Gorillas in the Mist

Synopsis
Dian Fossey's account of her attempts to study and protect the gorillas of Rwanda.

My thoughts
I was inspired by this book. It takes a woman of immense strength and determination to do what Dian Fossey did. There was no blueprint for the type of research she did, so she had to make it up as she went along. In addition, she faced opposition from corrupt local conservation authorities who ignored poachers and even worked with Western zoos to capture gorillas for their exhibits.

I don't have a strong background in science, so I was relieved that Fossey wrote for a lay audience and didn't spend much time on gorilla anatomy or physical anthropology. Instead, she focused on her personal connection to the gorillas and her understanding of their social dynamics. Each group is led by a mature silverback with one or more immature males acting as backup to protect the females and young. The younger males were often the most colorfully drawn, and it was truly fun to follow them as they grew up, developed distinct personalities, and learned from their group's silverback. Their stories became most compelling when they either inherited the leadership of their group (sometimes before they were ready) or had to branch out on their own.

Fossey's commitment to the gorillas was admirable, but it was awkward to read about an American woman trying to impose her morals and standards on a culture she didn't understand. Her attitude smacked of the superiority and imperialism that was (and in many ways still is) characteristic of the way the West views Africa. But to some extent, it was necessary and she was successful in her efforts to protect the gorillas and raise awareness about them around the world.

Gorillas in the Mist was published two years before Fossey's still-unsolved murder, and her research and conservation efforts continue today. As soon as I finished the book, I went online to make a donation to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund and was delighted to realize that some of the gorillas she'd written about almost 30 years ago not only survived but thrived.

Bottom line
A must-read if you're at all interested in wildlife and conservation.

Fine print
Gorillas in the Mist, by Dian Fossey
Genre: animal science, memoir
Photo from Goodreads
I bought this book