The last living gorilla featured in Dian Fossey’s 1983 book “Gorillas in the Mist,” is believed to have died.
The female ape named Poppy, who would have turned 43 on April 1, has not been observed by trackers since August, the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund announced Tuesday.
“Being able to observe Poppy over so many stages of life gave researchers a wealth of knowledge,” fund chief Tara Stoinski said.
“She taught us so much about the rich social and reproductive lives of female gorillas, their dominance structure, and of course, their personalities,” she added.
“Poppy broke the mold for what we know about mountain gorilla females — transferring at an older age, joining a very young and inexperienced male, having a baby so late in life,” said Veronica Vecellio, the Fossey Fund’s gorilla program’s senior adviser.
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