Dr. Jane Goodall is a primatologist (a scientist who studies primates) and conservationist known for her study of chimpanzees in the wild. Jane’s discoveries redefined the distinction between humans and animals, which is smaller than people would like to believe.
Jane Goodall was born on April 3, 1934 in London, England. As a child, Jane was fascinated by animals and Africa. Unable to afford a college education, she worked as a secretary and a waitress for a time until she was given the opportunity to visit a family friend in Kenya. Once in Africa, Jane met Louis Leakey, a famous anthropologist known for his study of the evolution of humans. In order to better understand human evolutionary history, Leakey wanted more information on the behavior of chimpanzees, our closest living relative. Leakey was impressed with Jane’s passion and dedication and offered her a job studying chimps in the wild in what is now Gombe Stream National Park.
At first, the chimps were wary of Jane and she could only observe them at a distance through her binoculars. Eventually, she gained the trust of a male chimpanzee she named David Greybeard who proved the key to unlocking the trust of the other chimpanzees. Jane’s practice of naming her research subject was frowned upon by behavioral scientists of the time who believed numbers should be used instead of names because it was less personal. However, Jane relished this personal connection with the chimps and would later discover that they had distinct personalities and complex social structures.
Jane’s first groundbreaking discovery came when she observed David Greybeard stripping the leaves off a twig and using it to probe a termite mound to “fish” for termites, which he would eat. Animals had been observed using tools before, but toolmaking was thought to be a behavior unique to humans that distinguished us from other animals. When she informed Leakey of her discovery, he responded “Now we must redefine ‘tool,’ redefine ‘man,’ or accept chimpanzees as humans.” In 1966, Jane returned to England to earn her Ph.D in animal behavior (ethology) at Cambridge University before going back to Africa to continue her study of chimpanzees.
Throughout the 45 years she studied the chimps at Gombe, Jane made many other discoveries about the behavior of chimpanzees. She discovered that chimpanzees cooperate to hunt down baboons and bush pigs. She discovered that they have complex social relationships and display emotions much like humans. However, she also discovered that chimps, like humans, can have a more brutal side to their nature. She observed a four year long “war” between the chimpanzees of two neighboring social groups where male chimpanzees of one group killed the males of another group and took over their territory. Despite this violence, she also observed altruism in chimpanzees, such as when an adolescent male adopted an unrelated orphaned infant.
In 1986, Jane transitioned from a scientist to conservationist and activist following a primatology conference where she learned of the threats that chimpanzees face in the wild and in medical research. Chimpanzees in the wild are threatened by habitat destruction and degradation, disease, hunting, and illegal trafficking. The Jane Goodall Institute, which was founded to support Jane’s research, now addresses these issues as well as other issues related to the environment and sustainability. The Roots and Shoots program, a subsection of the Jane Goodall Institute, is a youth-driven program created to empower young people to work to solve the problems facing people, animals, and the environment. Another program founded by Jane Goodall, Tacare, works to allow the coexistence of people and wildlife by combining reforestation and conservation with efforts to improve the lives of the people in the surrounding villages and promote sustainable development. Jane now travels around the world giving speeches and advocating for conservation.
About The Author
Marcella is a Junior at Northwood High School who is interested in a career as a Conservation Biologist. She enjoys reading, playing the piano, and being outside.
Sources
Appleton, S. (2022, Oct 24). Jane Goodall. National Geographic. Retrieved Dec 18, 2022.
https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/jane-goodall
Jane Goodall Institute. Our Approach. (n.d). Retrieved Dec 18, 2022.
https://janegoodall.org/our-work/our-approach/
Dame Jane Goodall. (n.d.). Academy of Achievement. Retrieved Dec 18, 2022.
https://achievement.org/achiever/jane-goodall/
The National Geographic Museum Releases a Virtual Tour of its Current Exhibition “Becoming
Jane: The Evolution of Dr. Jane Goodall”. (2020, Apr 3). National Geographic.
https://blog.nationalgeographic.org/2020/04/03/the-national-geographic-museum-releases-a-virtual-tour-of-its-current-exhibition-becoming-jane-the-evolution-of-dr-jane-goodall/
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