Biography of Jane Goodall
Jane Goodall is an animal rights advocate from England, known as “the woman who gave a new meaning to the word man.”
Childhood and youth
Dame Valerie Jane Morris Goodall was born in London on April 3, 1934. Her parents were Mortimer Herbert Morris-Goodall – a businessman, and Margaret Mifane Joseph – a writer. Jane was the first child in the family, and the second was her younger sister, Judy.
As a child, his father gave Jane a toy chimpanzee, thanks to which Jane had interest and love for animals.
As a child, she loved to observe the wild nature, which she liked more and more. Her dream was to go to Africa to observe and study animals in their natural habitat. And at the age of 18 she graduated from school and began to translate her dreams of studying wildlife into life.
Career
To earn money for her trip to Africa, Jane worked as a secretary at Oxford University and in a documentary film studio in London.
Thanks
In 1962, Leakey, through fundraising, helped her enter Cambridge University, where she became a doctorate in ethics.
In 1977, she founded the Jane Goodall Institute for the protection of wildlife, and especially chimpanzees around the world.
Jane Goodall was an activist in many animal rights movements that defended animal rights and encouraged them to treat them with the greatest possible kindness and respect. And until now, Jane Goodall is raising funds for the needs of her institute, and is also traveling a lot to convey
Basic work
Jane Goodall is best known for her research in the Gombe Stream National Park for more than four decades. During her research, Jane suggested a new model for treating chimpanzees – giving them names, not numbers, as it was commonly done before.
Prior to her research, it was believed that man is the only being who is able to make a tool to facilitate his life, and that this is what distinguishes man from other living beings of the planet. But it was her research that put an end to this belief, because during her observations, Jane watched the chimpanzees, who broke off the branches of trees and tore off the foliage to get an adaptation for effective termite hunting. Her mentor, Luis Leakey, in his address to the community wrote: “We must reconsider the concept of man, the concept of an instrument, or consider chimpanzees as one of us – people.”
During her research, she also managed to find out that chimpanzees are carnivorous, and that they can express their tender feelings with hugs and kisses. She also discovered the predisposition to violence and murder, which are so inherent in a person.
To protect the chimpanzee, in 1977, Jane Goodall founded the University of Jane Goodall, which has offices around the world. In 1991, the Roots & Shoots program was launched to protect chimpanzees and their natural habitat.
Jane Goodall is one of the presidents of the Animal Protectors organization, which sought to avoid using animals for medical and scientific testing. She is an animal rights activist, and also advocates a better understanding of wildlife and its conservation for future generations.
Awards and achievements
The Hubbard medal for outstanding research of the National Geographic Society – 1995.
International Peace Prize – 1999.
Medal of Benjamin Franklin for the development of the sciences of wildlife and the title of Lady-Commander of the Order of the British Empire, handed over by Prince Charles – 2003.
Medal in honor of the 60th anniversary of UNESCO and the status of officer of the French Legion – 2006.
In recent years, many prestigious universities in the world have awarded her a Ph. D.
Personal life and heritage
In 1964, Jane married Baron Hugo van Lavic – a Dutch animal photographer who worked in the Gombe Stream National Park on his project. The couple had a son, Hugo Eric Lewis, who did not save their marriage and they divorced in 1974.
In the same year, Jane married again – a member of the Parliament of Tanzania, Derek Braicesson, who died of cancer in 1980.
Jane Goodall believes in a great spiritual power, which is stronger and greater than any other thing in the world. Her whole life is devoted to the care of the environment, and even now she spends about 300 days a year on trips to countries and continents in the struggle for the preservation of wildlife.
Interesting Facts
An active fighter for the protection of nature, Jane Goodall became the eighth person in the world who was admitted for a Ph. D. degree without a higher education.