Jane Goodall: A Life That Makes Difference

“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” These words were famously said by Jane Goodall, a renowned primatologist and anthropologist, born in April 1934. She sadly passed away this October. Following her death, the world reacted deeply as young people, scientists, and environmentalists reflected on the lessons she left behind.

Goodall was known for her devotion and passion for protecting wild chimpanzees and the environment. From a young age, she discovered her passion for wild animals. That passion inevitably drew her to Africa after she grew up. At Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania, Goodall first started her research that would later astonish the world. Through her continuous observation, she proposed a revolutionary and courageous idea: humans are not the only species that can use and construct tools. In day-to-day observations in chimpanzees’ natural habitat, Goodall witnessed remarkable actions that she described as “tool-making” within chimpanzees. There was one particular chimpanzee she observed that was able to place grass into a termite hole and use it to ‘fish’ up the termites. In addition to discovering chimpanzees’ intelligence, Goodall also observed the existence of emotion within chimpanzees. 

When Goodall first described chimpanzees with emotional words such as “adolescent,” “excitement,” and “mood,” she was criticized by society for giving features that only humans have to chimpanzees. In Goodall’s autobiography, she pointed out that she received criticism from fellow scientists and that there were people who described her as unethical or accused her of anthropomorphism, which is the attribution of human characteristics or behavior to a god, animal, or object. However, Goodall’s continuous observation of chimpanzee behavior became concrete proof for her point and led her to new discoveries. In addition to learning about chimpanzee emotions, she observed aggression and violence existing within chimpanzee groups that nobody had seen before, and once again shocked the public. Beyond the already-known 98% DNA similarity between chimpanzees and humans, Goodall discovered behavioral similarities that further linked the two species. Her pioneering scientific work made people reconsider how chimpanzees are animals similar to humans.

While Goodall was mostly known for her early scientific work with chimpanzees, Goodall switched her focus to environmental protection later on in her life. When she founded the Jane Goodall Institute, her goal was not only to protect the chimpanzees, but also to conserve the environment and improve nature with scientific research. One week before Goodall passed away, she was still giving speeches on the importance of environmental conservation. To close one of her speeches, Goodall stated, “My last word. Please never give up your fight to protect the natural world and all its inhabitants. For the sake of future generations of our children and the future of all life on planet earth." Throughout her career, Goodall never stopped practicing her faith in environmental protection. Programs Goodall established, like Roots and Shoots, raised awareness in people of protecting the world around them, and more importantly, the program encouraged youth to step up and take action for environmental conservation and humanitarian issues. Even after Goodall’s death, programs like the Roots and Shoots continued to grow and thrive, involving nearly 150,000 teenagers from 140 countries.

To conclude, Goodall truly embodied the idea that “what you do makes a difference.” Her accomplishments continuously remind people of how one’s perseverance and patience can change the world. From her discovery of chimpanzees‘ intelligence and emotions, Goodall bridged the gap between humans and chimpanzees in a subversive way. From her dedicated environmental conservation works, Goodall inspired generations of people to take the responsibility of protecting the planet. Goodall’s work is proof of how one person’s power can impact the world, and her work will never be forgotten.