Jane Goodall

Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace, is a worldrenowned ethologist and activist inspiring greater understanding and action on behalf of the natural world. Through her tireless advocacy to create a better future for people, other animals, and the planet we share, Dr. Goodall inspires millions of people with her message of hope through action. She is best known for groundbreaking studies of wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania, transformative research continued by the Jane Goodall Institute which is now the longest running wild chimpanzee study in the world.

Jane was born on April 3, 1934, in London, England. From earliest childhood, she was fascinated by animals and the wildlife of Africa she discovered in the storybooks of Tarzan and Dr. Doolittle. In 1957, she followed her dream and traveled to the Kenyan farm of a friend’s parents where she met the famed paleoanthropologist Dr. Louis Leakey. In 1960, at his invitation, she began her landmark study of chimpanzee behavior in what is now Tanzania. Her field research at what was then called Gombe Stream Chimpanzee Reserve led to her astounding observations that chimpanzees make and use tools, which revolutionized the world of primatology and redefined the relationship between humans and the rest of the animal kingdom.

In 1977, Dr. Goodall established the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) to advance her vision around the world and for generations to come. JGI continues essential research at Gombe Stream Research Center and is a global leader in the effort to protect chimpanzees and their habitats through community-led conservation. The organization also advances best practices in animal welfare, innovative applications of science and technology, and youth empowerment through its Roots & Shoots program, created in 1991. Roots & Shoots supports young people in all 50 United States and over 60 countries worldwide  to be the change in their communities and change the world for the better, together.

Prior to the Pandemic, Jane traveled on average 300 days per year, speaking about the threats facing chimpanzees, other environmental crises, and her reasons for hope. Today, Jane continues to connect with worldwide audiences, despite present challenges, through ‘Virtual Jane’ including remote lectures, recordings, and her podcast, the “Jane Goodall Hopecast.” In 2021, Jane was the recipient of the Templeton Prize, and together with March Benioff, the founder and CEO of Salesforce, Jane is an international spokesperson for the World Economic Forum Trillion Tree Campaign launched in February 2020.

She is also a leading voice on the dangers of zoonotic disease transfer and COVID-19 as a terrible manifestation of humanity’s unsustainable global systems and imbalance with the natural world. Dr. Goodall’s eloquent ability to raise public awareness and understanding has become instrumental in her work to save chimpanzees and other species from extinction, as well as to influence and advance climate action and ecosystem protection.

Dr. Goodall is the author of numerous books that have engaged an international readership. Her newest book, “The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times,” was published in 2021. Jane is the subject of numerous television documentaries, as well as the 2002 film “Jane Goodall’s Wild Chimpanzees,” the 2010 documentary “Jane’s Journey,” and the 2017 National Geographic documentary “JANE,” and following title “Jane Goodall: The Hope.” Discovery Channel’s Animal Planet has also produced several features on Dr. Goodall. Dr. Goodall is a global icon and the recipient of many honors, most recently receiving the esteemed Templeton Prize in 2021. Her other honors include the Medal of Tanzania, the National Geographic Society’s Hubbard Medal, Japan’s prestigious Kyoto Prize, the Benjamin Franklin Medal in Life Science, the UNESCO 60th Anniversary Medal, and the Gandhi/King Award for Nonviolence. In April 2002, Secretary General Kofi Annan named Dr. Goodall a United Nations Messenger of Peace. In a 2004 ceremony at Buckingham Palace, she became a Dame Commander of the British Empire. In 2006, she received France’s highest recognition, the Legion of Honor.