Legacy of Goodall Part 3: Redefining Humanity

Welcome. If you’re new here, this is a series dedicated to the works of Jane Goodall. Let’s dive in.

By the early 1960s, Jane Goodall’s work in Gombe Stream National Park was redefining everything humanity thought it knew about animals. What began as simple observation soon became a revolution in science. She had entered the forests of Tanzania without a formal scientific degree, armed only with a notebook, binoculars, and an open heart. Yet, what she discovered would challenge the very boundaries separating humans and animals.

Her most groundbreaking discovery came in 1960 when she observed a chimpanzee named David Greybeard stripping leaves off a twig to fish termites out of a mound — the first recorded instance of tool use in non-human animals. Before this, scientists had defined humans as the only “tool-making species.” When her mentor, Louis Leakey, heard the news, he famously remarked: “Now we must redefine tool, redefine man, or accept chimpanzees as human.” This was more than just a scientific finding — it was a philosophical moment that forced humanity to rethink its place in nature.

Goodall also noticed that chimpanzees exhibited emotions eerily similar to ours — affection, jealousy, grief, and even warfare. They kissed, hugged, and comforted one another, but could also show aggression and territorial violence. Her research revealed the complexity of chimpanzee societies, their intelligence, and their emotional depth. It was a humbling realization: the line separating “us” from “them” was far thinner than anyone had believed.

Through it all, Goodall’s compassion remained her guiding force. While other scientists maintained a detached, “objective” stance, she named her chimpanzees instead of numbering them — a decision that drew criticism at the time. But her empathy became her strength. By treating the chimpanzees as individuals, she noticed behaviors others might have missed. She often said that her greatest lesson from Gombe was that understanding grows not only from intellect, but from empathy — from truly seeing the living world as kin, not as subjects of study.