“Exactly at 4:30 p.m. on September 24, 1967, I established the Karisoke Research Center - 'Kari' for the first four letters of Mt. Karisimbi that overlooked my camp from the south; 'soke' for the last four letters of Mt. Visoke whose slopes rose north.”
Dian Fossey, Gorillas in the Mist
The Karisoke Research Center was officially created by Dian Fossey in 1967, as she established her research camp in Rwanda, between Mt. Visoke and Mt. Karisimbi. Although her original focus was on study of the mountain gorillas, she soon realized that if they were to survive, they would require protection as well. Among the threats were poachers who set snares in the forest (in the Virungas this was mainly for other animals such as antelope), cattle grazing, and human encroachment into the forest.
Throughout the years, the emphasis on both research and protection continued at Karisoke, although research was slowed or halted during certain periods of civil unrest. Karisoke’s facilities were built and destroyed a number of times throughout the years, and today have been moved to the nearby town of Musanze (formerly Ruhengeri), with outposts in the forest where needed. In recent years, Karisoke has also added programs geared toward education and health in local communities.
Today, the Karisoke Research Center employs some 80 staff members, with more than half of these in research, protection and monitoring of the gorillas. Other staff include education, health, and administrative staff.
