A REMARKABLE WOMAN
Half a century after she began studying chimpanzees in Tanzania, Jane Goodall returned to her native city of Bournemouth, in England. This does not mean the renowned zoologist began to live a quiet life. Far from it: recently, at the age of 86, she reflected on her legacy in an interview with the New York Times. And, until the current pandemic compelled her to reduce her activities, Goodall toured the world, explaining to her audiences the urgent need for environmental activism.(lines 1–5)
Goodall's popular book, Hope for Animals and Their World, is part of her campaign to prevent the destruction of the environment. Rather than focus on the possibility of extinction facing many species, she tells the inspiring stories of heroes who fought – and won – individual battles. "I thought it would give people hope so that instead of just sinking into depression, they take action," she says. "I've seen areas that were totally destroyed being brought back to life, giving another chance to animals that had almost disappeared."(lines 6–11)
As a child Goodall loved animals, and at the age of 11 she declared she would spend her life in some faraway land, living with wild animals and writing books about them. Then, in her early twenties, after earning the money for the fare by working as a waitress and a secretary, she took a boat to Africa to spend a few months with a friend. While she was there she happened to meet the world-famous scientist, Louis Leakey. Impressed by her enthusiasm, Leakey asked Goodall to set up a program to observe chimpanzees in their natural habitat. She ended up staying in Africa for nearly four decades, only returning to England to complete her studies at the University of Cambridge.(lines 12–18)
In 1986 Goodall's life completely changed direction. While attending a conference on the ecological crisis in Africa, she was stunned as speaker after speaker described the extent of environmental destruction across the continent. "I was really shocked and felt I had to do something," she says. "But the more involved I got in conservation, the more I realized that there's very little point in what my generation is doing unless future ones also shoulder this responsibility." That is why Goodall is so passionate about Roots and Shoots, the youth organization she founded in 1991. Thanks to her tireless efforts, it now operates in over 100 countries worldwide, with thousands of youngsters participating in local environmental projects.(lines 19–26)
It has been sixty years since Goodall began her scientific endeavors. To honor her, a British TV series was produced about her work and Jane's Journey, a film about her life, was shown in cinemas worldwide. This remarkable woman persuaded leaders in business, politics and culture to change their approach to the natural world. Her work will continue to inspire scientists and environmentalists for many generations.(lines 27–31)