Dr. Jane Goodall, world-renowned ethologist, conservationist, and humanitarian, who died this week at the age of 91, undertook critical research in the field to correct and change a number of misunderstandings about chimpanzees and their behaviours and lives.
She found, for example, that the animals are omnivorous, not vegetarian; that they are capable of making and using tools; and, in short, that they have a set of hitherto unrecognized complex and highly developed social behaviors. Goodall wrote a number of books and articles about various aspects of her work, notably In the Shadow of Man (1971). She summarized her years of observation in The Chimpanzees of Gombe: Patterns of Behavior (1986).
…. Latest and ongoing research which Dr Jane began has now been extended by others …..
Note: The writer (Henricus Peters) is a former zookeeper at Wellington Zoo working with chimpanzees so I have a particular affinity with and affection for these incredible animals. I was also privileged to meet Dr Jane in Shanghai in 2014.
The chimpanzee tea party phenomena
There was a growing movement towards zoo authenticity and promoting natural behaviors, which conflicted with the practice of making chimps act human-like…. This very last aspect is particularly of note to this writer – as research has shown that:
‘Chimpanzees are like humans in many ways because they are our closest living relatives within the animals kingdom ….. sharing 98% of our DNA!They are highly intelligent, social animals that form complex societies, care for their young, and display complex emotions like affection, joy, and grief. They also exhibit behaviors such as tool use, hunting, and communication through gestures, similar to humans.
