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.
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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
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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.
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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.
14:57 Because of the high altitude, early morning frost is seen frequently forming a delicate pattern in the
interworking of the vines and leaves of the trees. The frost, if heavy enough, can destroy a large
percentage of the gorilla foliage.
15:27 The gorilla’s mountain land, the hills, the forest, were far more vast in the past than they are now. Now,
there’s no buffer zone between this forest land and cultivation. Rwanda, with a population of 163 people
per square kilometer is indeed the heaviest populated country in all of Africa. Also extremely well
cultivated on every hill and every bit of land available. For this reason, the population pressure has
reduced the forest areas and the watersheds, and fields of potatoes, and pyrethrum, and corn extend
themselves all the way to the very edges of the mountains.
16:22 When driving in this area 6 years ago, one could see only a dense jungle of bamboo and forest habitat. I
used to meet gorilla frequently in this very spot.
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Audio transcript of Dian Fossey’s 1973 NGS lecture, “The Mountain Gorilla.”
16:40 The porters for the most part are the Hutu, who come from the nearby villages and they will cheerfully
accept loads up to 60 pounds for the equivalent of a dollar for the 2,000 foot climb to my camp. The trail
that we use is an old elephant and buffalo trail. We leave all signs of civilization behind and the trail
winds us into the heart of the mountain land.
17:18 In 1967, when looking for a possible site for my research study, I spotted this area through binoculars
from the heights of another mountain. It looked indeed promising to me. Initially the camp consisted of
only two tents, one for myself and one for the Africans I had hired to help me. Because of the inclement
weather, I finally decided that I had to build a tin-sheeted cabin. Not very attractive, but far more
durable and comfortable.
18:04 [Recorded sound plays in background with audible bird calls]. The early days of the study were
immensely rewarding in many ways. I never knew what to expect from each day’s observations. When
preparing to go out into the field in the morning, I really didn’t know how successful I would be, how
far I’d have to go to find the gorilla, [or] how long it would take. It was tremendously challenging.
Despite my good intentions, I knew I was an intruder within the gorilla domain and it seemed that
everything fled from me.
18:46 [Recorded sound plays in background]. The alarm bark of a small duiker. Up until now the gorilla had
known humans as poachers or cattlemen, therefore it was understandable why their immediate reaction
to me was one of fear and apprehension. The most common response, providing that I was far enough
away, was a swift and silent retreat, hoping that they weren’t giving their location away. At these times,
I could smell the odor of the dominant silverback, a strong, strong smell that denoted fear, but this was
the extent of my observations after hours of walking or climbing and they weren’t very profitable. In
many ways, it was frustrating indeed.
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Audio transcript of Dian Fossey’s 1973 NGS lecture, “The Mountain Gorilla.”
19:52 Tracking, however, did provide me with a great deal of knowledge. Gorillas build night nests in different
locations every night. They’re not active as a rule during the night, so the nests gave me an idea about
the number of animals within each group and the age-sex classifications. They also told me about the
food the gorilla had been eating.
20:27 Finally, I was rewarded by a different type of behavior. [Sound of recorded gorilla chest-beating and
vocal hoots]. Response behavior. By means of chest-beating and hoot series the animals sought to
intimidate me. It was all bluff. At least they were finally holding their ground, but still other animals
continued to run away.
21:16 Two years after the study began I acquired Coco and Pucker, two juveniles captured from the wild by the
Rwandese for a European zoo. I had no foreknowledge of this capture, but I did learn the animals were
near death after the capture, so I took them to camp for what resulted in a 3-month convalescent period.
Once they had regained their health, I took them out into the forest daily. During the days of
reintroducing them to their forest home, I learned many things about gorilla behavior: grooming,
vocalizations, and play behavior. Coco and Pucker were far more active on a sunny day than on days
that were overcast.
22:17 I came to know the need of a young gorilla for love and affection, and their constant need to play. Cindy,
the camp mascot, took many a beating from them, all in a good natured manner. After a long day’s frolic
in the forest, they were more than happy to return to camp, providing they got a lift, of course. [Laughter
from audience].
