Latest news with #JaneGoodall
BBC News
2 days ago
- Science
- BBC News
'They hold hands, they embrace, they kiss': The woman who changed our view of chimps
In 1960, Jane Goodall began her groundbreaking field study by living among chimpanzees in Tanzania. In 1986 she told the BBC how similar chimps and humans really are. On 14 July 1960, 65 years ago this week, a young English woman with no formal scientific background or qualifications stepped off a boat at the Gombe Stream Game Reserve in Tanzania to begin what would become a pioneering study of wild chimpanzees. Her discoveries would not just revolutionise our understanding of animal behaviour but reshape the way we define ourselves as human beings. Although she was just 26 years old at the time, Jane Goodall had long dreamt of studying and living with animals. "Apparently, from the time I was about one and a half or two, I used to study insects, anything, and this gradually evolved and developed and grew and then I read books like Dr Dolittle and Tarzan, then it had to be Africa that was my goal," she told the BBC's Terry Wogan on his talk show in 1986. Upon finishing school, Goodall took a secretarial course while working as a waitress and as a film production assistant to fund her childhood ambition. By 1957, she had finally saved enough money to travel to see a friend in Nairobi, Kenya. While there, she arranged to meet the renowned Kenyan-British palaeoanthropologist Professor Louis Leakey, merely with the hope of talking to him about animals. Leakey, whose secretary had recently left, was so impressed by Goodall's quiet determination and extensive self-taught knowledge of African wildlife that he offered her a job as his assistant at the natural history museum. Leakey would then become Goodall's mentor. "It was he who said, 'Well, I'm looking for someone to go and study chimpanzees because of the light their behaviour may shed on understanding early human behaviour,'" she told Wogan. Leakey viewed her lack of an academic science background as an advantage rather than a hindrance, believing her observations wouldn't be hemmed in by pre-existing scientific theories. Goodall would not be alone on her trip to the Gombe Reserve. To comply with the colonial safety regulations of the time, her mother Vanne came along as a chaperone. "Initially I wasn't allowed to be on my own," she told the BBC. "The British government as it then was said, 'No, this is absolutely almost amoral for a young girl to go out in the bush.' So, I had to choose a companion, and my mother came with me for three months." The first months proved to be tough going, with both Goodall and her mother, who were staying together in an ex-army camping tent, developing malaria. Even when Goodall was well enough to venture into the reserve, she could only go out with a local escort, and often at the sound of their approaching footsteps, the chimpanzees would simply vanish into the undergrowth. But as she learnt the forest trails and became used to moving through the dense terrain, "the authorities decided, well, I was crazy and I was OK", she said. Once she started hiking on her own in the forested hills, she began to catch sight of the elusive primates through her binoculars from a peak overlooking two valleys. It was then that Goodall began to adopt an unorthodox immersive approach. Each day she would edge ever nearer to their feeding area with the hope of being able to sit among the chimpanzees and study them up close in their natural habitat. Chimps use tools and communicate like humans "I wore the same-coloured clothes every day and I think the most important thing was I never pushed it," she told BBC's Witness History in 2014. "I never tried to get too close. I would wait by a fruiting tree, where I knew the chimpanzees were coming, and when they left, I didn't follow them. Not to start with, because I felt that was pushing my luck. So gradually they came to accept that I was harmless." As the apes lost their wariness of her, Goodall was able to sit for hours, patiently observing their behaviour and their hitherto unrecognised complex social system. She discovered that the chimpanzees were not in fact vegetarian as previously thought, but omnivorous, and would communicate with each other to hunt for meat. She was able to witness the closeness of their family bonds and how each animal's individuality would influence their behaviour. "In chimp society, a female can be mated by all the males, or she can be led away and kept by one, and the males have very close bonds," she told Wogan. "They patrol the boundary of the community territory, they keep strangers out, they bring young new-blood females in, and all of them act as nice, tolerant, gentle, protective fathers to all the infants inside that community." Instead of using a numbering system for her subjects, as was traditional in a research project, Goodall instead gave them names, recognising each animal's unique personality: She named one male chimp David Greybeard. It was while watching David Greybeard that she first saw him fashioning and using tools – activities that scientists had previously thought were exclusive to human beings. Indeed, at the time, toolmaking, which requires abstract thought to conceive of a tool's use in a future situation, was considered a defining characteristic of being human. "[Chimpanzees] use more different objects as tools than any creature except ourselves. For example, a little twig from which they may strip the leaves, thus they modify it, for feeding on termites," she told Wogan. "A long stick from which they peel the bark, feeding on a very vicious biting ant and they chew it. Crumpled leaves for supping water out of a little hole when they can't reach it with their lips, or for wiping blood off their bodies. And weapons: stones hurled, branches used for intimidation or for clubbing." At the time, the idea was revolutionary, challenging years of conventional scientific thinking. Since then, research has shown evidence of tool use across the animal kingdom, from the Indonesian octopus who uses coconut shells discarded by humans as armour against predators, to New Caledonian Crows who bend twigs and wires with their beaks to create hooks, enabling them to pull larvae out of tree bark. As Goodall sat silently observing the chimpanzees, she began to see how similar their familial bonds and their non-verbal communication were to those of humans. "If chimps meet after a separation, they hold hands, they embrace, they kiss," she said. Understanding of this commonality with humans raised "new questions about the way that we are bringing up our children in the West", she told Wogan. A common ancestor "Well, if we leave a child