16 Facts About Juliane Koepcke

Juliane Koepcke was born in Lima on 10 October 1954, the only child of German zoologists Maria and Hans-Wilhelm Juliane Koepcke.

Juliane Koepcke's parents were working at Lima's Museum of Natural History when she was born.

On 24 December 1971, just one day after she graduated, Juliane Koepcke flew on LANSA Flight 508.

Maria agreed that Juliane Koepcke could stay longer and instead they scheduled a flight for Christmas Eve.

Juliane Koepcke survived the fall but suffered injuries such as a broken collarbone, a deep cut on her right arm, an eye injury, and a concussion.

Juliane Koepcke then spent 11 days in the rainforest, most of which were spent making her way through the water.

Juliane Koepcke gave herself rudimentary first aid, which included pouring gasoline on her arm to force the maggots out of the wound.

Juliane Koepcke returned to her parents' native Germany, where she fully recovered from her injuries.

Juliane Koepcke received a doctorate from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and returned to Peru to conduct research in mammalogy, specialising in bats.

Juliane Koepcke published her thesis, "Ecological study of a bat colony in the tropical rain forest of Peru", in 1987.

In 1989, Juliane Koepcke married Erich Diller, a German entomologist who specialises in parasitic wasps.

Juliane Koepcke currently serves as a librarian at the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology in Munich.

Juliane Koepcke was portrayed by English actress Susan Penhaligon in the film.

Juliane Koepcke's story was more faithfully told by Juliane Koepcke herself in German filmmaker Werner Herzog's documentary Wings of Hope.

Juliane Koepcke had planned to make the film ever since narrowly missing the flight but was unable to contact Koepcke for decades since she avoided the media; he located her after contacting the priest who performed her mother's funeral.

Juliane Koepcke accompanied him on a visit to the crash site, which she described as a "kind of therapy" for her.