Remembering Jane Goodall | Column
Published 1:30 am Friday, April 3, 2026
Scientist. Activist. Author. Trailblazer. These are just some of the words that can be used to describe Dr. Jane Goodall, the world’s most preeminent primatologist and a name synonymous with conservation.
If you’ve ever heard her speak, she would often say that as a child, she always thought Tarzan had chosen the wrong Jane. However, if we extend the metaphor for Tarzan to represent not a wild man but all wild apes, then she was absolutely the right Jane. It was her observation of the old male David Graybeard using a stick to fish for termites that turned the definition of human on its head; we aren’t the only animals to use tools.
She looked in their eyes and saw a being as complex as any human — grief, anger, friendship. Jane Goodall has been one of my heroes since the fifth grade, doing a science report on chimpanzees. Her courage in venturing into the Tanzanian forest as a 20-something woman without scientific training, driven only by a deep love for animals. Standing up to the establishment when her scientific rigor was derided for giving names to the chimps rather than numbers. Never losing hope in the face of bureaucratic and corporate apathy. Even at 91, when most people are taking it easy and making moments count with family, she was still traveling approximately 300 days a year, convinced there was more work to be done.
Humility, compassion, open-mindedness, generosity. That’s what true leadership is. In his speech at her memorial service, Leonardo DiCaprio remembered Goodall as “unstoppable” and that she “reminded us that change begins with compassion and our humanity is our greatest tool.”
“Only if we understand, will we care. Only if we care, will we help. Only if we help shall all be saved.” She might have been soft-spoken, but her message still reverberates across the world through her Roots and Shoots youth programs that cover everything from planting native species and ensuring natural spaces are available on campus to recycling clothing to reduce greenhouse gases. Goodall would be the first to say that we can’t take on every problem that needs solving — that way lies madness. Instead, find your passion within your local community. We can’t save the world if we ignore our neighborhood.
This Friday, April 3, would have been her 92nd birthday. Honor this extraordinary woman by speaking up for those who don’t have a voice at the table, and together, let’s make a better world.
In a world where you can be anything? Be kind. Be like Jane.
Amy Nesler
San Juan Island
