Meatless Wonders: Jane Goodall

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Meatless Wonders:
Jane Goodall
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This is the first contemporary person to be presented in the meatless Wonder series, and what a wonder she is. Ms. Goodall is famous for her work with chimpanzees which began when she was a protégée of the famous paleontologist, Louis Leakey. Born and raised in the London suburbs during the era of World War II, Ms. Goodall was not a likely candidate to go into the jungles of Africa and study chimpanzees. Although she had loved animals of all kinds from the time she was a tiny tot, she had no formal education or training in any field that might qualify a person for this type of work. Her employment with Louis Leakey had been in the capacity of a personal secretary. However, she had accompanied Professor Leakey and his wife on a fossil dig in Tanganyika. Her employer must have seen something that inspired his confidence in her for it was his suggestion that she embark on the incredible, life-changing adventure that would point out the direction of the rest of her life.
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Her initial introduction to the world of chimpanzees was in 1960. Against their better judgment, the British authorities bowed to Professor Leakey's request and allowed the expedition to the Tanganyikan jungle (a British protectorate at the time) with the condition that Ms. Goodall be accompanied by a European companion. The twenty-six year old secretary chose her adventurous and incredibly supportive mother, Vanne, as her companion. At one point, several months after setting up their first camp, both ladies came down with malaria with nobody but each other to care for them.
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The small campsite that the Goodall women occupied at Gombe was to grow into a complete research center where young scientists of many disciplines and from all over the world would eventually spend time observing and learning about chimpanzees and other apes. Many in the scientific community now consider the apes to be man's closest relatives and believe that through studying these fascinating animals we stand to learn much about ourselves. But such opinions were not as widely held in the 1960's.
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Jane Goodall's early findings regarding the chimpanzees were hotly debated by the scientific community. Despite the fact that she had returned to school and earned advanced degrees, she was still not considered a serious expert in the field of animal behavior. What most of her critics objected to were the "human-like" capacities for love and compassion with which she credited the chimps.
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Jane Goodall's work received well-deserved recognition with the publication of her book, The Chimpanzees of Gombe, by Harvard University Press in 1986. A scientific conference on Understanding Chimpanzees, held in Chicago after the book's publication became a turning point in her life. Realizing the extent to which the chimpanzee population in Africa was being reduced and seriously threatened, the focus of her work began to shift towards conservation and animal liberation. In the years since then, Ms. Goodall has worked tirelessly to improve the fate of her beloved chimpanzees who have suffered so enormously at the hands of hunters and traders and in medical laboratories around the world.
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In 1977 Ms. Goodall created the Jane Goodall Institute whose purpose was to support field research involving chimpanzees and other African wildlife and to improve the conditions of wild animals in captivity. As her awareness of the scope of environmental problems has grown so has the focus of the Jane Goodall Institute. In recent years she has established a world-wide project called Roots & Shoots. In this program young people from kindergarten through college age are involved in projects for the betterment of the community, the preservation of the environment and the welfare of animals. Over 70,000 young persons throughout the world are presently involved, with over 1,000 branches of Roots & Shoots in the United States and Canada alone. Through a project called TACARE, JGI is also helping the villages along the shore of Lake Tanganyika and around Gombe towards greater independence through environmentally sustainable projects that will improve their own lives and maintain the existing chimp population.
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Jane Goodall's work has continued and grown in scope despite some potentially devastating personal trials and professional setbacks and the political upheaval in Africa. She embraced the vegetarian lifestyle after reading Peter Singer's book, Animal Liberation.* It was her first awareness of the horrendous conditions under which animals raised on factory farms are forced to live. After reading Singer's book, she could no longer look at a piece of meat on her plate and anticipate any enjoyment in the act of eating it. In her recent publication, Reason for Hope, Ms. Goodall examines four reasons why she believes the future of the human race and this planet is still hopeful. Her positive attitude despite all she has seen and experienced is truly a source of inspiration to all of us.
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*Please see the Recommended Reading section.
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This article is intended for informational purposes only. Nothing in this publication is intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis and advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or health-care provider before starting any new diet or procedure involving your health. Prompt professional medical guidance is recommended for any health problem.