Karisoke Research Center - Dian Fossey Camp

The original goals of Fossey's establishment of Karisoke were to research gorilla ecology, demographics, and social organization. She found herself hunting for and attempting to study these elusive animals for days on end, despite clues that poachers and other human intruders had gone before her. Fossey discovered that in order to research gorilla ecology and behavior, she needed to be able to recognize individual gorillas, which meant the gorillas had to become acclimated to her presence, or habituated.

The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund now runs the Karisoke Research Center, which employs more than 100 skilled gorilla trackers who protect almost half of Rwanda's mountain gorillas on a daily basis. With more than 300 scientific publications based on data collected at Karisoke and one of the largest databases on any wild animal, as well as education and community programs that reach tens of thousands of people in the region each year, it is the world's center for gorilla conservation and science.

In addition, because the gorillas' habitat includes many other significant species of animals and plants, Karisoke's scientific efforts have been broadened to include studies on the region's biodiversity.

Location: Viruga