Jane Goodall: A Life of Wonder, Wisdom, and Giving Back
- Amelia Elizabeth
- Oct 13
- 5 min read
When you think of someone who lived with the wild, someone who blurred the lines between “us” and “them,” between human and animal, Jane Goodall is the name that comes to mind. She wasn’t born a scientist, but she became one of the greatest observers of life we’ve ever known. Her life reminds us: curiosity, empathy, and commitment can change our understanding of the world, and our place in it.
Early Life: Dreaming Big Without Limits
Jane Goodall was born on 3 April 1934 in London, England. Encyclopedia Britannica+2Biography+2
As a child, Jane was fascinated by animals. The idea of going to Africa, observing wildlife, was more than a daydream; it was something she carried with her.
Even though she did not follow the traditional early academic path (she left school at 18), she stayed driven. Her love of animals and nature led her to work in Africa, where she assisted the renowned anthropologist Louis Leakey. Encyclopedia Britannica+1
Into the Forest: Gombe and the First Steps
In 1960, when Jane was 26, she travelled to Gombe Stream in what is now Tanzania, to study wild chimpanzees. Encyclopedia Britannica+2Jane Goodall Institute USA+2
Her methods were unusual. She lived close, observed closely, named individual chimpanzees (instead of assigning numbers), and patiently waited. Her immersive, patient style allowed her to see things others had missed. Biography+1
Discoveries That Changed Everything
From Gombe, Jane Goodall made numerous discoveries that shifted scientific paradigms. Some of the most important:
Tool-use by chimpanzees: Before Jane, making or using tools was seen as a uniquely human trait. She observed a chimp, “David Greybeard,” stripping leaves from a stick to fish termites — a simple tool in action. Jane Goodall Institute USA+2Biography+2
Omnivorous behaviour: Chimpanzees were not purely plant-eaters. Jane documented chimpanzees hunting and eating meat. Jane Goodall Institute USA+2Biography+2
Complex social lives: She revealed that chimps display affection, grief, form bonds, hierarchies, conflict, and even what might be called “war” between groups. Jane Goodall Institute USA+2Biography+2
These findings didn’t just add to our knowledge of chimpanzees; they forced us to reconsider assumptions about what “human” meant. Intelligence. Emotion. Morality. Tool-use. They weren’t exclusively ours. Biography+1
Beyond Gombe: Building Something Enduring
Science was just the beginning. Jane’s work expanded into activism, education, and conservation. She knew that observing was not enough if the world around her was changing rapidly.
In 1977, she founded the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) as a way to carry forward conservation, scientific research, and protection of chimpanzees. Jane Goodall Institute USA+1
In 1991, she started Roots & Shoots, a youth programme. It began with just twelve high school students in Dar es Salaam. Today it's active in over 75 countries, empowering young people to make changes in their own communities—for animals, for the environment, for people. Jane Goodall Institute USA+2African Conservation Foundation+2
She also established the Jane Goodall Legacy Foundation to ensure that the work she created will last beyond her lifetime. Janes Legacy+1
Recognition, Awards, and Honours
Jane received many honours — not just for her science, but for her advocacy and her voice.
She was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2002. Encyclopedia Britannica+2Jane Goodall Institute USA+2
She served as a United Nations Messenger of Peace beginning in 2002. Jane Goodall Institute USA+1
In 2025, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the U.S. Encyclopedia Britannica+1
Many other international awards: Kyoto Prize, Légion d’honneur, etc. Jane Goodall Institute USA+2Encyclopedia Britannica+2
Impact: What Jane Leaves Behind
The measure of someone’s life is often not just what they did, but what continues after. And Jane’s legacy is alive.
The longest-running wild chimpanzee study in the world continues at Gombe. Over the decades, thousands of hours of observations have built a deep understanding of individual chimpanzee lives and social structure. Jane Goodall's Good for All News+2Jane Goodall Institute USA+2
The Jane Goodall Institute still operates in many countries, supporting conservation work, sanctuaries (such as Chimp Eden in South Africa and Tchimpounga in the Republic of the Congo) and programs that support both wildlife and people. Jane Goodall Institute USA+1
Youth empowerment: Roots & Shoots gets young people involved in local action, educational projects, etc. The idea is that small, local changes can add up. African Conservation Foundation+1
Her Message: Hope, Responsibility, Connection
One of the most striking things about Jane Goodall is how hope and compassion stayed at the centre of her work, even when many of her findings were hard truths.
She didn’t want to despair. She believed in individual responsibility. She believed the more we understand, the more ethical we can become in how we treat animals, how we treat the earth, and how we treat each other. Her work suggests we’re deeply entwined with nature, not above it.
Some of her popular quotes reflect this:
“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
“Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference.”
She often said that young people gave her hope — and she spent decades working to lift up their voices. janegoodall.org.uk+1
Challenges, Criticisms, and Complexities
No life work is without complications. To give a full picture:
Some early critics questioned her informal methods (naming chimps, attributing human-like emotions). Over time, a lot of her findings have been validated; the lines between “human” and “animal” have proven more porous than many assumed.
Conservation is never simple: habitat destruction, climate change, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict remain urgent threats. The political, economic, and social contexts are often messy.
The burden on single individuals is heavy, but Jane was adept at building movements so many could carry part of the weight.
Her Passing and What it Means
Jane Goodall passed away on 1 October 2025, at the age of 91. Encyclopedia Britannica+2Jane Goodall Institute USA+2
Her death has stirred global reflection, mourning, but also gratitude. Many people, organisations, communities, students, activists are carrying forward her work, her voice, her mission. That’s what makes her legacy so powerful: it’s built for after she’s gone.
What We Can Do: Carrying the Torch
As artists, conservationists, people who care, how do we honour her memory and build on what she started?
Support local conservation efforts: sanctuaries, wildlife protection, habitat restoration.
Education and outreach: teach younger generations, spread stories about empathy for animals.
Consider the small actions: reduce waste, support sustainable agriculture, and resist the destruction of habitat.
Join or start local chapters of youth programs like Roots & Shoots, or partner with similar groups.
Use your art or voice: tell stories about the natural world, celebrate species, honour wilderness.
Final Thoughts
Jane Goodall’s life wasn’t about prestige. It was about presence: being there, observing, listening, caring. She teaches us that science can be kind; that observation can lead to empathy; that knowing more about another species is part of knowing ourselves.
Her legacy is enormous, but not because of titles, because she proved that one person can change how the world sees itself. And every person who picks up even a part of that vision amplifies it. For me, as an artist, I see in her story a palette: wild beauty, moral urgency, hope, waiting to be expressed, shared, lived.
May we continue to learn from Jane, be humbled by animals, inspired by the natural world, and remember: the difference we make matters.
Image Credits Disclaimer: I don’t own the images featured in this blog. Each image has been used with respect, and full credit and references can be found alongside them. I’m grateful to the photographers and sources for letting us glimpse the beauty of Jane’s world.
Comments