One of my earliest memories is of getting to see Dr. Jane Goodall speak when I was 6 or 7 years old. She was already my greatest hero, and I remember being so excited that I spilled a drink all over my shirt. I sat in the audience with my wet shirt and knees bouncing with nerves. Then, Jane came onto the stage and greeted us with the whoops of a chimpanzee; I was completely awestruck.
Watching the new documentary film JANE brought back that same sense of childhood wonder, especially because of the never-before-seen footage of individuals I’ve read so much about, such as David Greybeard, Goliath, and Flo. Seeing how calm and accepting David Greybeard was in her company, and how Flo was such a supportive and caring mother to Fifi and Flint, truly make Jane’s written words come to life.
As I was growing up, whenever adults would ask me what I wanted to do with my life, I would always tell them I wanted to work with animals. Almost invariably they would ask, “Like Jane Goodall?” or joke that I was going to be “the next Jane Goodall.” With a fierce pride, I would agree.
In the documentary, Jane speaks about how people often discouraged her from pursuing goals that were traditionally male, but she never gave up. I wanted to be just like her, trekking through some exotic jungle, learning about animals, discovering new behaviors. If I ever doubted that I could make a career out of my passion for animals, I only needed to remember her and how hard she worked. Having Jane as my role model growing up was extremely important, especially given the lack of female role models at the time.
Hearing Jane talk about how she always dreamed of going to Africa feels like an echo of my own childhood dreams. My specific goals changed over time, but I have her to thank for constant inspiration. And, my incredible visit to Tanzania was a direct result of her powerful influence on me.
Now as an adult, I am continually awed by Jane Goodall. Seeing footage showing her early observations of chimps making tools, and their intricate social lives, reminds me of how easy it is to forget just how groundbreaking her discoveries were in those early days. Of course, everyone now knows that humans are not the only primates that use tools, make war, and have complex emotional lives, but at that time most people believed that most of that behavior was unique to our species.
I’m so amazed by her tireless efforts to help animals and the environment, and how hard she works to “…make sure the next generation are better stewards than we’ve been.”
When I hear Jane say that “we have a responsibility towards the other life forms on our planet,” I know how lucky the world is to have a person like her; someone who doesn’t just claim to love the Earth, but actively works to protect it and its creatures.
I am so thankful that she is out there, still working, still inspiring little girls to follow their dreams.
Watch the commercial free broadcast of JANE on Monday, March 12th at 8/7c on National Geographic and Nat Geo WILD, and join the conversation on social media using #JANE.
Keep Wildlife in the Wild,
Katie Conway,
Primate Caregiver