Jane Goodall, Legendary Chimpanzee Researcher and Conservation Icon, Dies at 91
Jane Goodall, a world-renowned primatologist, has passed away. She was 91. The scientist is best known for her research on chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania. That research revolutionized our understanding of the animals, revealing their ability to use tools, have emotions, and form social bonds. Goodall’s ability to connect with the chimps she studied made her a household name, while her dedication to research and conservation made her one of the most influential scientists of our time.
That influence even extended into the world of theme parks. In the 1990s, Walt Disney Imagineers invited her to review their plans for Animal Kingdom. She visited during construction and returned for the park’s grand opening. To honor her, Imagineers placed a plaque at the base of the Tree of Life, near the It’s Tough to be a Bug! theater. They also carved David Greybeard, the first chimpanzee to approach Goodall in Gombe, into the trunk. His likeness is the only carving on the tree modeled after a real animal.
Joe Rohde, the lead designer of Animal Kingdom, formed a lasting friendship with Goodall. Earlier today, he honored her memory in a post on Instagram:
“I just received a phone call from a mutual friend that Jane Goodall has passed away. I saw her just a bit more than a week ago in Texas and she seemed as spritely as ever. More eloquent people than myself will have much to say about her life, her accomplishments, her legacy, and the place she occupied in the popular imagination.
“Her public persona was so overwhelmingly compelling that it’s difficult sometimes to remember that she was just a person. But when you met with her, that is exactly what she was, a person, and that is what she wanted people to understand. “Just a person” can do amazing and impactful things. Just a little girl, fascinated by animals could break a whole series of societal norms and become an inspiration to millions and a political force for change at an international level.
“Jane had an inexhaustible capacity for Hope. But she was very clear about what Hope was… Hope is action. If we are to remember her, it is through this. Those things that we hope for….they happen not because we wish for them, but because we do them. And we are many. So do not lose Hope because a great tree has fallen. Roots and Shoots are everywhere.”
I don’t have a great photo of that plaque… yet. I’ll make sure to fix that on our next visit. You can see it, too, once Zootopia: Better Zoogether! debuts. Before heading into the theater, stop by to meet David Greybeard and read the Imagineers’ dedication to a wonderful scientist.
