Jane Goodall A Life Among Chimpanzees

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Jane Goodall, the revolutionary primatologist who redefined our understanding of humanity’s place in the natural world, passed away at the age of 91. Her groundbreaking journey began in 1960 when, with no formal university degree, she was hired by archaeologist Louis Leakey to observe chimpanzees in what is now Gombe National Park. Her patience and unique approach, which included giving the chimps names like David Greybeard, allowed her to make a monumental discovery: she observed chimpanzees using and making tools, a capability previously believed to be exclusively human. This finding, published in the journal *Nature*, shattered long-held scientific beliefs and marked the beginning of her lifelong mission to study what makes us human, a career that also revealed the complex social behaviors of chimps, including warfare and cannibalism.

Despite her monumental scientific contributions, Goodall’s path was fraught with professional challenges and gender-based prejudice. She faced inappropriate advances from her boss, Louis Leakey, and was often subjected to a media that focused more on her appearance than her science. Furthermore, her methodology of naming her subjects was criticized by some scientists who deemed it unscientific. Undeterred, she persevered, earning her PhD from Cambridge in 1965 without a bachelor’s degree. Her personal life also saw significant chapters, including her marriage to wildlife photographer Hugo Van Lawick, with whom she had a son. She credited her observations of affectionate chimp mothers with helping shape her own parenting philosophy.

Driven by the rapid destruction of chimpanzee habitats, Jane Goodall evolved from a researcher into a leading global conservationist. In 1977, she founded the Jane Goodall Institute and later launched the „Roots & Shoots” youth program to inspire environmental stewardship. Her advocacy extended to lobbying governments, successfully campaigning for improved conditions for lab chimpanzees, which eventually led to the retirement of the last federally owned research chimps in the US. Honored as a UN Messenger of Peace and a Dame of the British Empire, Goodall’s legacy is that of a pioneering scientist who used her profound intellect and unique connection to the animal kingdom to champion the idea that humanity has a responsibility to protect all life on our planet.


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Forrás: https://www.businessinsider.com/jane-goodall-chimpanzee-expert-conservationist-dead-obituary-2025-10.