Today we honor the life and legacy of English primatologist and anthropologist Jane Goodall, who passed away on October 1. Her pioneering work with chimpanzees made her a cherished household name around the world.
A Pioneer in Primatology and the Human-Animal Connection
Goodall, first mentored by paleontologist Louis Leakey, engaged in field research studying wild chimpanzees of the Kasakela community in Gombe National Park, Tanzania.
Her chimp research, which began in 1960, is considered the longest study of any animals in their natural habitat. Goodall’s work showed that chimps share many attributes with humans, including emotional complexity, social bonding, passing knowledge from generation to generation, and, unfortunately, even warfare.
Perhaps the most iconic moment of Goodall’s work happened on November 4, 1960, when she noticed a chimpanzee, who she’d named David Greybeard, using a stalk of grass to pull termites from a termite mound. She later witnessed Graybeard and another chimp, Goliath, making termite “fishing” tools out of twigs. Tool creation by non-human animals had never been observed and was considered a defining characteristic of being a human.
Goodall’s research also dispelled the notion that chimps are vegetarian and witnessed the chimpanzee “rain dance,” in which male chimps charge through the forest, vocalizing loudly, slapping trees and the ground, and dragging branches during rainstorms.
A Global Voice for Conservation and Climate Action
Beyond the publication of her research and articles in
National Geographic, Goodall published 32 books in her lifetime. Goodall was also an active lecturer and traveled extensively promoting conservation and action on climate change.
She established wildlife sanctuaries, developed reforestation projects in Africa, and campaigned for the ethical treatment of animals. Her life and work have been the subject of dozens of films.
A Lasting Legacy: The Jane Goodall Institute and Her Enduring Impact
Jane Goodall was named a Dame Commander of the British Empire and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The BBB Accredited Charity
Jane Goodall Institute for Wildlife, Research, Education, and Conservation was founded in 1977 and continues to protect, educate and advocate on behalf of chimpanzees and the natural world.
Thank you for your incredible life, Jane. You will be missed.
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