23:13 When they had been taken away from me for the zoo, I resumed my studies in the wild with new
vocalizations and new mannerisms such as the belch vocalization [Fossey demonstrates her imitation of
the sound] that appeases the wild subject. Then I would undertake the imitative feeding sounds, which
didn’t always work. Upset somewhat, this young animal symbolic feeds, displacing a leaf. It’s a 7
Audio transcript of Dian Fossey’s 1973 NGS lecture, “The Mountain Gorilla.”
displacement activity, or an activity not really relevant to the situation at hand. He seems to say, “Come
on lady, you can’t really like that stuff.” This kind of imitative behavior, though, did prolong
observations because it elicited the curiosity of the animal.
24:27 Still not completely at ease, he wasn’t behaving in a normal manner, and this is what I had come to
observe was the normal activities of the gorilla. Finally, the curiosity was a bit more short-lived and the
animals would resume the normal activities after I’d made contact, but there were some occasions when
my presence was questioned.
25:15 [Recording is distorted in this section]. Prolonged stares incredulously examining the human observer.
(“What’s a fellow to do?”) The animals were never followed during these days to reinforce their own
security. The youngest animals were by far the most outgoing. Their curiosity was blended in with a
sense of shyness. They seemed to welcome the presence of a human and yet they weren’t just too sure
about it.
26:08 Juveniles were the extroverts in gorilla land. Their behavioral tactics were very commonplace and they all
seemed to draw attention. (“Look at me! I’m king of the castle.”) The exaggeration of facial expressions,
body movements, and even locomotion always served to draw attention to themselves. They seem to
express an inner conflict, still very adventurous and wanting to come toward the observer, they were
most secure in their maternal attachments. So, it was come to me or go back to momma.
27:32 Momma wasn’t very happy about Junior’s approach to the observer. Maternal discipline is usually not
overt but on this case, instead of just changing her direction or staring at her youngster, she decided to
try and pull him off the log. For a moment it seemed as though he would obey her wishes. But…
[laughter from audience] with a mind of his own, he does return. If parallels have to be made between
humans and non-human primates, he might be called Dennis [the] Menace.
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Audio transcript of Dian Fossey’s 1973 NGS lecture, “The Mountain Gorilla.”
28:24 Once all of the artificial behavior had become reduced, I was able to observe the normal behavior, like
feeding. Feeding occupies the majority of the gorilla’s day and involves a very complex system of
spatial distribution. The more intense the feeding, the wider the spacing, each animal with its own
garden plot. When you approach, or a gorilla approaches an animal, they’ll foliage whack, such as this
female just did in a way of saying, “Stay away, I’m feeding.” Selection plays an important part in their
enjoyment of the food.
29:15 The thistle is not an object that you or I would care to touch, but it’s the main staple of the gorilla’s diet.
Its thorns and spikes seem not to bother the gorilla at all. With its thickly padded hands, they seem
impervious to it…well, at least the older animals. They eat all parts of the plant, some animals having a
preference for the stem, others for the flowers. The handling of the thistle varies within age groups: the
younger animals simply pluck them off, one-by-one, and stick them far back in their mouths to avoid the
tender front lips. The younger the animal, the less adroitly it’s able to maneuver the leaf. When watching
feeding such as this, I’m inclined to wonder if the thistle is not the spinach of the infant gorilla’s world.
30:57 The virulence of the nettle plant is such that it will burn through two layers of clothing and the human
observer gets filled with blisters and welts after a good day’s walk in the nettles. The nettle fields may
grow as tall, or as high as an elephant’s eye, and it’s quite a memorable occasion to walk through one.
Even the young animals seem to respect them.
31:30 The gallium vine is second most common in the diet of the gorillas. With its barbs on the edges and the
hooks underneath, it’s just another one of those gorilla delicacies. It’s commonplace down in the ground
foliage and winds itself in and out of other plants. When plucked, wadded into a “gallium sandwich” it
resembles a MacDonald[‘s] of the gorilla world. Young animals don’t seem to have much trouble in
obtaining this food source. Discards, or unwanted portions, are taken out orally and manually.
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Audio transcript of Dian Fossey’s 1973 NGS lecture, “The Mountain Gorilla.”
32:24 [Some audio distortion is present in the following few minutes]. The gorillas are vegetarian, but they do
seek snails, larvae, [and] worms. Here, a mother with her infant held in a ventral position is pulling off a
gallium lunch. Infants learn to eat gallium at the age of 1½ months, when discards are left on the
mother’s lap. It’s one of their first foods.
