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Fossey, Dian. 1973. “The Mountain Gorilla” [Audio Recorded Lecture to National Geographic Society Available

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Fossey, Dian. 1973. “The Mountain Gorilla” [Audio Recorded Lecture to National Geographic Society Available Fossey, Dian. 1973. “The Mountain Gorilla” [Audio recorded lecture to National Geographic Society available: http://ufdc.ufl.edu/AA00050131]. Corrected transcript available http://ufdc.ufl.edu/l/IR00008975. 0:02 [Announcer]: Friday afternoon November 16, 1973 the National Geographic Society proudly presents the results of Miss Dian Fossey’s research study on the Mountain Gorilla. Introduction by Dr. T. Dale Stewart [NGS Committee for Research and Exploration]. 0:30 [Audience noise and applause]. 0:50 [Stewart]: Good afternoon members and guests of the National Geographic Society. The lecture this week differs importantly from all of the others on this year’s schedule. Instead of being a travelogue, it is a report of a tremendously exciting program of research sponsored by the Society through its Committee for Research and Exploration. I say this not to disparage travelogues, which in the case of those presented by the Society are surely both instructive and entertaining, but to stress the really great new contribution to knowledge, which is being offered this afternoon for the first time. 1:47 During the past 10 years or so, owing to the Committee’s vigorous grants program carried out under the wise guidance of the late Leonard Carmichael [NGS Vice-President for Research and Exploration] the Society has taken a commanding position in Africa in the fields of anthropological and primatological research. This started with the well-known anthropological work of the late Louis Leakey, which many of you heard described from this platform. It is being continued by members of Louis’ family and numerous others. 2:27 Louis had research visions beyond his studies of ancient man and associated animals in the Olduvai Gorge. Among other things, he believed like all good followers of Darwin, that in the course of evolution the line leading to modern man long ago split off from the line leading to the living Anthropoid apes (chimpanzee, gorilla, orang, and gibbon). He realized, therefore, that in order to gain a full understanding of the biological history of man it was necessary to learn more about the present day anthropoids. Audio transcript of Dian Fossey’s 1973 NGS lecture, “The Mountain Gorilla.” 3:12 In considering how to approach the study of the chimpanzee and gorilla, the two Anthropoids living close to him in Africa, Louis must have realized that he himself lacked the temperament necessary to study animals in the wild. Besides which, his time was already fully occupied with the search for ancient man. To make a long story short, he selected two very attractive ladies to do what previously had been considered men’s work. Many of you heard Jane van Lawick-Goodall, the lady picked for the first study, report from this platform on her amazing life with her chimpanzee friends. 4:00 This afternoon, Dian Fossey, the lady picked by Louis for the second Anthropoid study… [applause] is here to give her first public lecture for the Society. She will be talking of course about her amazing life with her wild gorilla friends, in this case mountain gorillas rather than the somewhat different lowland gorillas elsewhere in Africa. Like Jane, Dian has persevered to the point where she is accepted by her wild friends. As a result, the natural behavior of two of the nearest living relatives of man is probably better known now than that of any of the other non-human primates. 4:58 Dian began her gorilla study in 1967 on a mountain range in what was then known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, now Zaire. A few months later internal strife in that country forced her to abandon her camp and flee to safety in Uganda. Since then, she has continued her studies on the same mountain range, but at a point on the Rwanda side of the border. Her preparation for this project includes training in veterinary medicine acquired at the University of California and a degree in Occupational Therapy from San Jose State College with follow up experience at a hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. But perhaps more important than this medical exposure are her mental and physical resources: among them high intelligence, boundless patience, keen powers of observation, absolute fearlessness, and exceptional stamina. As you will see, she has needed all these resources in her lonely mountain residence and in her frequent confrontation with gorillas weighing up to 400 pounds. 2 Audio transcript of Dian Fossey’s 1973 NGS lecture, “The Mountain Gorilla.” 