Goodall’s Curiosity Of Animal Behavior Started At A Very Young Age

“I’ve been in a henhouse, waiting to see how a hen laid an egg. Nobody’d tell me, so I just sat down. And now I know.” These are the words Goodall spoke to her panicked mother at the age of five when she came home after spending hours in the henhouse.

Her mother, who almost called the cops as her daughter disappeared for hours, gave a sigh of relief for her daughter’s return. Not surprised by her daughter’s answer as Goodall always showed curiosity about the way animals behaved, and Goodall always did what she could to answer her questions.

A Part Of The Jungle For 60 Years

At the age of 26, Jane Goodall traveled to Tanzania from England to start her journey on studying the behavior of chimpanzees. At the time, people knew very little about their behavior. In fact, people saw chimpanzees as wild beasts that you needed to fear if seen in the jungle instead of the kind and loving animals we know today.

Without Goodall, the world’s newfound knowledge of chimpanzees would not be possible. Not only has she shown us that they are intelligent and caring animals, but that we need to do anything possible to protect them because they will become extinct.

On Goodall’s First Chimpanzee Mission, She Brought Very Little Supplies With Her

Jane Goodall did not know what to expect when she traveled to Tanzania in 1960. As supplies, she only brought her interest, a notebook, pen, and binoculars. She braved a world that people told her was untouchable and she did so without much fear or worry. Instead, Goodall felt closer to home than people imagined because they are humankind’s closest living relatives.

However, she would quickly learn more than she ever thought possible – and also realize the danger that the chimpanzees are facing. Because of the environmental crisis plaguing the world, Goodall realized that if humans didn’t take care of the jungles, our relatives wouldn’t survive.

Goodall Soon Started Traveling The World To Discuss Her Findings

It didn’t take Goodall long to realize that humans needed to act quickly when it came to preserving the habitat of chimpanzees. While she continued to observe their behavior, she also started traveling the world to talk about the struggles the chimpanzee’s faced and what issues will arise in the future if we don’t act now.

She also started to change people’s perceptions of chimpanzee behavior by sharing her stories and what she saw while staying with them in the jungle. Through her early discussions, Goodall opened up the world of chimpanzees, and people quickly started listening, especially the science community.

Jane Goodall Makes A Grand Discovery 

When Jane Goodall moved into the jungle to live as a neighbor with the chimpanzees, she had no idea what was in store for her. In fact, she never imagined the world they developed. One of her first discoveries included the note that the chimpanzees make and use their own tools.

Today, scientists classify this as one of the greatest achievements of the 20th century. It was at this moment that people started realizing that humans and chimpanzees are more alike than previously thought. It opened the doors for more studies in the relationship between them and the human world. 

Jane Goodall Is A Conservationist

There is no other way to put this: Goodall is the world’s leading primatologist. After spending time in Gombe, Goodall realized she needed to find a way to support her research. In 1977, she founded the Jane Goodall Institute. Not only did the institute provide a way to gain financial support, but it also gave her a more prominent avenue to preserve forests and chimpanzee populations.

Through the Institute, Goodall could reach local communities as they are vital to creating the right approach. She knew that the locals of Gombe would do what they can to protect their land and the chimpanzee population. With their help, Goodall redefined traditional conservation to creating an organization that plays a central role in focusing on the well-being of animals and their homes.

Jane Goodall Is An Inspiration To Many People

It didn’t take long for people to idolize Goodall and all the work she does for the animals and nature. After establishing the Jane Goodall Institute, people started to come to her, asking if they could help.

In 1991, one group of people contacted Goodall to talk to her about the growing concerns they have for the forests and animals. After speaking with them, Goodall asked if they would co-found Roots and Shoots with her. This organization helps young people in over 100 countries gather information and talk to the conservation leaders of our world about what our animals and nature needs from them. They focus more on urgent tasks, but also look toward what will happen in the future if situations don’t start to change now.

