In memory of Jane Goodall, a role model for future generations

05/10/2025

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Last week, we lost world-renowned ethologist Jane Goodall, who came to Istanbul last year at the invitation of the Turkish branch of the Roots & Shoots association she founded, and participated in various events with children and young people. There are some people in life who are like a plane tree whose shade provides a breath of fresh air. Their roots extend deep, their branches reach to the sky; their presence carries peace, and their words carry hope. Dr. Jane Goodall was such a person. Writing in her wake is even more difficult, especially after having known her firsthand. Our only consolation is that the torch she lit and the memories she left behind serves as a guide for future generations.

Born Valerie Jane Morris-Goodall, Jane dreamt of a life surrounded by animals since childhood. She longed to transcend the fairy tales she learned in books and see them in their natural habitat. When she traveled to Africa with the money she had saved from years of working various jobs, fate brought her together with the renowned paleontologist Louis Leakey. When Leakey recognized Jane’s patience and passion, he uttered the historic sentence that changed the course of her life: “Go to Gombe and study the chimpanzees.”

On 14 July 1960, when she set foot in Gombe with only a notebook and binoculars, the course of scientific history began to quietly shift. Jane’s patient observations revealed that chimpanzees were not merely instinctive beings; they were thinking, feeling, tool-making, and complex social interactions. The thick boundaries between humans and animals were being erased one by one, and the very definition of “being human” was being rewritten. Despite not holding an academic title, her invitation to Cambridge University for a doctorate was the greatest testament to the success of this young woman who challenged the conventional conventions of science. Her work on Gombe became one of the cornerstones of modern ethology.

Academic publications weren’t the only way Jane Goodall’s work reached the world. Her field observations, through the lens of National Geographic, reached millions and were disseminated to a wider audience through documentaries and books. However, Jane was not the only one who truly recognized her. He was a sage who appeared on stage on every continent and reminded everyone of the same simple truth: “Every individual is important. Every individual can make a difference.” This sentence was like a call to action, reminding us of the forgotten bonds we share with nature.

An Encounter in Istanbul: Next to Roots and Sprouts

When I had the chance to meet Jane Goodall before, I witnessed firsthand how noble, sincere, and vibrant she was. When she came to Istanbul at the invitation of Roots & Shoots Turkey, I was present in the hall where she met with children and young people. I later shared that day in a blog post, which you can read at https://serhansuzer.com/tr/dogaseverlerin-rol-modeli-jane-goodall-istanbuldaydi/. As I mentioned in that post, the light in Jane Goodall’s eyes and the serenity in her voice were deeply moving. When she began speaking, the atmosphere in the hall changed dramatically; it was clear that many of the young people had awakened their desire to make a difference, and this excitement was reflected in their gazes. Everyone listening to her was captivated.

Her patient response to our questions, her humility, and her kindness were, in fact, the epitome of her entire life. Here was a sage who had changed the world, yet who acted like one of us. At that moment, I realized that Jane Goodall’s most powerful legacy was not only her scientific discoveries, but also the power she gave to humanity through the reflection of her own character. In her presence, it was easy to believe that every individual could change the world, to some extent.

Her scientific contributions and the transformation she wrought upon the world

Goodall’s discoveries on chimpanzees led to radical changes in the scientific world. Her observations revealed that animal behavior was not merely mechanical responses but also had emotional and social dimensions. Chimpanzees’ ability to use tools, hunt together, grieve, and display love and solidarity forced scientists to reconsider their anthropocentric approaches. The concept of “personhood” was first used in reference to non-human organisms. By giving them names rather than numbers, Goodall insisted on demonstrating the individuality of each. This approach marked the beginning of an ethical transformation in our view of animals.

When Goodall observed chimpanzees removing insects by placing grass in termite nests, the notion that “using tools is uniquely human” was dispelled. Sharing food, kissing, hugging, and even fighting demonstrated that they, like humans, can be both compassionate and ruthless. Therefore, she said:

“Chimpanzees, like us, have a dark side. But we have fewer excuses because we can act with planning, so I believe we are the only species capable of truly calculated evil.”

But her legacy was not limited to scientific discoveries. The Jane Goodall Institute, which she founded in 1977, addressed conservation efforts not only in a biological but also in a social context. By collaborating with indigenous peoples in Africa, she demonstrated that it was possible to combine ecosystem protection with sustainable development. Founded in 1991, Her Roots & Shoots program has become a global movement that empowers young people. This program, which operates in more than 75 countries today, empowers young people to take concrete steps for the environment, animals, and society.

