…. camp and noted the need for a endangered mountain gorillas, “I imagine my camp here on Visoke detailed gorilla survey to be done on under the auspices of famed arche- will be a permanent one, or at least I the Rwandan side of the volcanoes. ologist Dr. Louis Leakey. Fossey hope it will be permanent, for there is “My feet just turn to blisters when I named her two-tent facility “Kari- a high concentration of gorilla, I have think of all the ground that has to be soke,” after the nearby mountains all the government red-tape sorted covered, but it certainly is a challenge Mt. Karisimbi and Mt. Bisoke. out and lastly, this area is far more as it has not been done before and This auspicious day came after desirable from a physical point of view should prove valuable as far as a Fossey had already spent some — comfort, accessibility, etc. than the population count is concerned. So far seven months studying mountain Kabara study area in the Congo was. I’ve found one strip of forest belt that gorillas on the Congo side of the “My camp is located on a flower-filled, is used as a passageway for gorilla Virungas, which she had to abandon grassy meadow that separates the moun- between Karisimbi, Mikeno and when political, security, permits and tain of Visoke from the foothills of Kari- Visoke, and it seems to be the only other issues forced her to abandon simbi. The meadow extends for roughly corridor they use to come on Visoke that area. three miles east to west and is not more from the other two mountains. I next This excerpt is from a letter she than a ½ mile in width. It is crossed by want to find out if it is possible for wrote in November 1967 about her bubbling creeks, one runs right outside them to travel from Visoke to Sabinio, first few weeks studying gorillas my tent, and filled with huge, moss-laden and then from Sabinio to Gahinga from her Karisoke camp: Hagenia trees. The scenery is of such and Muhavura, and by the time I’m “I am now located on Visoke in perfection that one feels that everything finished surveying all this area, I guess Rwanda and have found an abundant must be planned as a park….” I’ll be walking on my knees!” Identifying the first gorillas at Karisoke The first gorillas mentioned in Fossey’s journals after she set up camp at Karisoke slowly gained names, as she figured out who was who and which individuals popu- lated the groups she regularly encountered. Often, these early names were created due to physical or behavioral characteristics that she used as her first method of distinguishing individuals. And some of them were named after members of her own family! Soon, she began to systematically and clearly iden- tify many gorillas, and to carefully document them using drawings and photographs of their noses, which showed unique patterns of wrinkles and were called “noseprints.” Today, photographing noseprints is still used for definitive recognition and documentation of all the gorillas in the Karisoke database.

The following pages contain excerpts about a few of the first gorillas Fossey focused on, including Whinny, Uncle Bert, Digit and Peanuts. Early drawings of noseprints.

4 September 2017 | THE DIAN FOSSEY GORILLA FUND INTERNATIONAL From the archives: Historic gorillas

The notes above, from Fossey’s 1967 journal, refer to her contact with Whinny. Indeed, a few days later she found herself looking directly up into Whinny blackback, the silverback in ques- his face, as he “neighed four times tion looked directly at her. with a wide open mouth before A ‘raspy’ voice “At this time he gave a long series moving slightly away behind foli- of barks of alarm but they were very age protection and began to eat.” made for easy hoarse and whispery and unlike “Whinny’s head seems exceptional identification any noise I’ve heard before, thus large, almost gross, and he has a substantiating for me that this was very broad upper lip. As I was still One of the first to be named was not a group I knew. (This noise was quite obscured by foliage, I moved “Whinny” (also spelled “Whiney”) typical of this silverback throughout away some 15 feet downhill to a because of the strange noises he the observational period.)” tree, but in spite of increasing our made while vocalizing. She first This “raspy squeaking vocaliza- distance to some 85 feet, the sight noticed him on Sept. 25, 1967, tion” of the silverback is one she of all of me had a negative effect on when she encountered his group would hear again the next week, Whinny. He neighed excitedly and while he was feeding on thistles. and it allowed her to identify this ran further uphill breaking branches After about a half hour watch- as the same group. By Oct. 3, she’d enroute.” ing the group, during which she named the silverback “Whiney” Yet Whinny always seemed to made sure they were aware of her (also spelled “Whinny”) and calm down and resume his intent presence by chest beating and wrote: “Of all the animals in this stare and curiosity about Fossey breaking branches in response group, I think Whinny is the most and he featured prominently in to the same behaviors by a young likely candidate for habituation.” her earliest days at Karisoke.