32:57 Here, a fine old man is crunching on a stalk of celery just as though he were a human. He lacks a bit of
salt. The celery is rather bitter, it grows to 8 feet in height at this area, resembling our own celery as far
as the leafiness is to our concern. Here, a young animal is peeling off the outside so to obtain the central
pith for a celery lollipop.
33:42 As I previously mentioned, selection plays a large part in obtaining food. Here, a young male goes to
considerable trouble and time to find the perfect thistle plant, which may look alike to you or me, but not
to him. He selects the thistle bouquet and takes it off to eat it, completely by himself.
34:14 I have observed gorillas drinking water, but it’s not necessary because of the succulence of all the
herbaceous foliage upon which they feed. After a good feed, a little back scratching, tickles, and a nap.
34:53 Wood plays an important part in the diet of the gorilla. They go to considerable effort in order to obtain
large branches or even trees. This young animal is taking off the outer bark so as to obtain the more
tender inner pulp. It is sought more in the rainy season when it becomes crumbly. Note the markings of
his incisors. The gorilla have very powerful jaw muscles, thus the high sagittal crest. The blackback
leaves his wood discard. There is competition for wood pieces. A young fellow’s been waiting for him
to leave, looks first to see if he’s safe…maneuverability is a bit of a problem because of his size.
Patience will out, especially with the aid of a foot.
35:59 The high alpine zone exists at 11,500 feet. It’s a very sparse region not commonly used by the gorilla: the
foot availability is limited there. There is competition here for food. Here, a group balks, sees a
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Audio transcript of Dian Fossey’s 1973 NGS lecture, “The Mountain Gorilla.”
silverback charge into their midst in order to gain the prime feeding spot. They retreat to let him have it
and then re-gather and all begin to dig for roots. I have not observed gorillas to use tools. They can dig
for roots as well as you or I. The only other animals seen at this area are buffalo, which frequent the high
alpine meadows. Seems a very flimsy kind of a diet. They usually only use this area within the dry
season when things below have withered a bit. (“Well, that was a good appetizer, now for the main
course.”)
37:25 It is somewhat sad to think that the gorillas might be forced into this inclement terrain if man keeps
encroaching within their area. If they were forced to live here permanently, I don’t see how they would
survive. It’s bleak and desolate.
37:50 By far the majority of their time are spent in the open herbaceous slopes. Here, a group forms a mutual
grooming chain, quite unusual with gorilla, far more common with chimpanzees. Note the dexterity and
concentration with which the silverback attends to his toilet.
38:37 The broad stubby feet are used…are necessary to support the vast weight of this animal, which is easily
400 pounds. The hair is parted both orally and manually. I have never observed external parasites on the
gorilla and only have seen dead skin flakes, scabs, or vegetation debris removed. The hair of the
mountain gorilla is far longer than that of the lowland animal, an adaption, of course, to the altitude in
which he lives.
39:25 Here, the roughed hands of a mother grasp her infant to her for an intent grooming session. Young infants
don’t particularly enjoy being groomed, thus the tight grip. The hands of this female are really not usual.
She seems to have some kind of a skin disease or affliction, which is prevalent throughout her body. I
hope she finds what she’s looking for. (Well, that’s what being a mother is all about). [Audience
applause].
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Audio transcript of Dian Fossey’s 1973 NGS lecture, “The Mountain Gorilla.”
40:24 Since young infants don’t much care for grooming, sometimes the mothers take advantage of them when
they come to her for nursing. They know the infant will be concentrated on the nursing, so they look
around and decide maybe it’s time to get in a bit of a bath. Seeing the discards of foliage on the infant’s
arm this mother immediately seeks to orally groom her infant.
40:58 Infants are constantly receiving love and care from their mothers and they seem to take it much for
granted. It’s seldom that they return any kind of what might be considered affectionate attention. Here, a
young male tries to groom his mother, albeit in a lackadaisical manner, and with a very short attention
span. Young females that lack infants of their own often pin down younger animals. Here, a young
female has a juvenile male well tied [up?] he’s really…he can’t get away. She’s going to be grooming
him until he breaks away from her, after about 10 minutes. Some six years from now, this young male
will be a silverback, where he’ll have the silver-white pelage on his back and he will be a dominant
animal. She won’t be allowed to do this. He enjoys it though.