All Jane Goodall Wants To Do Is Help Make The World A Better Place

Jane Goodall is a UN Messenger of Peace. She received this position for all the world she has completed over the years and proving she is a force of compassion, but not just for one country. In her own words, Goodall states she wants everyone in the world to “use the gift of our life to make the world a better place.”

Whether she is writing, speaking, or observing the chimpanzees in their natural habitat, Goodall does everything she can to spread hope for the future through her work. However, she also knows well that she cannot do it alone, which is one reason she jumped at the chance to create an exhibit dedicated to her life and work.

Goodall Helped Open The Door For Women To Explore The Field Of Primatology

Science wasn’t a large field for women when Goodall received her degree and went into the jungle to start her work. However, since Goodall opened the doors for women in the area of Primatology during the 1960s, many women have followed in her footsteps.

Several of these women have written or spoken to Goodall, where they received a warm welcome and advice. The field of Primatology continues to grow, especially with women. Of course, many people have started using her information to focus on their adventures in helping the animals, climate, and nature.

So Much About Jane Is Found In Her Exhibit “Becoming Jane”

Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Jane Goodall is the title for the exhibit that honors Goodall and her 60 years of working with chimpanzees. The exhibition opened at the National Geographic Museum in Washington, D.C., on November 22, 2019.

The exhibit remains open through the summer of 2020 and has a regular price of $15 per ticket. However, the museum offers several discounts, such as a $3 discount for people of the military, students, and seniors. Children ages 5 to 12 are only $10, and children under the age of five are free. You can purchase your tickets at the door, or you can buy them online.

You Can Venture On A 3D exploration of Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park

One reason for this exhibit is to let people see the work of Jane Goodall as thoroughly as possible. Jane spent years getting to know the chimpanzees who lived in Tanzania’s Gombe. Because of all her work in Gombe, the exhibit places a heavy focus on getting to know the National Park and what better way to do this than by using technology.

Through images and a multiscreen experience, you can find yourself feeling like you are in Gombe through a 3D exploration of the area. Of course, another fantastic feature is seeing a life-size hologram of Goodall entering her research tent.

Jane Goodall Helped Create The “Becoming Jane” Exhibit

One of the best features of the “Becoming Jane” exhibit is that it wasn’t created by people who wanted to honor Goodall without her knowledge. The National Geographic Museum Partnered with the Jane Goodall Institute to create this exhibit so people would receive the best, relevant, and up-to-date information possible.

Other people who lent assistance to this exhibit include Linda K. Berdine Foundation and other private partners. From the idea of the exhibition to set-up, Goodall knew and helped as much as possible to ensure that the exhibit would give everyone exactly what they wanted plus open more doors for research and securing the habitat for the chimps.

You Can Get A Sneak Peek Of The Exhibit

Unfortunately, not everyone can jump up, head to Washington, D.C., and go to the National Geographic Museum to see the exhibit. However, it is possible to get a sneak peek of the show by visiting the National Geographic website and going to the Becoming Jane exhibit page.

Not only do they have an introduction to the exhibit, but they have a short video and a guide to the display. This is also the location where you can purchase tickets if you plan on visiting any time soon.

You Can Pledge To Help Jane When You Visit Her Exhibit

Jane Goodall has spent the last 60 years talking to people and writing about her experiences and findings in the jungle. She does what she can to conserve the habitat for the chimps, other animals, and people all over the world.

When you visit the “Becoming Jane” exhibit, you can pledge to change your daily life to conserve the habitat and keep the home for the animals, so they don’t become extinct. All you need to do is contribute to the Tree of Hope. So far, there are over 11,000 pledges.

Jane Explains That She Always Wanted To Go To Africa and Study Animals

The exhibit guide shows that Goodall had always wanted to go to African to study animals. The guide discusses the first article she wrote for the National Graphic magazine in 1963 when she stated. “I cannot remember a time when I did not want to go to Africa to study animals.” Goodall credits her inspiration to work with animals from Disney’s Tarzan and Dr. Doolittle.

She became motivated to start saving her money and traveled to Kenya in 1957. From there, she met Dr. Leakey, who enjoyed talking to Goodall and felt she was the best person to look into the relationship between chimpanzees and humans. From there, Goodall traveled to Gombe in 1960.

