Jane Goodall, the Chimpanzee Whisperer We Need to Know
Are you an animal lover? If so, then you may already know who Jane Goodall is, and if not then you’re going to fall in love with someone new. Jane Goodall is known somewhat as the chimpanzee whisperer. During the summer of 1960, Goodall traveled to Tanzania at the age of 26 and dwelled deep into the life of chimpanzees. Goodall lived with and studied chimpanzees for years to help with the scientific studies we still use today.
Goodall was born on April 3, 1934, in London, England to a motor race enthusiast father and a novelist mother. From an early age, she became fascinated with animal behavior. She spent her free time observing birds and other common animals around her, drawing them, and taking notes over the years. She also enjoyed reading books on zoology and some of her favorite animals to learn more and more. From an early age, her dream was to travel to Africa to be able to study the animals she always read about.
In July of 1960, her dreams were finally beginning to come true. Goodall took a trip to what is now Tanzania, Africa with the goal to study and learn about chimpanzees. During the trip, she was able to find non-threatening ways to study the animals up close and personal. The animals began to recognize her and got comfortable with her presence in the area showing no fear. She then was able to get closer to them, feed them, and study their everyday behaviors.
While in Africa, Goodall was able to discover specific chimpanzee related behaviors to share with the scientific world. She founded the “banana club” which was a feeding method she used to gain the trust of the chimpanzees. She gained knowledge of their complex social system, ritual behaviors, how they attacked with weapons, their sounds, and more. Her findings were able to be used around the world for those needing a better understanding of chimpanzees.
After her discoveries, Goodall became a famous name in the science and animal communities. She received a Ph.D. in ethology from Cambridge University in 1965, began educating the public about wild chimpanzees, work with preserving the chimpanzee environment, and wrote many books throughout the years to help educate people.
People can now see her work through the Jane Goodall Institute for Wildlife Research, Education, and Conservation. The nonprofit organization promotes the protection and education of chimpanzees. The organization is based in Virginia, but has nearly two dozen offices around the world.