42:08 The day resting periods are prolonged and leisurely affairs with the location usually for maximum sun
benefit. The day nests occur around mid-day. Construction of a nest may take up to 5 minutes, during
which time the most optimal, the long-stemmed foliage, is bent around the body of the animal. Attention
is given to the rim of the nest as opposed to the seat, or center, of the nest. Young animals seem to have
some difficulty and the foliage has a mind of its own to them. [It] must be put in place bodily.
43:00 This animal obviously has had more experience. Her nest is firm, and even looks comfortable. Snacks are
readily available. (Still at it? Oh, what a life!) Nest building is learned from the females. It may be
practiced at the age of 2 years and the initial flimsy results sometimes need a lot of improvement.
[Audience laughter, applause].
43:59 Spatial distribution is also important in nesting. When they really are intent upon sleeping, then they nest
further apart. Whilst they sleep, I do a bit of work. Typing up each day’s observations is mandatory the 12
Audio transcript of Dian Fossey’s 1973 NGS lecture, “The Mountain Gorilla.”
same day they were seen. While I type, Cindy sleeps. The records of the work now are quite detailed, as
it has been a prolonged study.
44:40 We also do a great deal of photography. This is part of our work. We make a nose print board. Every
animal has a distinctive nose print, or the outstanding linear indentations above the nares. No two
animals are alike. In this way, we are able to recognize the animals of our own study groups as well as
animals from other mountains. It’s a very helpful way to show students all of the animals they will be
studying. Also we follow the maturation of youngsters with the nose prints.
45:29 A mother and her son may have some similarities but, as the youngster develops, its nose print becomes
more distinguishable. Since we know the animals on our own mountain, [and] we know the animals of
other mountains and saddle areas, we were able to recognize this young male [from] two mountains
away from us. He had been slaughtered by poachers for “black magic” reasons: sumu, a poison. Only
silverbacks are killed for sumu.
46:17 I do a great deal of collection of skeletal material, all of which is sent first to Jay Matternes [a painter who
specialized in depicting fossil Hominins for museums and books] of Washington, DC and then to the
Smithsonian for analysis. I find that the majority of the animals killed have been killed by poachers.
They don’t kill to obtain meat. It’s not a job that I particularly enjoy.
46:57 As part of the work, we also continue with conservation efforts. When walking through the forest, one
may occasionally come across ikibuga, or the hut of a poacher or cattle man. Whenever I encounter
these within the forest, I immediately destroy them. Obviously the poacher speaks for himself, but the
cattle people come up with herds of up to 400 cows, which absolutely devastates the foliage. They come
up illegally within the park.
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Audio transcript of Dian Fossey’s 1973 NGS lecture, “The Mountain Gorilla.”
47:31 The guard force is somewhat limited, being only 16 guards...in all of Rw…uh, 6 guards within all of
Rwanda, but they are assisted by people from the villages. In an effort to try and…uh give them
individual initiative I buy uniforms from…well, actually, Sunny’s Surplus and take them back to
camp…I have monthly patrols, in which the guards and their assistants or helpers come up to camp and
go out into the forest in an effort to find cattle people or poachers. If they return with a prisoner, they are
given a matabiche, or an award for their efforts. The Government of Rwanda is working hard to improve
the situation.
48:28 On Mount Visoke, there exist 96 gorillas within 9 different groups. This count includes 7 lone silverbacks
who are not part of a group structure. They will eventually form their own sub-groups by taking females
from other animals. I must define group as a stable structure unless altered by births, deaths, or
kidnapping. Kidnappings occur when two groups come together and a dominant male takes a female
away from a subordinate animal. Within my study area there are two main groups that I work with.
Group 5, shown here, and Group 4. Both consist of 10 animals now. Last year, Group 5 had 16 animals.
Two of them died and 4, young females all of them, were kidnapped by another group.
49:29 On this occasion, Beethoven, a dominant silverback of Group 5, is seeking to reclaim his female,
Bravado. Group 4, waiting two ridges away, has Bravado [a recording of gorilla chest-beating plays].
That is a silverback of Group 4, Uncle Bert. He communicates with chest beats and hoot series to the
approach of Beethoven. Here, Bravado, the young female unaware of the furor she has created. The
chest beats express Uncle Bert’s dominancy [another recording of chest beats] and give the location of
his group [more chest beats are heard]. The hoot series is a type of vocal probe used only between
communicating silverbacks [another recording plays with both chest beats and hoots]. The animals are
extremely wary of his actions because the situation is a tense one.
