Jane Goodall: A Life of Empathy, Curiosity and Courage

As Jane Goodall approached her 90th birthday, fans around the world celebrated the remarkable life and legacy of the pioneering primatologist and anthropologist. From her groundbreaking research living among chimpanzees in Tanzania to her tireless activism for conservation and animal welfare, Goodall has inspired generations with her curiosity, empathy and courage.  

Born in 1934 in London, Goodall’s love of animals blossomed at an early age. As a child roaming the hills around her home, she discovered a passion for observing birds, squirrels and other wildlife up close. This innate curiosity was nurtured by her mother, who gave the young Jane a stuffed chimpanzee doll and Jane Goodall books like the illustrated Tarzan stories that sparked her imagination about Africa.

Though unable to afford university, Goodall’s dreams of studying animals in Africa persisted. She worked as a secretary and waitress to save up, finally traveling to Kenya in 1957 at age 23. Her determination soon paid off when the famed paleoanthropologist Louis Leakey hired her as a secretary. Recognizing Goodall’s potential, Leakey would go on to help launch her unprecedented field study of wild chimpanzees.

In 1960, the 26-year-old Goodall arrived at Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania to live among the chimpanzee population, armed with just a notebook, binoculars and rations of rice and peanuts. With remarkable patience and empathetic understanding, she gradually gained the trust of the chimpanzee families, observing them more closely than any human before.

Her findings revolutionized the scientific understanding of chimpanzees and challenged the established view of human uniqueness. Goodall witnessed the chimps crafting and using simple tools, exhibiting complex emotions, maintaining involved social relationships and even engaging in primitive “war.” Her descriptions of chimpanzees embracing, kissing and grieving shattered the assumption that humans were the only beings to experience such emotional depth.

Despite skepticism from the male-dominated scientific community over her unconventional methods, such as giving the chimps names instead of numbers, Goodall’s insights eventually earned her worldwide acclaim. She authored several landmark Jane Goodall books including “In the Shadow of Man” and became a prominent voice for ethical treatment of animals and environmental conservation.

“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make,” Goodall said. After leaving her fieldwork in 1986, she turned her energy toward educating the public and lobbying governments worldwide on threats facing chimpanzee habitats and other critical environmental issues.

Goodall visited Denver and cities across the globe sharing impassioned pleas to protect the planet. Her maverick spirit, vision and authenticity allowed her to connect with audiences young and old. An early advocate for Roots & Shoots, her institute’s youth-led community service program, Goodall believed empowering the next generation was key to creating an environmentally sustainable world.  

“Every single one of us matters, has a role to play, and makes a difference every single day,” Goodall declared. While global challenges like climate change, poverty and biodiversity loss seemed daunting, she never lost hope that collective action could overcome them.

Goodall drew inspiration from her decades observing the extraordinary resilience of nature in Gombe. She witnessed chimpanzee populations recover from violence, drought and polio. Just as the forest regenerated from immense hardship, Goodall maintained faith humanity could solve its most vexing issues through patience, unity and respect for all life.

Her eternal optimism and unique ability to see things from an animal’s perspective allowed Goodall to build bridges between seemingly disparate groups. She collaborated with scientists, philosophers, policymakers and even businesses in her quest to foster greater understanding and protection of the natural world.

At the heart of Goodall’s philosophy was the idea that peace and harmonious coexistence were only possible through cultivating empathy and recognizing the interconnectedness of all living beings. “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make,” she professed.

Even as she entered her 10th decade, Goodall’s adventurous spirit showed no signs of fading. When asked about the next great adventure awaiting her, Goodall would cheekily reply “death” – a reminder that her insatiable curiosity would continue until the very end.

Goodall’s trailblazing life has secured her status as a global icon and one of the most inspirational figures of modern times. But beyond her many accolades and Jane Goodall books, her legacy will be one of empathy, relentless curiosity about the natural world, and moral courage to take a stand for the sustainability of life on Earth.

Through her shining example of always seeking to understand and protect the wondrous diversity of animal life, Goodall sparked concern for the environment worldwide. By opening our eyes to our kinship with all creatures great and small, she shared a transformative message of hope that will continue to inspire generations to come.