Memoir Historical Investigation for Jane Goodall: Protector of Chimpanzees by
Kenji Asakura
Primary Source:
This is a picture of Jane Goodall carrying and kissing a baby chimpanzee, it was taken in Zambia by Stephen Robinson, n.d.. I choose this source because I love the picture and how it connects to the title of my book. Since the title of my book is, Jane Goodall: Protector of chimpanzees, this picture perfectly illustrates the title.
Secondary Source: For my secondary source am using an article about Jane Goodall by Aileen Easterbrook called A Life with Chimpanzees, it was published in 2010. This is the whole article: On a November day in 1960, a young Englishwoman made a shocking discovery. By then, Jane Goodall had lived in an African forest for almost four months. She was there to study chimpanzees in the wild, and she was doing it in a brand new way. She was living in the forest where they lived. And she was getting to know them as individuals. That November day, Jane was watching a chimp she had named David Graybeard. She saw him push a stalk of grass into a mound of dirt. When he pulled out the grass, it was covered with insects called termites. Then David Graybeard ate the termites. He couldn't reach the termites with his hands, so he had made a tool to help him. People make and use tools all the time. In fact, until November 1960, people thought that only human beings made tools. Jane's discovery was big news. Scientists had to rethink their definitions of what made human beings unique. A famous scientist, Dr. Louis Leakey, had sent Jane to the shores of Lake Tanganyika, in what is now Tanzania, just to study chimpanzees. At first, Jane's main human companion was her mother. Together they made a small camp in the Gombe Stream Chimpanzee Reserve. Gombe would become Jane Goodall's home - on and off - for more than 25 years. When Jane began her work at Gombe, she sat quietly among the trees on a mountain peak and looked through her binoculars to find the chimps. At first, they ran away when they saw her. Then, little by little, they let Jane get closer to them. That's when she was able to see David Graybeard fishing for termites. Finally, the chimps began to come into Jane's camp. No one had ever been able to be with wild chimpanzees like this before. Jane named each of the chimps and began to understand their lives. She recognized that they had individual personalities. She watched their relationships with one another. And she wrote down all that she learned. Over the years, other people joined Jane at Gombe. It became a center for chimpanzee research. Hugo Van Lawick, a Dutch photographer, was one of the people who helped make Jane and Gombe famous. His photographs in National Geographic magazine and his films for television were seen around the world. Jane and Hugo married in 1964, and, in 1967, their son, "Grub," was born. Today, more than 25 researchers work at the Gombe Stream Research Centre, but there are many others around the world examining information collected there. Over the past 50 years,
they have made many discoveries about the lives of chimpanzees. They follow the unique approach that Jane first used in 1960: They observe patiently and carefully. They gain the trust of the animals. They study individuals and groups over a long period of time. Now famous around the world, Dr. Jane spends most of her time - more than 300 days each year - traveling and talking to people about all that she has learned. With patient observation, Dr. Jane has uncovered many "secrets." She also sees the dangers and difficulties faced by her beloved chimpanzees, as well as the people of Africa. Forests are disappearing. Chimps are hunted for meat. Animals are often mistreated. In speeches to thousands of people around the world, but in a quiet voice, Dr. Jane explains her message: We must do all we can to help wildlife and each other survive and thrive. As you can read this article goes through Jane Goodall’s discovery that chimpanzees use tools, and how her methods of study used are now replicated around the world, while they used to be frowned upon. It also comments on her current life travelling the world explaining her message, that we should do all we can to help wildlife and each other survive and thrive. I am using this source because it is a quick run through of Jane’s discovery, how her work was made famous, how scientists now use her methods of observation, and how she currently travels the world talking to people about what she has learned.
Summary and Review: Jane Goodall Protector of Chimpanzees is all about the life of Jane Goodall, from her childhood through her studies of chimpanzees and her current endeavors to protect chimpanzees, other animals, and the environment. This book is a great biography about a great person; it helps you strive to be the best you can. It shows the amazing passion and effort that is needed when you try to do something. The success of Jane Goodall’s programs and her research really inspire and help you remember that we are all capable of changing the world. There are many reasons you would want to read this book. The first one is that it is very informative and it covers many aspects of Jane Goodall’s life, while providing many interesting details. Proof from the text for this reason can be seen in the book when it explains Jane’s early passion for animals, stating that, “... crouched in the straw, and silently waited for a hen to come in. Four hours later, Jane finally did get to watch a hen... Bursting with excitement...” (pg. 14-15). The second reason is that this book and Jane Goodall’s life show you that you can accomplish things that seem impossible. Evidence from the book for the second reason is that, throughout the story you realize that Jane Goodall had a dream that seemed almost impossible to accomplish (study wild animals in their natural environment). To most people this seemed impossible simply because she was a woman, and woman had less opportunities during that time. But she took advantage of the opportunities she did get, such as being invited to Tanzania by her friend, and managed to do what she wanted, study animals in the wild.