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Audio transcript of Dian Fossey’s 1973 NGS lecture, “The Mountain Gorilla.”
51:00 Strut-walk. When a silverback strut-walks, he is magnifying his dominance and his size. However,
Beethoven is approaching and Uncle Bert considers it more prudent to retreat. Beethoven employs the
strut-walk to approach, deliberating his tackle into the group. A very tense situation.
51:38 [Recording of gorilla multiple vocalizations]. He had charged into the group, only to be rebuffed by
Uncle Bert. To avoid overt aggression, the two silverbacks increase the distance from one another.
52:06 Submissive cowering on the part of the young female… [the recording continues to play]. Beethoven
grabs her. Uncle Bert objected. Beethoven, though, being the most dominant literally herds the young
female, Bravado, away from Group 4 and back to his own group.
52:39 Uncle Bert needs more experience. He follows a few minutes later, but doesn’t go too far. This
interaction had occurred on the very edge of Group 4’s range. After it was over, both groups moved
steadily away from one another.
53:07 The home range of both gorilla groups within the main study area is 8 square kilometers and it is
expanding on a yearly basis, especially into the saddle [i.e. between Karisimbe and Visoke]. They travel,
or they may travel, up to five kilometers a day, but the rule is about 2 kilometers a day. (“Hey, wait for
me fellas!”).
53:33 The silverback determines the speed and the direction of movement with which a group will travel, but
this does not mean that he must be in the lead of the group at all times.
53:44 Disputes among females are commonplace. Here, the dominant female seeks to push another out of her
way so she may obtain the trail lead. The subordinate animal is right like a “pickle in the middle,” with
the silverback on one end and the dominant female ahead. He, too, pushes by her.
54:22 When the distance between the two groups is increased, there is a gradual relaxing air and the animals are
less tense. Here, a female comes to the observers with her infant held in a dorsal position. It was always 15
Audio transcript of Dian Fossey’s 1973 NGS lecture, “The Mountain Gorilla.”
held ventrally during the situation of tension, such as the intergroup reaction of contact. Note the white
tail tuft on the infant. That denotes it as an animal of insecurity, one that needs protection.
55:02 The group members all cling together except for the loan blackback. He is not allowed very often into the
group bulk. He is yet a mature male and seems to function as a watchdog for their security. The mood,
once away from other groups, is relaxed and playful. (Some watchdogs) [she laughs].
55:37 Even the silverback may feel playful on these occasions. He seems deliberately up to some kind of
mischief and the other animals watch his attention, watch him carefully when he comes into the group.
He gets his eyes on the blackback at the edge of the group, very deliberately…playfully…up with the
chest beat, foliage run…and whacks the blackback right on the back. (Can’t do much about it).
56:18 This silverback, I would like to introduce you to, his name is Uncle Bert, a very calm and consistent
leader in his prime, approximately 20 years of age. An animal mated for life to the two older females in
his group. Because of the consistency of his discipline, I was able to approach him and the group far
easier than other groups when I first began this work. There were three silverbacks in the group some
years ago, but one died and one left to lead a lone life. Thus, Uncle Bert became the leader.
57:04 One day during a calm nesting feeding period, I chanced to drop a camera lens. The noise was unknown
to him. First of all, curiosity, followed by a bit of apprehension. (Carry out dinner). One day he greeted
me with an abrupt alarm bark. It was quite unlike him. Looking around, I saw the pink-eared young
infant, Cleo, who had been born during the night. I had no idea that Flossie, the mother, was even
pregnant. Very shy, she only let me have a glimpse of Cleo.
57:57 Infant gorillas may hang dorsally…uh, ventrally independent of their mother’s age 2 hours after birth.
The gestation period of the female gorilla is between 8½ to 9 months, as it would be with humans. By
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Audio transcript of Dian Fossey’s 1973 NGS lecture, “The Mountain Gorilla.”
the age of 7 months Cleo was a typical gorilla baby, with a crown of reddish head hair somewhat spindly
and uncoordinated. [Audience laughter].
58:38 She depended upon her mother for nourishment, transportation, love, and affection. Perhaps it is this
reason that there are 3-year intervals between births with the gorilla: the long dependency of their infant.
The mother’s body was the perfect playground: mounds to be climbed, legs and arms to be pulled. The
tolerance of the gorilla female is admirable.
