Dian Fossey Saved Them from Extinction. Now They Face a New Threat.

Decades ago, Dian Fossey went into the mountains of Rwanda to study and protect gorillas. Her work became the foundation of one of the world’s longest-running gorilla conservation programs — and her legacy continues today.

In this episode, we speak with **Megan Golder, Director of Marketing and Communications at the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund**. We explore how gorilla conservation has evolved since Dian Fossey’s time, why mountain gorillas are one of the few great ape populations that are not currently declining, and why the situation for Grauer’s gorillas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo remains critical.

We talk about poaching, habitat loss, illegal mining and the essential role of local communities. We also look at how scientists monitor gorillas every day, what nearly 60 years of research can teach us about these remarkable animals, and why infectious diseases — including Ebola — can pose a serious threat to entire gorilla groups.

And finally, we ask a question that involves all of us: **Do you need to be a scientist or a ranger to help protect gorillas?**

⏱️ CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction
00:44 Megan Golder and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund
01:47 Dian Fossey’s legacy and the beginning of gorilla conservation
06:13 The four gorilla subspecies and their status today
10:24 The biggest threats: poaching, mining and habitat loss
11:45 Why conservation depends on local communities
15:20 How science and technology help protect gorillas
20:57 Ebola, disease and transmission between humans and gorillas
25:38 Ecotourism vs. gorilla safety
28:18 Hope for the future — and how each of us can help

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