Jane Goodall Research Paper

Imagine being able to communicate with another species. It would lead to scientific advances that are unheard of. Well, Jane Goodall is one of the closest ones in history to accomplishing this feat. Jane Goodall is the most well-known chimpanzee expert to ever live. Although, there is much more to Jane Goodall than chimpanzees and being called an “ape lady”, such as how she grew up to become inspired to study wildlife, what she uncovered for the biological community, and how she forever changed the world of studying wildlife.

First of all, Jane grew up in love with wildlife and was inspired to study it. Jane Goodall’s childhood was full of an interest of science and wildlife. She was born on April 3rd, 1934, in London, England (“Jane Goodall

Jane’s major discoveries and contributions to science started in 1860 when she was sent to Tanzania to work on the Gombe Reserve project (“Jane Goodall Biography”). She was the responsible for discovering that chimpanzees are able to make and use tools (“Jane Goodall Biography”). She also found out that chimpanzees had their own language or way to communicate (Bagley). Jane accounted for over 120 different sounds that each have their own meaning in the chimp language (Bagley). Diet was another new trait about chimpanzees that Goodall discovered. She found that most chimps are actually vegan, but she also noticed how some would also hunt for meat or mammals in groups (Bagley). On rare occasions, she found a few chimps that were cannibals (“Jane Goodall Biography”). She also found that chimpanzees have a “complex social system” (Bagley).This included wars where chimps used weapons such as stones (“Jane Goodall Biography”). Jane also discovered that chimps could have long-term relationships with others (“Jane Goodall Biography”). Also, in the chimp community males were superior to females (“Jane Goodall Biography”). During the 1960’s, when Jane was doing most of her research there were also many other scientist working just as hard. Of course, there was Jane’s mentor, Louis Leakey, who was an anthropologist and also worked with chimpanzees (“Jane Goodall’s

In 1962, Jane got married to Baron Hugo van Lawick, who was a National Geographic wildlife photographer in Tanzania at the same time as when Goodall was researching there (“Jane Goodall Biography”). In 1974, she ended up getting re-married to Derek Bryceson, who was the director of Tanzanian national parks and a ex-member of the British Parliament (“Jane Goodall’s Story”). Jane Goodall is still alive to this day, and she will turn 82 as of 2016 (Bagley). Jane Goodall also received a number of different awards for her accomplishments. In 1964, she received the Golden Medal of Conversation from San Diego Zoological Society (“Jane Goodall Biography”). In 1984, Goodall won the J. Paul Getty Wildlife Conservation Prize (“Jane Goodall Biography”). Followed by in 1987, with the Schweitzer Medal of the Animal Welfare Institute (“Jane Goodall Biography”). In 1988, she was awarded the National Geographic Society Centennial Award (“Jane Goodall Biography”). Her book, The Chimpanzee Family earned the 1989 Unicef/Unesco Children’s Book-of-the-Year Award (“Jane Goodall Biography”). Ever since Jane first started studying chimpanzees, the topic has grown tremendously, and tons of more advancements in technology have allowed way more variables to be tested (Hughes). In 1977, Goodall created the Jane Goodall Institute (Bagley). Follwed