Jane Goodall

By Ines Reis

  • Goodall was born

    Jane Goodall was born in London, England, on April 3rd, 1934

  • Private school

    Goodall attended the Uplands private school, receiving her school certificate in 1950 and a higher certificate in 1952.

  • Jane Arrives in Gombe

    Jane Goodall and her mother Vanne arrive on the shores of Gombe Stream Chimpanzee Reserve in western Tanzania in 1960. She was equipped with nothing more than a notebook and a pair of binoculars. But with her unyielding patience and characteristic optimism, she won the trust of these initially shy creatures. She managed to open a window into their sometimes strange and often familiar-seeming lives. The public was fascinated and remains so to this day.

  • Jane Discovers that Chimpanzees eat Meat

    Dr. Jane Goodall made the observation of a group of chimpanzees eating a bushpig. Earlier to this discovery, chimpanzees had been assumed to be vegetarian by many scientists. Additionally, during her research, Jane also observed the hunting process – a group of chimpanzees attacked, killed, and ate a red colobus monkey that had climbed high into a tree.

  • Chimpanzees Make and use Tools

    Jane observed David Greybeard and Goliath making tools to extract termites from their mounds, a discovery that would force science to reconsider its definition of homo sapiens: “Man the Toolmaker.” This discovery showed how alike humans and chimpanzees really are.

  • NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PUBLISHES FIRST COVER STORY ABOUT JANE AND HER RESEARCH

    “My Life Among the Wild Chimpanzees” brings Jane Goodall and her chimps into the homes of millions after being published by National Geographic

  • PREMIER OF THE FIRST FILM ABOUT JANE AND HER RESEARCH

    National Geographic films and releases “Miss Goodall and the Wild Chimpanzees” which brings the lives of chimps and Jane into the spotlight internationally. This is able to show and teach more people about chimpanzees, inspiring the people who watch the film to do something to protect them or do further research about them. This also made Jane Goodall become more known all over the world, allowing her to share more stories in other, bigger ways to spread her knowledge.

  • THE BEGINNING OF THE “FOUR YEAR WAR”

    Conflict erupts between two groups of rivaling chimpanzees in Gombe, the Kahama splinter group, and main Kasakela group. Jane Goodall is able to observe this and see how they act when fighting with each other. Before this, she thought chimpanzees were more gente, so, with this, she was able to see the other, more aggressive side of chimpanzees.

  • Cannibalism is First Observed

    Cannibalism among the Gombe chimpanzees is first observed. Mother and daughter Passion and Pom steal and kill babies in their own community. This showed not only her, but everyone who found out about this, what chimpanzees are really able to do.

  • THE JANE GOODALL INSTITUTE IS FOUNDED

    Dr. Jane Goodall creates her namesake organization to continue her chimpanzee research as well as expand efforts on chimpanzee protection, conservation, and environmental education. Many other people were now able to also discover more about chimpanzees, allowing people who do not know a lot about their species to find out more. It also showed and educated people on the efforts that should be done to protect them.

  • JANE BECOMES AN ACTIVIST

    Dr. Jane Goodall attends the first ‘Understanding Chimpanzees’ conference in Chicago. This changes her focus from observation and research, to a broader holistic animal-human conservation approach.

  • ROOTS & SHOOTS IS FOUNDED

    A group of students in Tanzania work with Jane to discuss ways youth can do something to better our world. Roots & Shoots is started to place the power and resources for creating practical solutions to big challenges in the hands of young people.

  • THE JANE GOODALL INSTITUTE’S TCHIMPOUNGA SANCTUARY WAS FOUNDED

    To provide a home and care for chimpanzees orphaned by the illegal commercial bushmeat and pet trades, JGI established the Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Center which now cares for more than 150 chimpanzees.

  • JANE STARTS COMMUNITY-CONSERVATION WORK IN WESTERN TANZANIA

    Known as the Lake Tanganyika Catchment Reforestation and Education (TACARE), this program was designed as a pilot project to address poverty and support sustainable livelihoods in villages around Lake Tanganyika while arresting the rapid degradation of natural resources, especially in the remaining indigenous forest.

  • JGI BEGINS LEVERAGING SCIENCE IN CONSERVATION WORK

    JGI’s conservation science program provides the platform to generate actionable information to improve conservation decision making, inform the management of chimpanzee populations and design human land uses that promote the protection of chimpanzees and their habitats.

  • JANE IS NAMED A UN MESSENGER OF PEACE

    Then Secretary-General Kofi Annan bestowed upon Dr. Goodall the highest honor of the United Nations for global citizens for her work to create a more peaceful world through Roots & Shoots.

  • JGI ESTABLISHES FIRST FORMAL CONSERVATION ACTION PLAN

    Focused on the landscape surrounding Gombe Stream National Park, the plan seeks to bring together local communities, public officials and NGOs alike to share the work of protecting the wider ecosystem and reestablishing degraded habitats while also improving the lives of people living nearby.

  • JGI CELEBRATES THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF JANE’S RESEARCH IN GOMBE

    After five decades from when Dr. Goodall first stepped foot on the shores of what is now Gombe Stream National Park, the Jane Goodall Institute celebrates the learning and discoveries that continue to emerge from the longest continuous study of chimpanzees in the world.

  • JGI CELEBRATES THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF ROOTS & SHOOTS

    Unlike any other youth program around the world, after just two and a half decades Roots & Shoots has spread to nearly 100 countries and has established a network of young people who carry Jane’s conservation ethic and are making the world a better place for people, animals and the environment.

  • 2017 JGI CELEBRATES ITS 40TH ANNIVERSARY!

    Dr. Jane Goodall helped us rethink our relationships with the other lives with whom we share this planet, and reshaped our responsibility towards them. In the 40 years since Dr. Goodall founded the Jane Goodall Institute for wildlife research, conservation and education, we’ve expanded her vision into a global mission to empower people to make a difference for all living things, for a future of green. Together, we’re continuing to build a better tomorrow and beyond.