crying at night, if we leave a child for long hours in a playpen, if we take a child to a daycare centre where there is a constant turnover of people, we may bring up a child that is highly intelligent. But from our experience of chimps who've had difficult upbringings, there is a suggestion that that child when it is an adult may have difficulty in making close relationships with others – may find it harder to cope in a stressful situation. This is very important," she said. Goodall recognised how closely chimpanzees' ritualised behaviours and emotions can resemble our own. And how, like ours, their destructive and violent impulses could lead to brutal killings. "We discovered after the first 10 years that although chimps were very like us in their friendly ways, they're also like us in the fact they can become very aggressive. We found that under certain situations, there can be cannibalism and also an inter-community interaction that in some way is like a primitive form of human warfare," she said. More like this:• The first men to conquer Everest's 'death zone'• The man who created Charlie Brown and Snoopy• The powerful music biopic – with a CGI chimp hero In 1962, with Leakey's encouragement, despite not possessing an undergraduate degree, she began a PhD based on her exceptionally detailed findings. The same year, the National Geographic Society sent a Dutch wildlife photographer and film-maker, Hugo van Lawick, to document her work, which resulted in a 1965 documentary, Miss Goodall and the Wild Chimpanzees. Narrated by Orson Welles, the film helped showcase her discoveries to the wider public. Van Lawick would become her first husband, and in 1967, the year after she gained her doctorate, she gave birth to a son, Hugo, whom they nicknamed Grub. They built him a protective shelter to enable Goodall to remain with him and keep him safe while she continued her field work. "Chimpanzees are hunters just like we are," she told Wogan. "They hunt co-operatively, they hunt medium-size mammals. There had been records of them hunting human children, just as humans hunt chimps, and so when he was very tiny and this was before he could walk, he was in a sort of caged-in veranda, and we always had to have people with him." Goodall's trailblazing research into primatology presented evidence that humans are not separate from the rest of animal kingdom, but that Homo sapiens and chimpanzees share a common ancestor. Research has since shown that chimpanzees are incredibly genetically close to humans, sharing about 98.6% of our DNA. "This is the thing," said Goodall. "Behaviour we see in man today and chimp today was probably in that common ancestor, and therefore we can imagine Stone Age people having long friendly relationships between family members and using little twigs to feed and embracing one another. I like to think of that." -- For more stories and never-before-published radio scripts to your inbox, sign up to the In History newsletter, while The Essential List delivers a handpicked selection of features and insights twice a week. For more Culture stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.
India Today
3 days ago
- Science
- India Today
World Chimpanzee Day: 5 fun facts about our closest cousins
Every year on July 14, people around the world celebrate World Chimpanzee Day. This special day commemorates the anniversary of Dr. Jane Goodall's first visit to study wild chimpanzees in Tanzania in 1960. Chimpanzees are not only fascinating to observe, but they are also incredibly intelligent, social, and vital for the health of their forest chimpanzees are endangered due to habitat loss and hunting, making it more important than ever to understand and protect them. Here are some fun and interesting facts about chimpanzees that highlight why they deserve our attention and FACTS ABOUT CHIMPANZEES1. Chimpanzees are our closest animal relativesHumans and chimpanzees share about 98% of the same close relationship means chimps can learn, feel, and even use tools in ways that are very similar to ours.2. Chimps are tool users and problem solversChimpanzees use sticks to fish for termites, leaves as sponges to collect water, and rocks to crack open can solve puzzles and learn from watching others, showing high intelligence.3. Chimpanzees live in large, social groupsChimps live in communities that can have up to 150 form strong family bonds, groom each other, and communicate through gestures, sounds, and facial expressions.4. Chimps have their own 'culture'Different groups of chimpanzees have unique ways of using tools, greeting each other, or finding behaviours are passed down from older chimps to the young, just like human traditions.5. Chimpanzees are endangered and need protectionThe wild chimpanzee population has dropped sharply due to deforestation, hunting, and around the world work to save chimps by protecting forests and stopping illegal Chimpanzee Day is not just about celebrating these amazing animals—it's also about raising awareness of the threats they face. By learning more about chimpanzees, we can help protect them and their forest homes for future are incredible creatures with rich social lives, clever minds, and unique cultures. On World Chimpanzee Day, let's celebrate their place in nature and support efforts to keep them safe and thriving in the wild.- Ends
Hans India
3 days ago
- Science
- Hans India
The significance of World Chimpanzee Day
Every year on July 14, the world observes World Chimpanzee Day to raise awareness about one of the closest living relatives in the animal kingdom—chimpanzees. The date commemorates the day in 1960 when Dr. Jane Goodall first set foot in what is now Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania, beginning her groundbreaking study of wild chimpanzees. Her work revolutionised the understanding of these intelligent primates and sparked a global movement for their conservation. They are known for their complex social structures, emotional depth, tool use, and remarkable problem-solving abilities. In the wild, they live in communities led by dominant individuals and display behaviours like cooperation, play, and even mourning—traits once thought to be uniquely human. World Chimpanzee Day serves not just as a celebration, but also as a call to action. It reminds of the responsibility to protect these extraordinary beings and the ecosystems they depend on. Conservation efforts, ethical research, habitat protection, and education all play vital roles in ensuring their survival. World Chimpanzee Day offers an opportunity to advocate for empathy, science, and sustainability—ensuring that future generations inherit a world where chimpanzees can thrive, not just survive.