By mid November of 1967, Fossey is recognizing many more indi- Uncle Bert vidual gorillas, and another silverback obtains a name when she gets her first full view of him. Fossey said he had a “He has perhaps the most human face I’ve yet seen in a gorilla, and ‘most human face’ reminds me exactly of my uncle Bert, so from now on he is named ‘Uncle Bert’.” “He appears to be the oldest gorilla I’ve yet seen although his white hair does not continue down along his flanks and arms….. I get the impression of age from his lean, bony face, the bags under his eyes, his sharp occipital ridge, his sagging breasts and the vast wrinkled area that exists between his nose and upper lips. He has a very ‘hang-dog’ expression....” Unfortunately, Uncle Bert was killed by poachers in 1978. However, to this day, two groups that are followed daily by the Fossey Fund — Titus and Kuryama — are a legacy of Uncle’s Bert’s Group 4.

THE DIAN FOSSEY GORILLA FUND INTERNATIONAL | September 2017 5 From the archives: Historic gorillas

Fossey had a deep Digit affection for Digit, who was killed by Fossey called him poachers in 1977. She named the Digit ‘gentle, trusting’ Fund after him, which now is the Dian Fossey continued to have a certain Fossey Gorilla Fund. fascination and affection for par- ticular gorillas, especially Digit, after whom she named the Digit Fund, which is today the Dian “At 10:20, Digit comes Fossey Gorilla Fund. directly up to the back Fossey first saw Digit in 1967, of me and sounds of when he was just a few years old. chewing can be heard His parents were elderly and Digit from him as he finishes soon became an orphan, but he up his nettle stalks. had many family members and Then softly I feel a touch others in his group to help him on my back, my socks survive and thrive during his and my boots – I slowly earliest years. turn my head to see Also, today it was found that the him sitting on the same He had an injured finger ring finger of his right hand is still stone my legs are leaning on while She gave him the name “Digit,” deformed and cannot be flexed. It one arm turned to examine various when she noticed that one of his still appears swollen but is the same articles of my clothing and even fingers was injured, probably color black as the rest of his fingers.” my jacket lying at the side. He also from being caught in a poach- leans forward on elbows to smell er’s trap. She also noticed other Fossey and Digit bonded different parts of me some more – things about him that struck her Over the coming years, Fossey all done very gently and if I move a as notable, as she wrote in her formed a special bond with Digit, fraction, he begins to flinch. journal: calling him “gentle and trusting.” “He isn’t an easy animal for As a youngster, he was playful A victim of poachers identification purposes as his nose and curious, especially among his Sadly, Digit was killed in 1977, at first sight is a misshapen mess human observers and was known when his group was attacked by and only in certain lights can one to approach Fossey and play with poachers on New Year’s Eve. As see that the left nare is far wider equipment, such as cameras, a peripheral male, he was able to than the right. The fastest and gloves, boots and other clothing, protect the other group mem- easiest way to identify him is the as well as to smell and touch her bers, allowing them to flee as he deep straight line from the left nare gently, as in this excerpt from her held off the poachers, taking the and the small ‘dot’ on the right nare. 1971 journal: spears into his own body.

50th Anniversary ‘adoption’ special of Digit Gorilla “adoptions” are a symbolic way to support our daily gorilla protection. We are offering a limited-time-only “adoption” of Digit, in honor of his role inspiring Dian Fossey, her work, and the creation of what is now the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. You’ll receive a certificate, profile and more. Adopt at gorillafund.org/adopt

6 September 2017 | THE DIAN FOSSEY GORILLA FUND INTERNATIONAL From the archives: Historic gorillas

Peanuts and Peanuts Fossey “exchange glances for only a Trust leads few seconds during which time he had to first contact a frank and open expression that Another gorilla Fossey met in the showed no fear — early days, who proved to be his- I looked away first,” toric in very special ways, was a she wrote. young adult called “Peanuts.” He first got his name on Jan. 4, 1968. and Fossey retreats She noticed that every time she again. Peanuts is the one turned around Peanuts seemed to she trusts and is trying be staring at her intently, with a to connect with. As she very “puckered” expression. A few gained closer and closer days later, she noted: access to Peanuts, it “Peanuts stares from behind some became clear there was leaves in the trees and descends a relationship. breaking a lower branch as he hits April 13, 1968: the ground. He then comes forward “The next 40 minutes to about 8 feet on the same trail pretending to feed until I can get were spent with Peanuts I’m sitting on, and we ‘exchange’ into a tree about 20 feet away. I laying mostly on his back within 3 glances for only a few seconds left everything — cameras, lenses, to 4 feet… He was so totally relaxed during which time he had a frank thermos, water canteen, binoculars, that after a few seconds of clasping and open expression that showed no knapsack, another sack — everything his hand or one of his feet would fear — I looked away first.” just spread out…. slip as though he were falling asleep Another time, when Peanuts After this, while the other — breathing slow and normal and begins strutting directly toward gorillas display, “Peanuts however, smell moderate to indistinguishable.” her with others, Fossey wrote: goes to where I’d been sitting, for It wasn’t long before one day “I don’t like their approach mainly although I can’t see him, I can hear Peanuts reached out and touched because there are no trees for me my camera equipment being han- her. He outlived Fossey and died to climb and when Peanuts starts dled and I start to return to ‘rescue’ in 1989, after a challenging life strutting up to me, I leave slowly it,” but then other gorillas return trying to maintain a group.

