Jane Goodall was a primologist, ethologist and anthropologist who is best known for her work and research with primates, specifically chimpanzees.
I never recognized Goodall as just a scientist. Some words I would use to better describe her would be: conservationist, humanitarian and empath.
Goodall was known around the world for her 65 years of work in Gombe, Tanzania, where she studied chimpanzees and their behavior as well as family life. Goodall’s extensive exploration concluded that chimpanzees share key traits with humans.
Her research proved that chimpanzees have complex thoughts, that they pass down information from generation to generation and that they are creatures that can form lasting social bonds. Not only were these findings remarkable, but it showed the world how closely intertwined animals and humans really are.
As an animal and earth lover, I have always had a soft spot for families like the Irwins and trailblazers like Sen. Gaylor Nelson. However, Goodall always interested me because of her quotes and her outspoken nature.
My personal breakthrough into conservation and wanting change was about five years ago, when a random news outlet popped up on my for you page. This outlet posted to Instagram raising awareness about the commercial seal hunts in Canada.
This post made me sick to my stomach because seals were one of my favorite animals, but I thought maybe there was a reason for it, because hunting is part of animal conservation and preservation. However, I quickly learned that there was no ethical reason that these seal hunts needed to happen.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare posted an article stating that “The commercial seal hunt, as it exists today, is the result of a Canadian government strategy to provide employment for fishers affected by the 1992 moratorium on the Atlantic cod fishery. It also serves as a distraction from the political mismanagement that allowed the overexploitation of Atlantic cod stocks in the first place.”
So, the Canadian government thought it would be easy to blame seals for the ‘cod crisis,’ but scientists quickly came to the defense to prove that this was false. Seal hunts have also been going on for years before the 1992 moratorium on the Atlantic cod fishery, so that also made this excuse fishy.
On Oct. 1, the day that Goodall died, my Instagram was filled with people posting about the passing of Goodall and the legacy she left behind. People I knew who are republicans and democrats, hunters and vegans, Gen X and Gen Z shared posts about the love and appreciation they had for Goodall.
This simple demonstration of people from all walks of life and beliefs stopping to acknowledge a world-renowned figure was just an example to me that people with large differences can agree on certain things, and that gives me hope that everyone can all get along.
A quote from Goodall that has been on my mind since she passed is “If people don’t make changes, then in 50 years I’m glad that I won’t be here.”
It is one of those quotes that kind of throws you off guard when you read it. It sounds crude and morbid, but it was just pure honesty.
Goodall cared so much about animals, the earth and the environment. I’m sure it pained her to hear about and see animals in pain and the environment being corrupted at the hands of humans.
She was a voice and a visionary, but she knew she could not save the earth all by herself.
I do believe that people are starting to care more and more about the environment, thanks to conservationists, but also thanks to social media.
If the movement of “saving the planet” is becoming increasingly more popular, why did Goodall say she would be glad she was not going to be alive in the next 50 years?
This next generation of politicians, business owners and figureheads are likely going to be more cautious about their impact on the environment; the current bigwigs of society tend to care just about money, power and their personal benefit. By the time Gen Z gets to the point of power in everyday life, the damage to the planet may be irreversible.
Another quote by Goodall proves that she likely believed that hope was only in the future generations, “We’ve let the planet down. There’s no question about that and we owe it to future generations to work with them to try and heal some of the harm we’ve inflicted.”
I think the older generations see this “save the planet” movement as some hippie agenda played out by tree huggers and radical people. When in reality, I just do not think that is true.
I love my car that runs on gas, it gets me home, to work and to school. I don’t love that companies tear down entire rainforests just to build a stadium. I love the convenience of getting to Florida from Kentucky on a two-hour flight. I don’t love overfishing in the oceans that causes the entire ecosystem to be corrupted and leaves animals starving in their natural environment.
The ideologies that humans need to be kinder to the planet and to animals aren’t ‘woke,’ it’s human decency, ethics and morals. I understand that humans have to progress and things will always be made in the realm of convincing humans. However, if big corporations take it too far, there will soon be nothing to progress.
“If you don’t talk to people and if you don’t try and find a way to communicate with them at some level, how can you expect there to be change? There will never be change,” said Goodall.
Goodall observed that chimpanzees use communication to mend relationships after conflicts and express emotions like joy and fear. Considering that humans have developed such an intricate language, spoken and written, it’s appalling that we don’t use it more wisely. Why do we so often wield it to judge, divide and provoke rather than to question, connect and understand?
I believe that if we, as a generation, tried to connect with current politicians, business owners and figureheads in a way where we teach instead of commend and bash, the ideology behind conservation may be better understood and respected.
Goodall has left a permanent mark on history and she has set a pathway for new conservationists that she likely wished she had growing up. Her words, actions and research will be some that will be heard of for generations to come.
