The Parc des Volcans in Rwanda, where I conduct most of my studies, is heavily infested with poachers and herdsmen, whose cattle graze right through my camp area. Park boundaries have no meaning to these tribesmen. Dian Fossey More Quotes by Dian Fossey More Quotes From Dian Fossey When you realize the value of all life, you dwell less on what is past and concentrate more on the preservation of the future. Dian Fossey witty inspirational life I feel more comfortable with gorillas than people. I can anticipate what a gorilla's going to do, and they're purely motivated. Dian Fossey equality animal people The man who kills the animals today is the man who kills the people who get in his way tomorrow. Dian Fossey animal men people I shall never forget my first encounter with gorillas. Sound preceded sight. Odor preceded sound in the form of an overwhelming, musky-barnyard, humanlike scent. The air was suddenly rent by a high-pitched series of screams followed by the rhythmic rondo of sharp pok-pok chestbeats from a great silverbacked male obscured behind what seemed an impenetrable wall of vegetation. Dian Fossey wall sight science I had this great urge... I had it the day I was born. Some may call it destiny. My parents and friends called it dismaying. Dian Fossey friends destiny parent I have no friends. The more you learn about the dignity of the gorilla, the more you want to avoid people. Dian Fossey gorillas no-friends people One of the basic steps in saving a threatened species is to learn more about it: its diet, its mating and reproductive processes, its range patterns, its social behavior. Dian Fossey social-behavior patterns saving It was their individuality combined with the shyness of their behavior that remained the most captivating impression of this first encounter with the greatest of the great apes. Dian Fossey apes encounters individuality There are times when one cannot accept facts for fear of shattering one's being. As I listened to Ian's news, all of Digit's life, since my first meeting with him as a playful little ball of black fluff ten years earlier, passed through my mind. From that moment on, I came to live within an insulated part of myself. Dian Fossey black mind years Gorillas are almost altruistic in nature. There's very little if any 'me-itis.' When I get back to civilization I'm always appalled by 'me, me, me.' Dian Fossey gorillas littles civilization Active conservation [of gorillas] involves simply going out into the forest, on foot, day after day after day, attempting to capture poachers, killing-regretfully-poacher dogs, which spread rabies within the park, and cutting down traps. Dian Fossey cutting dog feet None of the three great apes is considered ancestral to modern man, Homo sapiens, but they remain the only other type of extant primate with which human beings share such close physical characteristics. From them we may learn much concerning the behavior of our earliest primate prototypes, because behavior, unlike bones, teeth, or tools, does not fossilize. Dian Fossey wildlife apes men The extraordinary gentleness of the adult male with his young dispels all the King Kong mythology. Dian Fossey wildlife adults kings [About gorillas] You take these fine, regal animals. How many (human) fathers have the same sense of paternity? How many human mothers are more caring? The family structure is unbelievably strong. Dian Fossey strong mother father I had a wonderful contact, especially with Uncle Bert who was an angel and led the whole group over to my side of a steep ravine I could not cross to get over to them Dian Fossey uncles angel sides [My] excursions provided a unique opportunity for observing [the gorillas' behavior] in their natural habitat... Then, all too soon, the infants were demanded for their trip to the zoo. ... [H]appily the babies did not know they would never see their mountain home again Dian Fossey home zoos baby Conservation of any endangered species must begin with stringent efforts to protect its natural habitat by the enforcement of rigid legislation against human encroachment into parks and other game sanctuaries. Dian Fossey against human game endangered-species When you realize the value of all life, you dwell on what is past and concentrate more on the preservation of the future. Dian Fossey you future life past For captive gorillas, trees should be available to climb and material such as straw, branches, or bamboo supplied for nest building. Dian Fossey trees nest climb building Any observer is an intruder in the domain of a wild animal and must remember that the rights of that animal supersede human interests. An observer must also keep in mind that an animal's memories of one day's contact might well be reflected in the following day's behavior. Dian Fossey day mind animal memories