Jane Goodall Made A Lot Of Early Discoveries, And They Are All A Part Of The Exhibit

After a few months of trying to observe chimpanzees, but never getting a good enough look, her funding was running out. Then, she made a discovery that would become a turning point in her career. She saw a group of chimpanzees hunt and eat a red colobus monkey. With this discovery, we now knew that chimps were omnivores just as humans are.

Not too long after this discovery, Goodall saw a chimpanzee take all the leaves off a twig and stick it into a termite mound. When the animal removed the twig from the hill, he started eating all the termites that came with the twig. Goodall realized the chimp had created a tool to get food.

Jane Goodall Started To Learn About Social Behaviors Of The Chimpanzees

During the 1960s, Goodall learned that chimpanzees are omnivores and make their own tools. Another observation Goodall made through her work with the chimps was how they reacted with each other, other animals, and even to her.

She started noticing their social behaviors and quickly realized that humans and chimps exhibit a lot of the same responses. For example, she saw that chimpanzees lived in their own little communities, and the mothers would carry their babies on their backs. She saw the chimps playing with each other and the older siblings taking care of the younger.

Jane Goodall Witnesses Primitive Warfare And Chimps Comforting Each Other In Mourning

In the exhibit guide, Jane talks about all the times the behavior she witnessed from the chimps amazed her because they acted so much like humans. At first, she thought they were sweeter than the human race, but then she found out there were groups of chimps that were in primitive warfare for four years. Many chimpanzees lost their lives during this time.

While the chimps showed they have an awful side, just like some humans do, they also showed they are compassionate and understand emotions. She witnessed many chimps comforting each other after the death of a loved one.

Jane Goodall Holds A Guinness World Record

Jane Goodall had no idea what world she would step into when she went to Gombe in 1960 to study the behavior of chimps. She talks about her amazement at their action all the time, especially during her early years as the world knew very little about chimpanzee behavior. In 1967, Goodall established a research center to help her research efforts in Gombe.

With the establishment of this center, Goodall started her road to holding a Guinness World Record for the longest-running wild chimpanzee study in the world. It is something that Goodall and her partners are still working on to this day and doesn’t seem to have an end date in sight.

Learn About The Chimpanzees Jane Goodall Observed In Her Early Days

One of the features of the exhibit is that you can learn about the chimps that Jane Goodall observed in her early days. They all have pictures and a short description. Flo was the elderly matriarch of the F-Family when Goodall arrived in Gombe. Because of Flo and her baby Flint, who came in 1964, Goodall observed the interactions between mother and infant son.

She also learned how Flint’s siblings adjusted to him and how they continued to help and interact with their mother. Flo’s oldest daughter, Fifi, was the first chimp Goodall saw riding on her mother’s back.

Jane Goodall Observed Fifi’s Growing Family

Fifi made Flo a grandmother with her nine offspring that she had from 1971 until 2002. One of the most significant observations that Goodall made is that chimpanzees can give birth to many chimps over the course of their life. Fifi had her first offspring, Freud, in 1971. She then had Frodo, Fanni, Flossi, Faustino, Ferdinand, Fred, and Flirt. Her ninth, Furaha, came into this world in 2002.

With each new addition, Goodall noticed a pattern in the way the mother and siblings interacted with the baby. They all seemed to take care of the little one and play with them. She even observed a few sibling rivalries.

A Story Of A Mother And Her Twins

Usually, chimpanzees have one baby at a time, but just like humans, they can have multiples. That is the case for Gremlin, who is the mother of her twins, Golden and Glitter. Along with observing Gremlin and the twins, Goodall also got to know the mother’s ten other offspring. Goodall enjoyed watching all of the chimps, but she felt a special connection to the twins because they are scarce when it comes to chimps.

In fact, Gombe only has three sets of twins. It is also noted that twins do not always live long, and Golden and Glitter became the first to live past infancy. Gremlin’s oldest female offspring, Gaia, helped with twins, and this ensured the survival of all of them.

