At the time Fossey founded Karisoke, she feared that the mountain gorilla might become extinct by the end of the 20th century, as her mentor, Dr. Louis Leakey, had warned.
[6] The site was closed down during the genocide and civil war in Rwanda when most of the workers became refugees in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire).
Despite the constant threat of war, Karisoke continued to upgrade its capacity for scientific research through new technology and new partnerships with local authorities and other conservation organizations.
[4] The buildings, now in ruins and overgrown by vegetation, are still a monument to Fossey, her work and the first camp dedicated exclusively to the study of mountain gorillas.
Thanks to Karisoke Research Center's active conservation program, the mountain gorillas of the Virungas are the only great ape species to have increased in number in recent decades.
Since its establishment in 1967, Karisoke has produced an unparalleled amount of information about the mountain gorillas and their habitat and attracts scientists and science students from around the world.
Ellen DeGeneres plans to help build a permanent home in Rwanda for the work of the Fossey Fund to protect critically endangered mountain gorillas.