My Life with the Chimpanzees

Goodall recounts the birth of her son, Hugo Eric Louis, whom she affectionately nicknamed “Grub.” Goodall and her husband were camping in the Ngorongoro Crater just as Grub was born, a vast, wildlife-rich area that’s famous for its lions. She recounts how the local Africans wanted to name her son Simba, which is Swahili for lion, because one evening, their campsite was disrupted by a lion.

Following Grub’s birth, the family continued their research and studied hyenas in the Ngorongoro Crater. Goodall describes the fascinating and complex social behaviors of hyenas, who hunted zebras and wildebeests. She noted their similarities to and differences from chimpanzees. The hyenas’ hunting practices, social interactions, and maternal care all resemble chimps’ except for one major difference: The females are dominant within hyena clans.

As Grub grew, Goodall and Hugo took precautions to protect him from potential dangers, including the risk posed by chimpanzees, who had taken and eaten a few African babies in the region. Goodall was vigilant about Grub’s safety, always keeping him under close supervision. When he was seven, Goodall and Hugo got divorced. Although she and Hugo remained good friends, the divorce was a difficult period, especially for Grub. Both Goodall and Hugo eventually remarried; Goodall married Derek Bryceson, the Director of Tanzania National Parks and a former World War II pilot who was partially paralyzed after his plane was shot down in the Middle East.

Bryceson was resilient and resourceful, often flying in a small four-seater plane named Mike Whisky. Sometimes, Grub and Goodall would fly with him to visit some of Tanzania’s national parks. During one flight to a park called Ruaha, smoke began to spout from the plane, and they needed to land urgently. As they approached the airstrip, a herd of zebras forced them to pull up and circle around. The pilot, unnerved, attempted a risky landing among the trees instead of returning to the airstrip. The plane crashed, hitting trees and bushes, and the plane was likely to catch on fire. Despite the danger, they managed to pull themselves out of the wreckage. However, they were stuck behind a river. They decided to cross the river on foot despite the presence of large crocodiles. Goodall expresses faith in God; having survived the crash, she believed God would also protect them from the crocodiles. They crossed the river safely.

Goodall cherished her trips to Tanzania’s parks but spent most of her time at Gombe with the chimps and students. In 1975, African rebels from Zaire crossed Lake Tanganyika and kidnapped four students at Gombe. Goodall recalls this as a terrifying time. Goodall and the remaining staff relocated to Dar es Salaam, where Goodall and Bryceson hosted displaced students, anxiously awaiting news. Bryceson’s connections helped sustain the research center, and they relied on the Tanzanian staff members to observe the chimps. After weeks of negotiations, a substantial ransom secured the students’ release. The following year, Grub moved to England to live with his grandmother and attend school.

Goodall connected deeply with individual chimpanzees at Gombe, each of whom had a distinct personality. She liked some more than others. Flo was one of her favorites because she taught Goodall a great deal about chimpanzee behavior.

Flo’s son, Flint, was born in 1964 when Flo was the top-ranking female. Flint was protected by Flo, his sister Fifi, and his brothers, Figan and Fagen, leading to his self-assured demeanor. By the age of four, Flint exhibited spoiled behavior, throwing tantrums and even hitting his mother when she tried to wean him. Unlike most young chimpanzees, who start making their own nests when new siblings are born, Flint continued to push in with Flo despite the birth of his new sister, Flame. His jealousy became evident as he struggled for Flo’s attention.

Flame disappeared at six months old, and Flo fell seriously ill. Goodall and her team found Flo too weak to climb, and despite their efforts, they never discovered what happened to Flame. To their relief, Flo eventually recovered, allowing Flint to regain his mother’s undivided attention. Even at eight years old, Flint remained unusually dependent on Flo. Other young male chimpanzees typically start spending more time away from their mothers.

In 1972, Flo died while crossing the Kakombe Stream. Her death deeply affected Flint, who became severely depressed and stopped eating. Fifi tried to support him, but she had an infant of her own, Freud, to care for. Despite Goodall’s efforts to help him, Flint died three weeks later, unable to cope without his mother.

Goodall observed Fifi’s journey as a mother, noting her affectionate and protective nature; some of her behavior was instinctive, and other parts were learned by watching her mother care for her siblings. Fifi’s son Frodo, born when Freud, was five years old, was fascinated by his older brother and often imitated him. When Fifi gave birth to her daughter, Fanni, Frodo showed the same interest and care. Fanni was tough, and when she was four, Fifi had another daughter, Flossi. Despite being a fully adult male, Freud continued to spend time with his family and often interacted gently with his little siblings.

Goodall describes how when she was at Gombe, she often followed Fifi and her family, though tracking the chimpanzees through the thick underbrush was challenging. Goodall describes how the Tanzanian staff at Gombe were excellent at following the chimps, particularly Hilali Matama, who loved following the male chimpanzees. His favorite was Figan, Fifi’s elder brother. Eventually, Figan became the alpha male after defeating a rival chimp. He maintained this position for 10 years until his death. In 1994, Fifi’s eldest son, Freud, became the alpha male, continuing Flo’s family legacy 20 years after her death.