Who Am I?
Born in San Francisco, USA in 1932, I was raised in a poor family. My parents divorced due to my father's drinking problem and my mother remarried soon after.
I met with my father only 3 times after this, before he committed suicide in 1968. I did not have a happy childhood as I was often neglected by my mother and stepfather. I attended Lowell High School in California and later enrolled in a Veterinary course, much to my stepfather's dismay.
I worked various jobs to support myself whilst studying. My interest in Africa came after meeting Dr Leakey in Tanzania on a trip to Africa. After returning to the US, I was contacted by Dr Leakey and urged to study gorillas in the wild.
In 1967 I founded a research centre located in a rainforest camp in Rwanda. I became a celebrity when a photo of a gorilla touching my hand made the cover of National Geographic. I was an active campaigner against animal cruelty, poaching and what I believed was the unethical treatment of animals for human gain.
I authored the famed book “Gorillas in the Mist”, a title later used in a film about me. I was found brutally murdered on 26th December 1985 inside my cabin in Rwanda. |
