Profession: Primatologist and Anthropologist
Biography: Jane Goodall is an English primatologist and anthropologist. She is best known for her groundbreaking research on the social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania. Goodall's work has significantly transformed scientific understanding of chimpanzees and redefined the relationship between humans and animals in the field of ethology.
Born in London, Goodall had a deep love for animals from a young age. Her dream of studying animals in their natural habitats led her to Africa, where she met the famous anthropologist and paleontologist Louis Leakey. Impressed by her, Leakey hired Goodall as a research assistant, and in 1960, she began her study of chimpanzees in Gombe.
With no formal scientific training at the time, Goodall immersed herself in the chimpanzees' environment, observing their daily activities. Her approach to fieldwork, marked by patience and immersion, led to several significant discoveries.
She was the first to observe chimpanzees making and using tools, a behavior previously thought to be exclusive to humans. She also documented complex social behaviors and emotional expressions in chimpanzees, challenging the prevailing scientific belief that only humans had such capabilities.
Goodall's findings revolutionized the understanding of primates and contributed to the field of conservation. Her work emphasized the need to protect chimpanzees from habitat destruction and illegal trafficking. She has been a global leader in efforts to promote environmental conservation and animal welfare.
In 1977, Goodall founded the Jane Goodall Institute, a global wildlife and environment conservation organization. She has also been influential in the Roots & Shoots program, an international youth initiative that fosters environmental stewardship and humanitarian values, as well as serving as a United Nations Messenger for Peace.
Over the years, Goodall has received numerous honors and awards for her scientific and humanitarian work, including the Kyoto Prize, the Benjamin Franklin Medal in Life Science, and the Gandhi-King Award for Nonviolence. She has authored numerous books, both academic and popular, about her research and conservation efforts.
Born: April 3, 1934
Birthplace: London, England, United Kingdom
Age: 90 years old
Generation: Silent Generation
Chinese Zodiac: Dog
Star Sign: Aries
Historical Events
- 1965-11-22 "Miss Goodall and the Wild Chimpanzees" broadcast on CBS, watched by 25 million, brings Jane Goodall to international attention
Personal Life
- 1964-03-28 Anthropologist Jane Goodall marries wildlife photographer Baron Hugo van Lawick, at Chelsea Old Church, London (divorced 1974)
References
Famous Anthropologists
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