Dr. Jane Goodall, a Real Life Superhero

A Tribute to Dr. Goodall

This week, we had a post ready to go, talking about the movements of primates in Uganda, and the process required to habituate gorillas and chimpanzees, which in some cases was over 3 years. For some reason, I had writers block, which happens from time to time. Then it happened, the news of Dr. Jane Goodall’s passing broke. So, this post is dedicated to the life, legacy, and memory of Dr Goodall.

As a teen, I had the honor of meeting her and have spent so many years learning from her work. In fact, it was while I was a sophomore at the University of Arizona, contemplating a shift from Mechanical Engineering to International Policy, when an interview of her was playing on the television in our dormitory lobby as I was walking back from my class on genocide in history.

I was mesmerized as it was less than 10 years before, that Dr Goodall was telling us about the chimpanzee war in Gombe, something according to her, shattered her hope that this trait was isolated to humans. As she says in this interview, which aired in 1997, the behavior broke her heart.

Back in 1974, Dr Goodall noticed a fracture in the community with part moving to the south. That family was named Kahama. During the years leading up to 1978, all the primates in Kahama were killed, which ended the existence of the Kahama community. The original community, named Kasakela, which were the victorious survivors then began to expand their territory before being pushed back. Dr Goodall, the amazing storyteller, talked about how she saw this happening in Gombe Stream and even how the fracture in Kasakela occurred.

In February of this year, I was at the chimp sanctuary at Ol Pejeta in Kenya, which, for a long period, was a partnership between the conservancy, Kenya Wildlife Service, and the Jane Goodall Institute. I was sharing the story of coming up here as a child with my father, and Dr Goodall’s interviews about the effect of PTSD and violent tendencies on chimpanzees in abusive situations or in unsuitable captivity with the local rangers, one of whom remembered me as his father was the ranger when I visited as a child. Dr Goodall did a good amount of research in the 80s on the long-term effects of trauma to chimpanzees and how it affects everything from the mood, balance, and general tendencies. It was on full display at the sanctuary in Ol Pejeta which the rescued chimps, removed from traumatic situations (including cigarette burns). I remember thinking in February, how Dr Goodall’s conclusions were more correct today than ever.

My biggest worry has always been that there were not enough people to carry her work forward. Sure, there are researchers and field workers, however she had the heart of an army, and it was visible to me as a child meeting her, and every lecture she gave in public settings and in closed settings.

I join the many ready to carry your mantle professor.