Dr. Jane Goodall first set foot in what is now known as Gombe Stream National Park in 1960 when she launched her pioneering research with wild chimpanzees. She was only 26 years old. Her research project was unlike any other and has taught us so much about our closest cousins in the animal kingdom.
In 1977, Jane founded the Jane Goodall Institute, which continues to support the research at Gombe. With 31 offices around the world, Dr. Jane and the Institute are widely recognized for effective community-centered conservation and development programmes in Africa and the protection of wild chimpanzees in Africa’s Tchimpounga and Chimp Eden sanctuaries.
In 1991, after meeting with a group of Tanzanian teenagers to discuss community problems, Jane created Roots & Shoots. This programme is dedicated to inspiring young people to take action in their communities and it has since grown to include approximately 150,000 individuals in nearly 100 countries.
Jane continues her work today by travelling an average of 300 days per year speaking in packed auditoriums, school gymnasiums, and conference centres about the threats facing chimpanzees, other environmental crises, and her reasons for hope that we will ultimately solve the problems that we have imposed on the earth.
Everywhere she goes, Jane urges audiences to recognize their personal power and responsibility to effect positive change through consumer action, lifestyle change and activism.
Photo credits: (hero image) Hugo Van Lawick/JGI US, (timeline) JGI US
The Jane Goodall Institute does not endorse handling, interacting or close proximity to chimpanzees or other wildlife. This is a historical photograph / video that cannot be cut or shown outside the original context.