6:25 The remarkable film, which she will narrate, is the work of Robert Campbell, one of the Geographic’s own superior photographers. Note, as it unwinds, how successful he was in separating the black gorillas from the lush, green background. And now, it is my pleasure and privilege to present Dian Fossey. 6:50 [Applause]. 7:02 [Fossey]: Something seems to have happened to that sense of fearlessness. Thank you very much Dr. Stewart. Good evening members and guests of the Society. It is indeed a great privilege to be with you this evening and to be able to share with you the results of my gorilla research. At this time, I would like to also express my appreciation to all of you for your support of my work. Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking and having been in the forest for quite some time, I trust you will forgive me if I resort to a chest beat every now and then. 8:00 In 1896, a zoologist went to Africa and sat in a cage to observe gorillas in their natural environment. He didn’t learn much. Now, throughout the world, several hundred gorillas are resigned to sitting in their cages to watch humans. I should like to know what goes on in their minds as they peer out at a public who for the most part do not understand the true nature of the species. The gorilla, in actuality a very gentle giant, has become everyone’s favorite horror monster and scapegoat. Tonight, I would like to correct that erroneous impression by sharing with you some of the results of the observations of the free- living mountain gorilla. 8:55 The name, “gorilla” comes from a Greek translation of the findings of a fifth century B.C. navigator, Hanno. Hanno found an island on the West Coast of Africa, upon which dwelled hairy savages. Most of these were females and, therefore, were called in the Punic language, gorilli. Twenty-three more centuries of myths and legends were to pass before the authenticated discovery in West Africa in 1847 of the lowland gorilla. There is indirect evidence to suggest that, at some time during the Late 3 Audio transcript of Dian Fossey’s 1973 NGS lecture, “The Mountain Gorilla.” Pleistocene, the gorilla did exist as one continuous population from West to Central Africa. But when the forest regressed, the intervening population was depleted. 9:58 Today, approximately 650 miles separate the two main subspecies. Of the subspecies, the mountain gorilla was discovered only in 1901. Now classified as a rare animal, there is a possibility that the mountain gorilla may become extinct within the same century as it was discovered. Official protection for the gorilla was first granted in 1929, when the Parc National Albert was created within the Virunga Mountains, the last stronghold of the mountain gorilla and the home of the gorilla you will meet tonight. 10:48 Man is the gorilla’s worst enemy. Due to man’s encroachment within his dwindling terrain, the mountain gorilla is forced to reside within an increasingly high altitude. His range boundary is being constantly threatened by habitat destruction. Hopefully, more stringent measures will be undertaken to protect that remarkable species, the mountain gorilla. 11:30 [Applause, ambient crowd noise—film presentation begins]. 12:18 In Central Africa, at the base of the Albertine Rift, there exists the classical home of the mountain gorilla. Indeed, some authorities feel that the species evolved within this area. North of Lake Kivu, there lies a volcanic mountain range some 48 miles in length, which forms part of the boundaries between Zaire, Uganda, and Rwanda. The Virunga Mountain range consists of eight volcanic peaks, two of which are active and are not frequented by gorilla. The remaining six are dormant, they lie 25 miles in length. Mount Visoke, slightly over 12,000 feet, is the center of my study area. In the East, it is part of Rwanda, and to the West, Zaire. Separated by the other volcanoes by bamboo hills and gentle rolling terrain hugging a woodland. 4 Audio transcript of Dian Fossey’s 1973 NGS lecture, “The Mountain Gorilla.” 13:20 The gorillas frequent the saddle area. We have counted 274 within 29 groups within the entirety of the Virunga Mountain range. The gorillas also have been forced to go higher and higher on the slopes, and I have made contacts as high as 13,000 feet. 13:50 The rich mountain rainforest has an average of 65 inches of rain per year. In fact, it rains 65 percent of the time as well. Creeks and streams may become swollen to form small rivers, which the gorillas seldom venture to cross. Fog is commonplace and often hinders observations. It’s been known even to disorientate gorilla groups when they’re exploring new areas and can’t find their way back to their own mountain. The erosion progresses on a yearly basis because of the scant soil covering over the lava slopes. Hail is frequently found within the forest and on the summits of the mountains and forms a harsh contrast to the more delicate flowers of the forest.
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