Jane Goodall: ‘We must all do our bit to make the world a better place’

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Originally, this piece appeared in TopMob magazine back in November 2021. It was created to publicize the BBC Radio 4 play, In the Shadow of Man.

It’s a thrill for most people to have a radio play based on their life, especially on Radio 4. But ethologist Jane Goodall says she’s “getting used to that sort of thing.” She also hints at something even more exciting: “And wait till you see who’s playing me in the film that’s being made…”

She’s keeping the actor’s identity under wraps, but considering it’s a project with Leonardo DiCaprio involved, we’re likely in for a big name. Hopefully, this role will finally help Jane Goodall avoid being constantly confused with Dian Fossey – you might remember Sigourney Weaver brilliantly portraying Fossey in Gorillas in the Mist.

“People often confuse us,” Goodall says with a chuckle. “It’s actually quite amusing. I remember being on a flight when a flight attendant told me, ‘It’s an honour to have you on board, Miss Fossey.’ I just smiled and kept quiet, thinking, ‘She’s going to tell everyone about who was on her flight today, and they’ll let her know that Dian Fossey has passed away. She’ll be convinced she’s met a ghost!’”

Even if people don’t recognize Jane Goodall by sight, her work has deeply impacted the world we live in. In 1960, she moved from the quiet town of Bournemouth to the jungles of Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park. There, she made history as the first person to document chimpanzees using tools. This was a significant discovery, changing how we understand these intelligent animals and our place in the natural world.

“I saw what we now call termite fishing,” she recalls. “A chimp broke off a grass stem, pushed it down into the termite mound, then pulled it very carefully out and picked off the termites to eat. And boom! It was so remarkable – and I had such a mix of amazement and disbelief – that I didn’t even send a telegram until I’d seen it on a few more occasions. Because at that time, Man was defined as the only creature capable of using tools.”

Put simply, Goodall’s observations redefined humanity.

Her research played a key role in persuading the often-doubtful scientific community that chimpanzees and humans evolved from a shared ancestor. She personally witnessed the rich emotional lives of chimps, observing behaviors like hugging, kissing, and tickling – actions that were previously believed to be exclusive to humans.

I’ll always remember one particular event,” she recounts. “It involved two chimpanzees I named David and Goliath, who built their nests in the same tree. Even though Goliath was the dominant chimp, he constantly sought comfort from the very relaxed David. He extended his hand towards his companion, and David reached down to meet it, and they held hands.”

Goodall also documented what she described as “primitive civil war” occurring between chimpanzee groups, and observed behaviors suggesting the beginnings of spirituality, like gatherings near waterfalls that resembled rituals. She explains, “If chimpanzees could talk,” these events could potentially evolve into a form of animistic religion – the worship of natural elements such as the sun and stars, similar to what early humans practiced.” [Source]

Being a woman in a field largely occupied by men, Goodall often faced being talked down to. She sometimes even questioned her own chances of success. “When I was a child and imagined my future,” she explains, “I pictured myself as a man.” This was because she believed that only men were able to achieve the things she aspired to, and women were not.

Now 87 years old, she is a highly acclaimed scientist, holding titles such as Dame Commander of the British Empire and UN Messenger of Peace. She was also named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people. She still works passionately with the Jane Goodall Institute, advocating for wildlife protection and animal well-being.

It’s understandable why she says she “likes some chimps much better than some people.” She continues to strongly oppose animal testing, stating, “There is very, very little animal medical research that has actually improved things.” She points out that, “The law requires new drugs to be tested on animals before they can be sold. For example, the polio vaccine was delayed for two years because it didn’t work on certain animals.” She also notes that scientists have developed a new chip that can mimic organs, but its adoption will be slow, “because the animal research industry is a multi-billion dollar business.”

She’s just as direct when it comes to politics. “Do we really have faith in our leaders right now? Honestly, not much.” She also feels that current efforts to address the climate crisis aren’t going far enough: “I believe what governments and businesses are doing is mostly just for show.”

Despite everything, she continues to be remarkably hopeful. “I experienced World War Two firsthand,” she explains. “It felt truly desperate then – Britain was on its own and wasn’t ready – but we persevered.”

Her view of hope is realistic and grounded, not simply optimistic. “Hope isn’t about seeing the world with unrealistic optimism and believing everything will work out. Instead, hope is like being in a long, difficult tunnel with just a small light visible at the end. That light represents hope, but reaching it requires a lot of effort and overcoming challenges. That’s why it’s important for everyone to contribute in their own way to improve the world.”

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2025-10-02 14:35