Super Scientists

Once upon a time, in England, there was a girl called Jane who loved climbing trees and reading books. Jane always loved animals. 

When she was ten years old, she decided that when she grew up, she would go to Africa, live with animals, and write all about them. Lots of people told her this would be impossible. She was a girl, and it was a time when girls were not encouraged to think about adventurous careers. But her mother always encouraged her to follow her dream.

 

 In 1960,when she was 26, Jane arrived in Africa and started studying chimpanzees at the Gombe Stream Game reserve in Tanzania.

“This is where I was meant to be” She said.

 

One of the most important things Jane discovered was that chimpanzees are able to make and use tools. Until then, people thought only humans were able to do so. Based on Jane’s discoveries, the World was forced to re-think what makes humans different to animals.

 

Today, Jane travels the World raising awareness about the plight of chimpanzees and environmental conservation. In 1977, she set up the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI), an organisation that helps communities grow more food, have clean water, and send children to school, while also teaching people how to protect wildlife. In 1991, she set up Roots and Shoots, her education programme for young people.

 

In 2004, Jane was named a Dame of the British Empire (DBE), and very recently, in June 2021, she was awarded the Templeton prize in recognition of her life’s work in conservation and animal intelligence.

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“Only if we understand, can we care. Only if we care, will we help. Only if we help, we shall be saved”. Dr Jane Goodall.