Dr. Jane Goodall was a primatologist. This is a scientist who studies primates, such as monkeys, apes, and chimpanzees. She worked for more than 60 years studying chimpanzees.
Goodall first started studying chimpanzees in Tanzania. The chimpanzees would run away if she got too close, so she studied them by watching and seeing how they lived in families. After some time, the chimpanzees let her get closer to them. Goodall started feeding them and gave them names. This meant she was able to study them by getting involved in many of the different things the chimpanzees did.
Goodall was able to discover things about chimpanzees that no one knew. One of these things was from a chimpanzee who she called David Greybeard. Goodall once watched David Greybeard build a tool with twigs and use the tool to get food. Before Goodall saw this, people thought only humans made tools.
Photo Credit: Avalon/Bruce Coleman Inc/Alamy Stock Photo
Deforestation impacts chimpanzees’ habitat.
When Jane Goodall flew in a plane over the Gombe National Park in Tanzania, she saw a lot of deforestation. This means that a lot of the forest had been removed. Goodall knew this was the habitat, or home, of the chimpanzees.
Goodall did a lot of work to protect the habitats of chimpanzees, other wildlife, and the environment. She started organizations like the Jane Goodall Institute and Root & Shoots, so other people could help with this as well.
Photo Credit: Avalon/Bruce Coleman Inc/Alamy Stock Photo
Jane Goodall gave many speeches about her work and how other people can help.
Jane Goodall traveled around the world giving speeches to encourage people to help protect wildlife and the environment. Sometimes she traveled for about 300 days a year!
She wrote 27 books for adults and children. She also won many awards for her work and achievements. She was awarded the United States Presidential Medal of Freedom when she was 90 years old.
Jane Goodall died on October 1, 2025, when she was 91 years old. She has inspired many people to do work to help protect animals and the environment. She once said, “every single one of us makes a difference every day—it is up to us as to the kind of difference we make.”
What Do You Think? What part of Jane Goodall’s work would you like to find out more about?
Photo Credit: Xinhua/Alamy Stock Photo
