Jane Goodall: Preserve Natural Habitats for Animals, Where They Feel Safe

“My favorite animals are not only chimpanzees but also the stray dogs that my family and I have rescued.”

On December 1st, Jane Goodall attended the 8th “It’s Warm Winter” event hosted by the Beijing It’s Animal Protection Charity Foundation.

Recently, “the Mother of Chimpanzees,” the world-renowned British zoologist and primate expert Jane Goodall, visited China, her 17th trip to the Chinese mainland. Besides attending celebrations for the 30th anniversary of her “Roots & Shoots” project in China, she also participated in the 8th “It’s Warm Winter” event hosted by the Beijing It’s Animal Protection Charity Foundation (hereinafter referred to as It’s Fund).

It’s Fund is a charity foundation dedicated to animal protection. The host and chairman of It’s Fund, Zhang Yue, called on more people to take action, “to speak for the voiceless and encourage those who persist,” advocating love and responsibility.

Dr. Jane Goodall, who has studied chimpanzees all her life, has a favorite animal: dogs. Surprisingly yet understandably, she said, “Dogs are friends of humans. They know our joy and sorrow, accompanying and warming us. Dogs can be trained as working dogs to help more people, guiding the blind, participating in search and rescue, providing healing, and companionship…”

Jane Goodall shared a funny story from her childhood. She once met a very beautiful purebred Collie and tried to teach it to shake hands, but the dog just sat there looking at her. Many Collies are very smart, but this one seemed a bit silly. It didn’t show any willingness to respond by shaking hands, yet she still rewarded the dog. On her way home, a small black dog she hadn’t paid much attention to before silently followed her. She had never taught this little black dog how to shake hands, but it seemed to have learned it on its own and proactively extended its paw to her, hoping for a reward. Later, she named this little black dog Rusty, and Rusty has been by her side ever since.

“I have deep affection for these little animals,” Jane Goodall said.

Jane Goodall, who celebrated her 90th birthday in April, is a legendary woman featured in textbooks. Renowned for her research on chimpanzees and human studies, she ventured deep into African jungles to uncover the complexity of chimpanzee society. Later, she initiated a series of environmental protection projects, turning profound insights into action. Among them, the “Roots & Shoots” environmental education project is one of the most active environmental education programs for youth globally. She used her personal experiences to inspire young people at the event to participate in environmental protection and sustainable development of the Earth.

On the day she arrived in Beijing, Jane Goodall appeared at the China Science and Technology Museum to exchange stories with “Roots & Shoots” project members from across the country. At the museum, she wrote a message: “Children learning the importance of protecting nature in this wonderful museum will surely inspire them to love nature even more.”

During Jane Goodall’s week-long visit to China, she also commented on recent incidents of wild boars and Siberian tigers entering residential areas. In an interview with CCTV News, she said, “We think it’s terrifying when wildlife enters our living spaces, but what about us? Haven’t we invaded their homes, their forests, wetlands, and rivers? We seem to think it’s okay, but we know animals have thoughts and feelings; they’re not stupid. So, the issue is to find out why animals behave this way and educate people, because sometimes people respond with aggression, which only makes the situation worse and makes the animals more aggressive.”

“We must preserve natural habitats, where animals feel safe,” Jane Goodall said.