Leakey's Angels

Louis Leakey was the famous Archaeologist who established that the Human Race perhaps began in Africa. Leakey also seems to have a thing for hooking women up with monkeys. All three of the most famous researchers on primates were guided into their professions by Leakey, and oddly, especially for their time and for the danger that is inherent in their work, they are all women. So I thought I'd take a look at their charts. The women are Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Birute Galdikas. Their charts definitely show their Maverick natures (Uranus) and their Courage (Mars, plus some).

Rex Bills doesn't give rulerships for specific primates, as far as I can tell. He says that Monkeys are ruled by Gemini, Mercury. Domesticated pets are ruled by Virgo, Mercury. Large animals are ruled by the 12th House and Jupiter. Wild animals are ruled by Uranus (according to Rex Bills).

I was curious to see how Mars figures in the charts. These women are all strongly independent. And I figured Mars indicates the idea of "Primate." Goodall's Mars is in Aries, Fossey's is in Capricorn, and Galdikas' is in Leo, all very strong willed placements. In addition, all three women have Mars-Pluto contacts. The 10 degree orbs are considered too wide by many but since they are included in stelliums that tighten the orbs so I think they should be considered. It's a relief seeing the Mars-Pluto aspect being used in life for something other than Temper Tantrums which is the common interpretation by Astrologers. Dian Fossey's Mars, however, was conjunct her Sun-Saturn and she did suffer from some of the more alienating Mars-Pluto-Saturn problems both politically and in that she was murdered perhaps by a poacher. Both Fossey and Goodall grew up in Divorced homes which could also develop into a loner, self dependent personality.

I've also noticed that Jupiter is strongly aspected in two of the charts and I think that Jupiter, Sagittarius should maybe be considered for Human-Animal Relations. Sagittarius is a Centaur, half man, half horse and I've noticed people with this sign very strong in their charts seem to have an affinity with animals. In these charts, Jupiter trines the Nodes of Goodall and Galdikas' charts. These two women interestingly were born with Jupiter within a degree of each other in Libra. All three women have strong Jupiter-Uranus aspects as well.

Venus is also strongly connected with Uranus-Aquarius. Goodall and Fossey have Venus in Aquarius (on the same degree) and Galdikas has a conjunction of Venus to Uranus. Two of the women have Venus-North Node Conjunctions. When one looks at Leakey's chart one can see his attraction to them as he had a Grand Square which included Venus in Virgo square Uranus. The other indicator for women in one's life is the Moon and Leakey's Moon was in Aquarius. One can certainly understand that a woman attracted to this line of work must be independent, enterprising and not bothered by the prospects of an alternative lifestyle. Bills assigns Rulerships for "Wilderness" to Uranus (Pluto).

Jane Goodall / Chimpanzees
b. Apr. 3, 1934 London, England

Sun 14 Aries; Moon Scorpio or Sagittarius; NN 18 Aquarius

Sun conjunct Mars in Aries squaring Pluto in Cancer. Sun-Mars opposes Jupiter in Libra.

Jupiter 19 Libra trine Aquarius North Nodes

Venus 28 Aquarius conjunct Saturn-NN in Aquarius.

Dian Fossey / Gorillas
b. Jan. 16, 1932 San Francisco, CA

Sun 26 Capricorn; Moon Aries or Taurus; NN 29 Pisces

Sun-Saturn-Mars in Capricorn opposite Pluto in Cancer.
Jupiter 21 Leo trine Uranus 16 Aries
Venus unaspected 28 Aquarius
Mercury 3 Capricorn squaring NN 29 Pisces

Birute Galdikas // Orangutans
b. May 10, 1946 Wiesbaden, Germany

Sun 20 Taurus; Moon Virgo; NN 22 Gemini

Mars 9 Leo conjunct Pluto 10 Leo
North Node 22 Gemini conjunct Uranus-Venus in Gemini trining Jupiter 20 Libra