59:26 At the age of 7 months, Cleo acquired a very serious eye injury, which is now essentially cleared up.
After a good play session, time for a snooze. Because Cleo depends so much upon her mother, she is not
allowed play opportunities unless other animals come to her. Here, two juveniles have approached the
mother and Cleo can enter into their play session. Well, although be it timidly.
1:00:10 They are very wary of her presence, though, and they always treat her gently. [Sounds of a recording].
Flossie keeps an eye on the play: if it gets too rough, she will jerk Cleo away and go to her own spot
away from all youngsters. (“Ma, I can take care of myself.”)
1:00:44 Another female of Group 4 is Petula, the most subordinate female in the group, but very permissive to
her 2-year-old son, Augustus. Here, he nurses away. Nursing periods last seldom more than a minute,
and it is the mother that terminates them.
1:00:14 Augustus is the only gorilla I’ve ever seen hand-clap. He is a unique individual. A study in perpetual
motion. [Audience noise, followed by applause].
1:01:55 Wow. Jungle gyms provide constant entertainment for Augustus. [Applause]. He is an inventive animal
who has made up a fabulous repertoire, a combination of leg and arm swings that defy anything else
another gorilla might be able to do. This type of play does strengthen muscles, coordination, and
dexterity.
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Audio transcript of Dian Fossey’s 1973 NGS lecture, “The Mountain Gorilla.”
1:02:58 His mother is resting—or at least was resting—at the base of the tree. Adult gorillas rarely climb into
saplings such as these, because of their great weight. Furthermore, their food supply is at the ground
level. But infants and juveniles spend a large percentage of their time playing, chasing, twirling,
swinging, climbing… [Sounds of recorded vocalizations].
1:03:47 Whether treed or grounded, Augustus is always on the move. He never misses a chance to play. The
rougher it is, the better he seems to like it and usually always comes back for more.
1:04:10 This type of wrestling is the most common form of gorilla play and consists of a great deal of mock
fighting and hair pulling [recorded sound plays]. There is a great deal of repetition of activities in play,
over and over and over again as with the human child [audience noise and applause]. (“Bottoms up!”).
Sometimes it’s better to kind of graciously retreat. (“I’m not through with you yet, fella.”)
1:05:12 Another individual of Group 4 is Tiger, a young 4-year-old male. His play activities, when he’s playing
alone, are more stereotyped that those of Augustus, who’s still in the inventive stage. Tiger will often for
no obvious reasons chest-beat, foliage-whack, and strut-walk, activities like those of the adult male. His
mother, Old Goat, so-named because of her disposition. Two years ago, Old Goat lost an infant. Since
that time, she has reinforced her maternal discipline towards Tiger and allows him to ride dorsally when
other juveniles are travelling independent of their mother’s aid. In other words, she’s just plain spoiled
him. The bond between them is a very close one.
1:06:28 Tiger, because of his dominant mother, receives a great deal of attention from other animals. Here, a
young female grooms him intently. But still, he’s aware always of his mother’s presence. She spends, or
wants to spend, a great deal of time with him. He embraces her upon her approach. The female in the
background wants to retain the proximity… [Recording drops out for about 15 seconds at 1:07:11].
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Audio transcript of Dian Fossey’s 1973 NGS lecture, “The Mountain Gorilla.”
1:07:27 Tiger grooms his mother as a means of reinforcing their social bond and the female self-grooms in an
inoffensive manner that will allow her to stay there. Then, seeking to get closer to Tiger, she changes
position, but cautiously. Then, she too, resorts to grooming Tiger…who is enjoying it. Receiving the
attention of females most of the day, he’s quite happy about his position within the group. When the
silverback leads the group off, all animals follow without any hesitation.
1:08:59 Within primate societies, to become orphaned—at least for a young animal—is a traumatic experience
and the animal may lose the will to live. Simba, the youngster in the background, is watching Tiger and
Augustus play. Simba was orphaned at the age of 3 years. Prior to her mother’s death, she too played,
but after that refused to enter into activities with her peers. It was only when Uncle Bert, much to my
amazement, took the role of a substitute mother with Simba. He began to share his night nest with her,
was very protective of her when she was around members of the group, and groomed her constantly. She
was somewhat reinforced by his attention and, therefore, slowly began to tolerate the proximity of other
youngsters. And then slowly respond to invitations to play, but always in a gentle manner and somewhat
inhibited. If she were over-annoyed by other youngsters, she would give temper shrieks, which would
bring Uncle Bert to her immediately.