Jane Goodall’s Notes Are A Part Of The Exhibit

Jane Goodall traveled to Gombe with her binoculars, notebook, pen, camera, and a manual typewriter. As she walked around the jungle, she took extensive notes. Usually, at the end of the day, Goodall returned to her tent and would type up her handwritten notes on the typewriter.

She recorded the locations, the ways the chimps ate, how they cared for each other, their warfare, made a behavioral checklist, and even made hand-drawn maps. Her research and notes became so extensive, and she observed every chimp possible that each chimp received their folder that showcased their personality and lifestyle.

Jane Goodall Wasn’t Always Honored As A Pioneer In Her Field

Jane Goodall started working in Gombe in 1960, a time where most women stayed home and cared for their family. If they received a degree or started working, they kept to teaching or secretarial work. They rarely entered the science field, but Goodall decided this didn’t matter.

Even though most scientists laughed at her during her early years, Goodall continued and work and always tried to prove her findings. At first, it seemed like no matter how much proof she showed people, many still laughed at her efforts. Fortunately, this would all change during the 1970s and 1980s.

Jane Goodall Started Using The Highest Technology To Monitor Behavior During The 1980s

Once Goodall started to get a good grasp of the Gombe jungle and the environment around it, she began to venture a little farther every week. However, she would soon realize that the chimps and their habitat were in danger because the habitat beyond the protected area of Gombe Stream National Park didn’t have the protection that the National Park did.

It meant that chimps would eventually become extinct. At this point, Goodall knew she had to use all the resources she could to save the forest and the chimps, so she started using high-tech tools to record the way chimps behave in their natural habitat. This is a practice that the Jane Goodall Institute still follows today.

Meet Jane Goodall And Observe Wild Chimpanzees While Viewing The Exhibit

By now, you probably want to meet Jane Goodall because you see her as an inspiration. This is how many people feel. Fortunately, you can meet Goodall and observe wild chimpanzees through the exhibit. From the days of her childhood until the present, you receive 3D imagery of the jungle, Goodall, the research tent, and so much more.

You get to watch footage of Goodall observing the chimps that no one has seen before. Two technology organizations, Falcon’s Creative Group and NeoPangea, partnered with the National Geographic Museum to bring you the most realistic experience as possible. It is literally like you transport yourself into Goodall’s story.

The Organization Developed Technology Specifically For Becoming Jane

While there is a lot of technology to work with when creating the exhibit, the National Geographic, the Jane Goodall Institute, and other organizations wanted to give viewers the most realistic experience as possible. Therefore, the Falcon’s Creative Group developed photorealistic and high-fidelity computer-generated chimpanzees that you will see throughout the tour.

Through Jane Goodall’s hologram, you will hear her tell you stories. Furthermore, Falcon developed a 270-degree, three-dimensional theater experience with high-definition footage with surround-sound audio. Along with the custom footage of the forests, you are guaranteed to have an experience like no other.

Through Technology, You Can Observe The Chimps Just Like Goodall

Falcon is a technological organization that went above and beyond when it came to developing technology for the exhibit. One piece that can give you a great experience of what it was like for Goodall is the augmented-reality binoculars that let you observe chimpanzees.

You look through the binoculars just as Goodall did for many years. You will feel like the chimpanzees are in the room as the binoculars project computer-generated images of them. On top of this, you can learn to communicate with the virtual chimpanzees through “chimp chat.”

Sources:

“Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Dr. Jane Goodall Exhibition Guide.” National Geographic Museum. November 2019.

“About Jane.” The Jane Goodall Institute.

“Chimps with everything: Jane Goodall’s 50 years in the jungle.” Robin McKie, The Guardian. June 2010.

“A new exhibit invites you to step into Jane Goodall’s life.” Erin Wayman, Science News. January 2020

“NEW EXHIBIT TAKES YOU INSIDE JANE’S LIFE LIKE NEVER BEFORE” Ashley Sullivan, Jane Goodall.org. September 2019.