Dr. Anne Innis Dagg retraces her 1956 journey to South Africa to study giraffes in the wild.
Presented in Tribute and Celebration of the late Dr. Anne Innis Dagg (1933-2024).
With introduction and Q&A by Mary Dagg and director Alison Reid.
In 1956, before any man or woman had made such a trip, 23-year-old Canadian biologist, Anne Innis Dagg, made a solo journey to South Africa to become the first person in the world to study giraffes in the wild.
“Years before Jane Goodall ventured into the world of chimpanzees and Dian Fossey worked with mountain gorillas, 23-year old Canadian Anne Innis Dagg made an unprecedented expedition to South Africa to study giraffes in the wild.
“Despite returning home with ground-breaking research, the numerous barriers Dagg faced as a female scientist proved harder to overcome. Denied tenure at University of Guelph, she blazed her own trail as a feminist activist for over three decades—and now she’s finally getting her due.
“Through letters and stunning 16mm footage, this inspiring portrait retraces Dagg’s journey to becoming the world’s first “giraffeologist” and the triumphs and battles along the way.” - Hot Docs
"Alison Reid deserves high praise for fine storytelling, combining ecology and social-justice issues while focusing on a woman ahead of her times, whose ambitions were thwarted by institutional sexism." - Toronto Star