Born January 16, 1932, San Francisco, California
Died December 27, 1985, Rwanda

For nearly two decades scientist Dian Fossey lived in the wilds of the Virunga Mountain range in east central Africa, studying mountain gorillas. By copying their behavior, she was able to get close enough to the little-known animals to observe everything about them, and her findings revealed that their reputation as violent creatures was untrue—that they were really “gentle giants.” Alarmed by their decreasing population, Fossey began an active campaign for protection of the gorillas from poachers (those who hunt animals illegally), and for preservation of their dwindling habitat. Her conservation efforts made many enemies, and she was murdered at her wilderness research camp in 1985.

Fossey was born January 16, 1932, in San Francisco, California. She loved animals as a child, and after high school graduation she enrolled at the University of California in a pre-veterinary...