41 Quotes by Dian Fossey

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.

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.

I have no friends. The more you learn about the dignity of the gorilla, the more you want to avoid people.

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.’

I feel more comfortable with gorillas than people. I can anticipate what a gorilla’s going to do, and they’re purely motivated.

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.

There was no way that I could explain to dogs, friends, or parents my compelling need to return to Africa to launch a long-term study of the gorillas. Some may call it destiny and others may call it dismaying. I call the sudden turn of events in my life fortuitous.

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.

I have no friends.