On the planet today, there are fewer than 1,000 mountain gorillas. They were close to being extinct, but thanks to the efforts of Dian Fossey, the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International and caring and dedicated people, the gorillas are starting to make a comeback.
Haddonfield’s very own Tara Stoinski became president and CEO of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International as of Oct. 1. The Fossey Fund continues the work of Dr. Dian Fossey, the legendary scientist who pioneered the study of endangered mountain gorillas during the 1960s.
“I’m excited. I love this organization. I’ve devoted 20 years of my life to gorillas. I’m really passionate about my work and what I do,” Stoinski said. “To be able to work for such an iconic organization and make a difference is truly an honor.”
Stoinski, who will also hold the additional title of chief scientific officer, had served part-time with the Fossey Fund since 2002, in the role of chief scientist and later as vice president. At the same time, she also served as director of primate research at Zoo Atlanta, where the Fossey Fund has its U.S. headquarters. She is a widely published expert in gorilla behavior and has conducted extensive fieldwork and other research in primatology for more than 20 years, implementing information learned from gorillas in the wild to gorillas in captivity.
However, Stoinski didn’t start out wanting to work with gorillas. She knew she wanted to work with animals ever since she was a child. Her love for animals came from her father, always having pets in her house growing up.
“He would spend time at Hopkins Pond, which is where he got a lot of his interest. He would spend a lot of time there, looking for frogs and other wildlife. He passed that along to my brother and me,” Stoinski said.
The Haddonfield Memorial High School alumna also had great science classes that really piqued her interested and laid a good foundation. When she graduated in 1987, she originally wanted to be a veterinarian, but when she got the opportunity to study for her master’s in biology at Oxford University and went to Africa, she knew that is where she wanted to work.
In 1994, she began her Ph.D. program in psychology at the Georgia Institute of Technology, which has a connection to Zoo Atlanta, and soon after began studying gorillas.
What people don’t realize is these animals are endangered, Stoinski said. Before Fossey’s efforts to save the mountain gorillas and the book and Oscar-nominated movie “Gorillas in the Mist,” which chronicles her career and life studying and protecting gorillas, there were fewer than 300 mountain gorillas. Since then, the population has doubled thanks to the efforts started by Fossey.
“To me, the most important message is that these animals, who are so like us, are barely holding on. Through the dedication of Fossey and passionate people, we still have them on the planet. These small organizations are really making a difference, and we need to keep working. They could be gone forever and once gone, we can’t get them back,” Stoinski said.
Stoinski said conservation is the hardest part of her job, but there are a lot of fun parts, too, her favorites being research and learning. She, along with others who have been studying the behaviors of gorillas for 47 years, have found they have complex lives just like humans. They have friends, enemies, fights, make ups and protect their families. She and her fellow scientists call it the “Gorilla Soap Opera.”
“They have so many similarities to us,” Stoinski said.
The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International organization isn’t only about the study and research of gorillas. There is also the education and community aspect of the organization. The fund engages local communities in Africa and has educational outreach to children, getting them involve in science, learning the values of the forest and more. It also helps provide for the communities near the gorillas. The fund encourages people to spend time in Africa to learn more about the gorillas, not only helping them, but helping the local communities as well.
“Getting to take my daughters was great. I love being over there, introducing people. Rwanda is such a great place,” Stoinski said.
There are many ways people can help the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. The best way is to go to its website at www.gorillafund.org. where there is a plethora of information on gorillas, with blogs and PSAs. You can also donate directly to the fund or even adopt a gorilla.
“A great holiday gift is that people can adopt a gorilla. It is a unique gift that also gives back to the gorillas,” Stoinski said. “Spreading the word is huge. A little bit goes a long way.”