A Troupe of Chimps
Crouching in the dirt, Jane scribbled down her observations into her notebook, her blunt pencil causing her notes to appear almost illegible. Caked with dirt, her knees began aching. To relieve herself of the bothersome feeling, she stood up and decided to walk down the mountain slope and into the valley. “Traveling through the undergrowth is hard work,” Jane realized after pushing her way through the shoulder-high grass for just ten minutes. A shadow flitted past Jane’s eyes, as leaves softly rustled behind her. With her heart pounding in her chest Jane slowly pivoted on her feet, craning her neck, and peering in every direction, she checked for any signs of movement. It must have been her imagination. “Come on Jane! You’re a scientist now; you can’t let your imagination fool yourself. What would Dr. Leaky think of you if he knew you were cowering at every rustling leave and moving shadow? He would probably convince the project’s sponsor that it was a mistake to choose you.” Jane instructed herself, “Pull yourself together!” As Jane was close to reaching the bottom of the valley, she once more observed some additional leaves and darting shadows. Rolling her eyes, Jane could not help glancing over her shoulder to survey the area. Nothing. Again. Still, Jane had that nagging feeling that someone -or maybe even something- was watching her. Once again, she continued walking, this time however, she was tentative to her surroundings. Five minutes later, the mysterious, shadows and sounds already forgotten, Jane reached a clearing. The emerald canopy a hundred feet above parted and some of the morning rays illuminated her exhausted face. Crack. A twig snapped. Jane’s head jerked towards the noise. She noticed two dark almond shaped eyes scrutinizing her. Jane leaped back, as she heard a thunderous growl. It was as if the forest was holding its breath; the birds abruptly stopped singing and the winds died down. “Hoo,” came a sound from directly above Jane, and another “Hoo,” from her right, and one from her left, and one from behind her. Before she was able to think Jane was surrounded. Unaware of which creature she should focus on, Jane kept her eyes down, occasionally peering up at each animal. A deep growl came from between the trees, and Jane carefully raised her head. Gradually a chimp marched out from within the tall grass. It charged.
“Stay calm! Stay calm!” Jane thought to herself. “Think, think, quickly! What should I do?” Breathing rapidly, Jane fought to control her fear. Time seemed to slow down, the chimp just 25 yards away.
Ready to faint, Jane braced herself but then an idea popped into her mind, “Appear uninterested, pretend you are foraging, as if you were one of them, a chimp.” Quickly Jane crouched down, picked up a twig and tore handfuls of grass out of the moist ground. As she forced herself to chew on the bitter blades of grass, Jane desperately acted oblivious to the growling silverback that was now only fifteen yards away. Just ten yards away from the chimp, Jane “scavenged for food”, time seemed to return to its normal pace, making it harder for Jane to ignore the ferocious war cries of the chimpanzee. Ear piercing shrills caused Jane to flinch; the savage sound of the ape could be heard throughout the forest. Jane had faith that it would be loud enough for one of the locals to hear. She cringed each time the animal paused, stared up at the sky, and started bellowing again as he slammed his fists against his chest. However, it was not the awful sound the chimp made, but the pounding of his knuckles against the hard earth that made Jane cower. Averting her eyes was all that Jane could do to ignore the approaching chimp. By the time the charging primate was just a couple of yards away, Jane had lost all hope that he would lose interest. She swallowed. Her mouth was bone-dry. Suddenly, the noise stopped. There was no more hoo-ing, or yowling, not even the sound of the earth being struck. Only a rustle of leaves, as the rump of the chimp disappeared into the brush. Jane sighed, as she pushed her face into the cool earth to kiss it. No more than five seconds later she stood up, ready to get back and do what she was here for… study chimpanzees.
Works Cited: Cover Picture: "Jane Goodall: Protector of Chimpanzees (People to Know) [Library Binding]." Jane Goodall: Protector of Chimpanzees (People to Know): Virginia Meachum: 9780894908279: Amazon.com: Books. Amazon, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012. <http://www.amazon.com/Jane-Goodall-Protector-Chimpanzees-People/dp/0894908278>. Primary Source: Jane Goodall. N.d. Photograph. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. EncyclopĂŚdia Britannica Image Quest. Web. 11 Oct. 2012. <http://quest.eb.com/images/149_2073741>. Secondary Source: Easterbrook, Aileen. "A Life with Chimpanzees." Appleseeds (Vol. 12, No. 7). Apr 2010: 2-5. SIRS Discoverer. Web. 14 Oct 2012.