Jane Goodall

Jane in her early studies. (http://www.cryptomundo.com/wp-content/uploads/jane_chimp.jpg)

What is a hero? In my opinion, a hero is someone who stands up for what they believe in. They also care for other people and do things even if they don’t get a reward. My hero is Jane Goodall because she has educated millions of people about the feelings and behavior of chimpanzees. She also learned that chimps are very closely related to us. Jane started studying chimps in the 1960’s at the age of 26. She observed them in Gombe National Park in Africa. She continued to research in many other places in Africa.

Jane started out with a photographer named Hugo Van Lawick. She decided to break away from photography and start to study chimps instead. Many people used to think that humans were the only animals that that can think, feel pain, or have emotions. Jane knew this was not true, so she set out to prove people wrong.

One of the many baby chimps Jane has observed (http://www.lasplash.com/uploads/1/jane_goodall_baby_chimp.jpg)

Jane learned many things that people did not know about chimps. She learned that they use tools to help them find their food. For example, the chimpanzees will use a stick to get termites out of their hole. They will also use rocks to break nuts open. Chimpanzees were smarter then most people thought, Jane learned, and she was going to tell the world.

Jane with a chimpanzee (http://www.100monkeys.org/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/janegoodall.jpg)

Jane visited many zoos and study areas for chimps. She learned that some could be taught sign language. Although most zoos take good care of the chimps, some get mistreated in captive situations. Jane tries to help them and teach them how to survive in the wild. One such chimpanzee, JoJo, was one of many chimps Jane witnessed being mistreated. JoJo lived in a small concrete cage with metal bars. He lived there for more then 10 years. When JoJo was young, he had lived in the wild with his mother, until she was shot. They snatched him away from her dead body and shipped him off to the lab. Jane, “As I stopped by JoJo, he was not angry, but grateful that I stopped. He groomed my fingers, touching the surgical gloves I had to wear. Then he looked into my eyes and touched the tear that rolled down my cheek.”

Fortunately, Jane is setting up many sanctuaries so these animals can have an almost normal life. You can now find Jane giving speeches and working with groups to help protect chimpanzees. In my opinion, Jane is an important part of our knowledge of chimpanzees today. That is why Jane Goodall is my hero.