Jane Goodall: A Friend to Chimps

Jane Goodall was born in England in 1934. She was a curious little girl who loved animals. When she was four years old, Jane liked to watch worms making tunnels in the ground.

At age five, she wondered where hens' eggs came from. One day she sat in the hen house watching a hen for five hours until it laid an egg. When Jane saw the egg drop from the hen's body, she found the answer to her question. But during those five hours, Jane's mother was very worried. She spent the day searching for her daughter. When Jane ran into the house, she was excited to share her discovery. Instead of scolding her daughter, Jane's mother sat and listened as Jane explained what she had witnessed. Jane's mother always supported and encouraged Jane's active curiosity.

When Jane grew up, she studied chimpanzees in Africa. Every morning, she got up early and climbed a hill. From there, she observed the chimps through her binoculars. Even though she was far away, she could see them clearly. At first, the chimps did not let Jane come near them. But over time, they became more comfortable with her. Jane was the first to observe that chimps eat meat. Before that, scientists thought chimps were herbivores. Jane also discovered that chimps use tools. Scientists had thought only humans used tools. These were great discoveries in the world of science.

At first, some people did not think Jane Goodall was a good scientist. They did not understand her methods. For example, she gave the chimps names instead of keeping track of them by numbers. After she went to college and earned a degree, people respected her. Over time, Goodall discovered more and more about the behavior and personality of chimps. She learned that chimps have feelings. They laugh, cry, and sometimes show anger toward other chimps and animals.

In the 1980s, Goodall learned that the habitat of chimpanzees was being destroyed. She worked to find ways to save the environment and the lives of chimps. Many people joined her in this work. But today, chimpanzees are still in danger. There are fewer chimps living in the wild than ever before.

Dr. Goodall feels that everyone can make a difference in areas that are important to them. Protecting chimpanzees is important to Jane Goodall. Her lifetime of work has made a powerful difference for chimpanzees and all living things.