Goodall has also been a powerful voice for animal rights. The Tchimpounga Rehabilitation Center, which she established in Congo for chimpanzees orphaned by the bushmeat trade, has provided a safe haven for hundreds of them. She also initiated the TACARE project in Tanzania, leading reforestation efforts in surrounding villages to protect chimpanzee habitats. She also provided education and scholarship support for women, striking a balance between nature conservation and human well-being.

When she was elected a UN Messenger of Peace, she took on a responsibility beyond her scientific legacy: to spread hope around the world. Through travel, conferences, books, and documentaries, she dedicated her entire life to this mission. Traveling for over three hundred days a year, she reached millions. Often from a podium, sometimes in a schoolyard, she expressed the same simple truth: Every action, however small, makes a difference.

Her Farewell and Legacy

When she passed away of natural causes at the age of 91, she left behind not only a legacy of science, but also hope, compassion, and responsibility. Following her passing, the words spoken about Jane Goodall around the world were always the same: With her passing, it was as if her wisdom, the undying hope in her eyes, and her boundless love for nature were also taken from us. Yet, I know that Jane’s voice still resonates; it lives on in protected forests, in liberated chimpanzees, and in millions of young people inspired to act. Today, every small project of Roots & Shoots is a new step in the journey she began years ago in Gombe. The profound inspiration I felt during my own encounter now rekindles in the eyes of thousands of children and young people. And the same advice still resonates in our ears: “Whatever you do, even if it’s small, makes a difference. Because every action has a consequence.”

Dear Jane, you will live on in our memory as a wise man of the age, the voice of nature, and an embodiment of hope and compassion. You will be an inspiration to those who know you, and a legend to those who never met you. And today’s youth and future generations will walk in your shadow with a little more hope and courage.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my dear friend Aslıhan Niksarlı, who took Jane Goodall as a role model, walked her path with firm steps, and introduced her to me personally; and Özge Doğan, our former intern who helped me write this article and who is now supporting us part-time while she completes her senior year of university.

As Aslıhan puts it, spending time with Jane, who was beyond being a role model and had a playful and energetic personality, was a great pleasure. While working at Roots and Shoots, they were driven by the awareness of making a difference in the world and had fun doing it.

I was proud to stand with Aslıhan and all our nature-loving friends from the very beginning when Roots and Shoots was established in Turkey.

As Jane Goodall showed us, the world is in safe hands with intelligent, cultured, and conscientious women.

REFERENCES:

Jane Goodall. Roots & Shoots Turkey, https://rootsandshootsturkey.org/jane-goodall/?lang=en.
Süzer, Serhan. Nature Lovers’ Role Model Jane Goodall was in Istanbul. Serhan Süzer Blog, May 28, 2014,
https://serhansuzer.com/tr/dogaseverlerin-rol-modeli-jane-goodall-istanbuldaydi/.

Jane Goodall Institute. Jane Goodall Institute, https://janegoodall.org.
Jane Goodall on How to Save the World. YouTube, uploaded by National Geographic, March 23. 2017,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE2kolySDXk&t=68s

2021: TIME Cover, “Jane Goodall’s Enduring Hope” Written by Ciara Nugent. Photograph: Nadav Kander

National Geographic commissioned photographer Hugo Van Lawick to document Jane Goodall’s discoveries about chimpanzees. In 1962, he captured poses like this one. He later proposed to her, and they were married two years later (Hugo van Lawick/Nat Geo)

Dr. Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots program is JGI’s global youth-led community action program, built on the participation of thousands of young people inspired to make the world a better place. Roots & Shoots builds on Dr. Jane Goodall’s legacy and vision, putting the power and resources into creating solutions to challenges in the hands of young people.

This chimpanzee trusted Jane Goodall so much that he allowed her to groom him. (Photo: Hugo van Lawick, NG)

The camp at Lake Tanganyika in Tanzania, where Jane Goodall began her study of wild chimpanzees.

Bonus: For those who don’t know Jane Goodall and would like to know more, I’ve compiled some of her social media posts, which I’m sharing below. When you have time, watch each one individually. You’ll understand how valuable a person she was. Because these videos and their messages serve as Jane Goodall’s legacy and a guide for future generations: