by Mary Christopher, Caring for Creation Series

Jane Goodall was born, April 3, 1934, in London, England, and grew up by the seaside in Bournemouth with her parents and younger sister, Judy.  Jane loved animals.  She spent hours watching birds and insects in the countryside with the family’s dog, Rusty.  At an early age, Jane had the ability and patience to sit quietly and watch insects, birds, and other small creatures for long periods.  She already had an amazing ability to focus and concentrate, which was unusual for such a young person. 

One of her favorite toys was a stuffed chimpanzee named Jubilee, a gift from her father when she was one year old.  According to her friends, Jubilee lived in her bedroom in her house in England after it was too tattered to travel with Jane.  By all reports, Jubilee was still there, with Jane all her life! 

Jane’s mother, Vanne, played a huge role in helping her follow her dreams.  When other adults laughed at Jane’s ideas about traveling and studying animals, her mother encouraged her.  She told her to stay curious and never give up.  She also encouraged Jane to read about far-off places.  She helped Jane keep exploring the world around her.  

One time, when she was very young, Jane had found worms in the garden, brought them inside, and wanted to sleep with them in her bed.  Fortunately, Jane's mother was very patient and understanding.  She explained to Jane that "her worms" would not do well living inside.  They needed their home in the garden.  Then Jane's very patient mother helped Jane take the dirt, with the worms, back to the garden.  She didn't scold Jane or fuss about the dirt.  She must have been a very patient mother!  

Jane also loved books like Tarzan of the Apes and Dr. Dolittle.  These stories filled Jane’s imagination with dreams of living in Africa and studying animals up close, in their native habitat.

When Jane finished school, she worked as a secretary and film assistant to save enough money for a trip to Africa.  In 1957, when she was 23, she took a big step, traveling by ship on the Kenya Castle to visit a friend in Nairobi, Kenya.  While she was in Kenya, she met Dr. Louis Leakey, a famous scientist who studied ancient human fossils.

Louis was a Kenyan-British palaeoanthropologist and archaeologist whose work was to show that humans evolved in Africa.  He and his wife were able to show this, particularly through discoveries made at Olduvai Gorge by his wife, fellow palaeoanthropologist Mary Leakey. 

They saw something special in Jane - her patience, her sharp eye, and love for animals - and Louis invited her to help with his research.  After working with the Leakey's for several years, he sent Jane to study chimpanzees at Gombe Stream Reserve in what was then Tanganyika (now Tanzania).  In July 1960, it wasn’t considered proper for a young woman to go alone into the jungle, so her mother, Vanne, came with her for the first few months.  Together, they set up a small camp near Lake Tanganyika, and Jane began her career!

Jane’s first days in the jungle were full of wonder and often challenges. The forest was alive with the sounds of birds and insects, but the chimpanzees were shy and often ran away when she came near.  So, Jane would sit quietly for hours, watching from a distance.  Her patience paid off when one chimp, named David Greybeard, began to trust her.  One day, Jane watched as he picked up a twig, stripped off the bark, and poked it down a Termite mound to catch termites for a snack.  

This behaviour had never been seen before by scientists!  Using a twig as a tool to catch termites was a revelation to the scientific community and began to change scientists' ideas about the intelligence and creativity of chimpanzees.  This behavior had never been seen before in wild animals!

That moment changed the world’s understanding of animals and made Jane Goodall a pioneer in wildlife research.  And, it all began with a little girl who loved animals, a mother who believed in her, and a dream that carried her all the way from England to the heart of Africa.

Jane Goodall continued her work, observing Nature, writing, speaking on behalf of many places and many species.  She and the young people who worked with her in Kenya, founded Roots and Shoots, an International Youth Program dedicated to "caring for creation"!  The Mission of Roots and Shoots is to empower young people to effect positive change in their communities.  Young People can help build a better tomorrow!  It starts right here, right now!