Jane
Goodall, has
devoted her life to the study of chimpanzees and is one of the
world's most famous living scientists and wildlife conservationists.
Her research of the wild chimpanzees of Gombe has become a model for
wildlife observation and has greatly influenced the science of
ethology (the study of animal behavior).
Born in London, England on April 3, 1934 she spent her childhood growing up in the seaside town of Bournemouth where she gained an appreciation of nature. In 1957 at the age of 23, she realized her lifelong dream of visiting Africa. It was here that she met the famous paleontologist , Dr. Louis Leakey, who helped sponsor her independent study of chimpanzees. In 1960 she set up camp in the Gombe Stream Reserve in Tanzania and began a thirty-year study of chimpanzees. During this time she attended Cambridge University where she earned her doctorate in ethology.
Her ground-breaking research showed that chimpanzees hunt cooperatively, use tools, and display significant individual differences. Her work has added to our understanding of the potential similarities and differences between primates and early humans. Jane Goodall's method of research has changed the way ethologists relate to their subjects. Rather than taking animals out of their natural habitat to study them, she became a part of their world and viewed them as creatures deserving of respect and understanding. Some of the books she has written about her experiences and research are: My Friends the Wild Chimpanzees (1967), In the Shadow of Man (1971), and The Chimpanzees of Gombe: Patterns of Behavior (1986).
Jane Goodall continues to work on behalf of wild and captive animals, particularly chimpanzees. Her nonprofit organization, the Jane Goodall Institute for Wildlife Research, Education, and Conservation continues to study the behavior of chimpanzees and works to save their natural habitat. She has received many awards honoring her conservation efforts such as the J. Paul Getty Wildlife Conservation Prize, the Golden Medal of Conservation from the San Diego Zoological Society, and in 1991, the Edinburgh Medal which is given to scientists who make significant contributions in their field of study and to humanity.
Page created by: Susan Sarpa
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