Bloomberg
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Bloomberg
From Delhi to Dubai: The Global Food Trends to Watch
Even in New York, the city with arguably the planet's most diverse and dynamic food scene, the three days of the Summer Fancy Food Show stand out as a world-class pileup of cuisines and trends. African honeys endorsed by Jane Goodall, Indian spiced sodas, Dubai chocolates and protein-packed … everything were but a few of the thousands of products laid out to tempt buyers and distributors for grocery and gourmet stores. If you want a window into America's changing tastes and growing appetites, and a sense of how the country will be eating in the coming year, there's no better place to be.
Cision Canada
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Cision Canada
HOPE IN ACTION: DR. JANE GOODALL RETURNS TO CANADA THIS FALL
The world-renowned conservationist invites audiences in Toronto and Ottawa to reflect, reconnect, and take action in two rare events this September TORONTO, July 8, 2025 /CNW/ - The Jane Goodall Institute of Canada is honoured to announce that its founder and the world's leading ethologist and environmentalist, Dr. Jane Goodall, will return to Canada this September for two exclusive live appearances in Toronto and Ottawa – her final appearances in Canada this year. Canadians are invited to be part of these rare and meaningful evenings by reserving tickets now at Dr. Goodall will speak at Meridian Hall in Toronto on Wednesday, September 3rd, 2025, followed by an appearance at Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe in Ottawa on Saturday, September 6th, 2025. These rare, in-person events offer Canadians a unique opportunity to hear directly from one of the world's most inspiring voices. Tickets are now available at These intimate and uplifting experiences, titled "An Evening with Jane Goodall," will offer the audience an exclusive opportunity to hear directly from Dr. Goodall. The renowned conservationist is expected to share her personal stories, her unique insights, and her lessons learned over the past nine decades. With her trademark humour, optimism, and warmth, Dr. Goodall will explore the profound connections between animals, people, and the environment. She will also emphasize the work that must be done by people across the country and around the world to build a better future for all living things. A portion of proceeds from ticket sales directly supports the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada, which advances Dr. Goodall's mission across the country and amplifies and scales community-led actions to create a world where animals, people, and the environment thrive together. Here at home, the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada works with young leaders and Indigenous Peoples on projects that address climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental inequity. This work is done, in part, through Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots program. More than 12,000 young people are actively involved in projects across the country, and more than 80,000 community members are being positively impacted by this work. The Jane Goodall Institute of Canada is proud to partner with G Adventures, an adventure travel company founded in Canada, to bring these special events to audiences in Toronto and Ottawa. Event Details – "An Evening with Jane Goodall" Toronto: Wednesday, September 3rd, 2025 at 7:00PM ET Meridian Hall, Toronto, Ontario Featuring: Dr. Jane Goodall Ottawa: Saturday, September 6th, 2025 at 7:00PM ET Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe, Ottawa, Ontario Featuring: Dr. Jane Goodall About Dr. Jane Goodall: Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace, is a world-renowned ethologist and activist inspiring greater understanding and action on behalf of the natural world. Known for her groundbreaking studies of wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania, Dr. Goodall has forever changed our understanding of our relationship with the animal kingdom. Her work extends beyond scientific innovations, encompassing a lifetime of advocacy through her international organization, the Jane Goodall Institute, which advances community-led conservation, animal welfare, science, and youth empowerment through its Roots & Shoots program. Jane is a global icon, spreading hope and turning it into a meaningful positive impact, creating a better world for people, other animals, and the planet we share. About the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada: Inspired by our founder, the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada is creating a more just and sustainable world through community-centred conservation work that empowers people, protects wildlife, and heals our shared environments in Canada and Africa. With over 60 years of fieldwork and success stories in our history, we strive to inspire hope and encourage everyone to embrace their power to make a difference. About G Adventures: G Adventures has been changing the world through travel since 1990. G Adventures and the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada have joined forces to offer the Jane Goodall Collection of tours. These remarkable tours, spanning various destinations worldwide, are focused on wildlife experiences and have received the endorsement of the renowned ethologist, Dr. Jane Goodall. They are also aligned with G Adventures' Animal Welfare Policy. By embarking on these tours, we can lead by example and foster a deeper appreciation and respect for the incredible animals we share our planet with.
