The book “Gorillas in the Mist” by Dian Fossey provides a remarkable depiction of her thirteen-year study on gorillas in the Virungas Mountains. Fossey’s work challenges the commonly held perception of gorillas as terrifying creatures. By conducting thorough research, she successfully enlightens the public about gorilla behavior, social structure, and their unique individuality.
In September of 1963, Dian Fossey initiated her research with the aim of encountering the mountain gorillas of Mt. Mikeno in the Congo and meeting Dr. Leaky. However, after meeting Dr. Leaky, she was persuaded to pursue a long-term study rather than a short-term one. Unfortunately, her initial attempt at this study did not go smoothly as she fell into a hole and broke her leg just one day into it.
After returning to the United States and three years later in 1966, she went back to Africa to commence her study on the gorillas of the Virungas at the Kabara Research site. Regrettably, due to civil war in Zaire, she was compelled to leave and never returned.
The political unrest significantly impacted Fossey’s gorilla study as she had formed social connections with gorilla groups but had to relocate to Rwanda side of the mountains where she established Karisoke research center. This relocation hindered her research progress as she had to rebuild social bonds with new gorilla groups instead of collecting data immediately. Nonetheless, despite these challenges, Dian Fossey conducted most of her well-known gorilla research for nearly thirteen years from this new site.
Dian Fossey’s work with gorillas was as important as Jane Goodall’s work with chimpanzees. Fossey made significant discoveries about primates, establishing family groups called “Groups” and showing that gorillas have strong family bonds. Each group had one dominant male Silverback gorilla, along with a few females and possibly some Blackback males. It is worth noting that there can be multiple Silverbacks in a group, but the dominant one is always the strongest and largest. Generally, the dominant Silverback is born into the group and takes over leadership when the old leader passes away. However, sometimes a Silverback can assume dominance if the previous leader is too weak, ill, or old to fulfill his role.
The dominant Silverback serves as the leader of the group, guiding them through mountains and protecting younger and weaker members. He has exclusive breeding rights over all females in the group and typically remains the primary breeder to ensure his genetic influence on future generations. Additionally, this dominant male plays a vital role in maintaining order within the group’s structure – an essential aspect for their survival.
Female gorillas also show dominance, with the longest-standing female in a group taking the most dominant role. The dominant female spends a considerable amount of time grooming the dominant silverback. Fossey’s study revealed that groups without a dominant silverback leader faced more difficulties in finding food and protecting themselves from other groups. Fossey observed different gorilla groups, varying in size from one silver or blackback to as many as twenty-one individuals, including up to two silverbacks.
Within a gorilla group, there may or may not be familial connections. Dian Fossey extensively observed this dynamic within the groups. It was common for a female gorilla’s biological father to mate with her once she reached sexual maturity, either to assert dominance as a Silverback or as a result of limited breeding opportunities within the group. In such cases, groups with limited breeding resources often engaged in interbreeding to pass on genes. However, the dominant Silverback would seek to acquire new females from rival groups, leading to the loss or addition of members within a group. These interactions sometimes escalated into violent battles between dominant members of different groups. Typically, it is the dominant Silverback who intimidates and takes a female from the rival group.
Dian Fossey observed that the gorillas she studied displayed a gentle side that is not commonly seen in gorillas that are not accustomed to human presence. According to Fossey, the gorillas’ desire for contact with one another contributed to their peaceful demeanor. Grooming, which is not just about maintaining cleanliness but also serves as a means of contact among group members, plays a crucial role as a social skill. This interaction within the group brought comfort to the gorillas and fostered group unity. In fact, the younger members of the group often engaged in grooming sessions with Fossey. This research challenges the perception of gorillas as dangerous creatures that would immediately attack humans. It begs the question: why would a supposedly aggressive beast reach out to a human purely for the purpose of providing comfort?
Gorillas are known to be playful creatures. The young gorillas have a strong sense of curiosity, which often led them to approach Dian Fossey. As described in the book, these comical interactions greatly influenced my perception of gorillas. Initially, I saw them as terrifying beasts, but through Fossey’s accounts, I developed a new understanding of gorilla behavior and came to see them as gentle giants.
In the book Gorillas in the Mist, Dian Fossey’s deep affection for gorillas is evident. She goes to the extent of giving each group of gorillas she encounters a name, thereby portraying them as possessing a personality akin to humans. This portrayal enhances the reader’s understanding of each gorilla and challenges the commonly held misconception about gorillas. I believe that this misconception, which portrays gorillas as fearsome killers, played a significant role in influencing Fossey’s writing of the book.
Dian Fossey aimed to make her findings accessible and understandable to a wide range of readers. The title of her book contributes to its significance, highlighting the longstanding mystery surrounding gorillas. Prior to her study, there had been no comprehensive exploration that shed light on the endangered species. Fossey’s writing style is characterized by simplicity and clarity, resembling that of a child’s, making it both easy and enjoyable to read. Despite occasionally using scientific terminology, Fossey’s tone encourages readers to persist through the text. However, her tendency to jump between chapters and introduce unfamiliar gorilla groups and individuals without prior definition creates a challenge in following a coherent pattern.
In an effort to create a straightforward and comprehensible book, Dian Fossey went to the extent of including scientific notations at the end of the book, specifically addressing gorilla vocalizations, food types, and parasites among other topics briefly mentioned in the text. Thus, I perceive this book not only as an exploration of gorilla behavior or a documentation of Dian Fossey’s research, but also as a means to raise awareness about this remarkable animal.