1:10:28 Papoose, a young sub-adult female six-and-a-half-years of age. A lovely animal with one peculiar
personality trait: she must catch her reflection in the lens of the camera. [Applause]. (“Well, a girl’s got
to look her best.”) She never misses the opportunity to do so and it makes focusing a bit difficult.
1:11:17 Very much a young lady, Papoose still gives way to tomboy trends, especially with Tiger, her favorite
playmate. Here, she initiates a game of chasing him and hide-and-go-seek. The forest foliage provides a
wonderful background for such play activities. Often, the animals will change directions, so that the
pursuer becomes the pursued.
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Audio transcript of Dian Fossey’s 1973 NGS lecture, “The Mountain Gorilla.”
1:12:07 The day resting period is that of maximum social opportunities, with play and grooming the most
common type of actions and behavior. Here’s Old Goat spoiling Tiger. Tiger has the option of being
groomed by his mother or entering into play between Papoose and Augustus. [Recorded sound audible
in background]. The vocalization is known as the panting play-chuckle. Papoose seems to be everyone’s
favorite playmate.
1:13:15 With observations such as these, it’s difficult to retain the “King Kong” image of the gorilla. Papoose is
often ganged up upon, though she tries to share her time between Tiger and Augustus. [Recorded sound
is audible in background]. There’s no energy crisis here [OPEC members proclaimed an oil embargo in
October, 1973]. [Applause]. [Recorded sounds of gorilla vocalizations are audible]. She’s getting worn
out. Augustus seems to be thinking of a new attack. Petula looks like a contemplating Buddha.
[Applause]. Papoose bites her wrists in excitement. She will also mock-bite the other two to slow them
down, but it doesn’t work too much. [She laughs and says a word or two under her breath, while
audience noise and recorded gorilla vocalizations are audible].
1:15:39 Any sudden movement on the part of one animal within the group at this time causes instant alarm.
Flossie retreats quickly, with Cleo on her back and the reason for her exit is the entrance of Digit, the
one blackback in the group.
1:16:00 Digit has inadvertently disrupted the play session. Tiger gives him a reassurance gesture and Papoose
begins to groom his leg. He is dominant over the two of them. Digit has no playmates, no peers. The
three animals with whom he grew up have been kidnapped. They were all females taken into other
groups. He is now quite alone. At the age of 7 years, play might well be a welcome social interaction,
but he has no opportunities for play. He takes over the nest of the dominant animal, Old Goat. This
reinforces his own subordinacy.
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Audio transcript of Dian Fossey’s 1973 NGS lecture, “The Mountain Gorilla.”
1:16:54 I’ve found that blackbacks are usually the first to approach an observer. They’re large enough to take
care of themselves, and their sex usually keeps them apart from the center of the group. Maybe for this
reason, and because he lost his peers, Digit really responded to the observers, terribly curious about us
and anxious to come forward and investigate anything we might have with us like camera lenses or
boxes, notebooks, and gloves. [Some applause from a few audience members].
1:17:51 Smell is an important part of the examination of any foreign object. If something interests the gorilla,
they would pick it up and smell it first. Everything was always handled in a gentle manner, never thrown
about. (Now if he had the other one, he’d be set). Deciding it wasn’t useful at all, he gives a chest beat
and goes off, pleased with his daring.
1:18:33 Slowly, all of the group members begin to gain maximum proximity with us, due to their own initiative
and with curiosity as the main incentive. The thrill of each day’s contact is a never-diminishing one, and
the acceptance of being trusted by them is something that is a reward in itself.
1:19:10 Taking notes under such circumstances was sometimes a little bit difficult. [Some audience laughter
and applause]. The scratching sound made him feel more at ease, as if he needed it. Always interested in
a new object, I extended my hand. And again, a foreign object: it had to be smelled. But since he
couldn’t carry it off with him, the heck with it.
1:20:30 The sense of calm and ease with which Digit walked between myself and the photographer is some
indication of the trust in which he had placed in us. [Recorded sound is audible].
1:20:56 Some days it was difficult to know who was the observer and who was the observed. [Audience
laughter and applause]. What will he learn next? (“So long, folks!”) [Audience applause].
[Recording ends at 1:21:59].
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