Poppy lived many years Poppy in a group monitored by Rwandan park authorities. The last Fossey But in 2015 she joined one of the groups the Fossey Fund gorilla still alive monitors and is still there today.

Poppy was born April 1, 1976, as Poppy’s younger sister Maggie recorded by Dian Fossey, and was also followed throughout hails from a historic matriarchal her life, first by Dian Fossey and line of gorillas named for her then by the Fossey Fund. How- mother, Effie. Effie was noted by ever, Maggie disappeared from Fossey in November 1967 as a the Virunga mountains and our tracking region in 2015 at age “fine large female.” include dominant silverbacks 35, and has not been seen since, Effie’s descendants have since Cantsbee, Isabukuru, Mafunzo, making Poppy the last of Effie’s spread out in many groups within Urwibutso and Vuba. direct surviving offspring.

THE DIAN FOSSEY GORILLA FUND INTERNATIONAL | September 2017 7 ‘Murakoze’ = ‘Thank you,’ in Kinyarwanda Meet a donor: Sandy Price

Sandy Price is a true friend of the Fossey Fund and one of our most their Kigali hotel on in 1992 for a board meeting, loyal and generous long-term major Dec. 27. When their but due to the emerging donors. She began supporting the driver arrived he said he civil unrest and then the work of Dian Fossey in the early had heard on the radio that Fossey genocide, her next visit wasn’t until 1980s, after reading about her in had been killed the night before. 2002. She’s been back several times National Geographic and then in Fos- In shock and unable to get further since for board meetings, including sey’s book, Gorillas in the Mist. details on the situation, the family one held earlier this year. “I was moved to tears by her decided to return home, since there Price says she is amazed that work and her words, and that is an was only one flight a week out of the organization has survived so unusually emotional reaction for Kigali at that time. many hard times, and that the pro- me,” says Price. Soon after reading The tragedy further sealed Price’s tection work on the ground never the book, Price sent a donation to determination to help the mountain stopped. That accounts for the Fossey’s Digit Fund. gorillas. From that point gorillas’ survival all these Much to her surprise she soon forward, she provided years, she says. received a phone call from Fossey support to keep the next “I laughingly call myself herself, who was in the U.S. just a director of Karisoke funded the historian of the orga- few weeks later. Over time, their cor- while the Digit Fund strug- nization, but at some point respondence continued, with phone gled to find its footing. you have to have new peo- calls whenever Fossey was in the Soon after, Price was ple join who become long- U.S., and through letters and reams asked to join the board. term supporters as well. of onion-skin papers with details of She has remained a board “We have to educate Fossey’s anti-poaching patrols. member ever since, serving and inform people in new in various roles including Sandy Price ways, so they become Almost meeting Fossey as chair during the early 2000s. interested and see how they can In 1985, Fossey invited Price, her The Digit Fund eventually became contribute to this amazing cause,” husband Harold and family to visit the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, she says, especially as so much Rwanda to see the gorillas with her. and moved to Zoo Atlanta in the time has gone by and fewer people Thrilled with the invitation, the mid 1990s, where its headquarters remember who Dian Fossey was. Prices flew to Africa in December. remain today. “Maybe it’s even time to re-make They first went to Kenya and reached Price’s next trip to Rwanda was Gorillas in the Mist”!

Throughout our 50-year history, numerous companies and organizations have invested in our mission. Such sponsorship is vital to saving gorillas, providing essential funding and awareness. If you have ideas for potential sponsors, please email us at [email protected]

Thank you to our Collaborating Funders for their extraordinary support in 2017 Anonymous Foundation The Milton and Tamar Maltz Family Follow us Foundation @savinggorillas

8 September 2017 | THE DIAN FOSSEY GORILLA FUND INTERNATIONAL