My Life with the Chimpanzees

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Middle Grade | Published in 1988

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-3

Chapters 4-5

Chapters 6-8

Chapters 9-11

Key Figures

Themes

Index of Terms

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

Beta

Discussion Questions

Index of Terms

Gombe Stream National Park

Gombe Stream National Park, located in Tanzania, is the site of Jane Goodall’s pioneering research on chimpanzees. Beginning in 1960, Goodall’s long-term study provided groundbreaking insights into chimpanzee behavior, including tool use, social structures, and dietary habits, challenging many previously held beliefs about primates. The park, though small, is rich in biodiversity and became a national park in 1968, largely due to Goodall’s work.

Roots & Shoots

Roots & Shoots, a global youth program initiated by Jane Goodall in 1991, aims to empower young people to identify and proactively solve environmental problems. The program began with 12 students in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, who were eager to discuss issues they had witnessed in their community. Impressed by their compassion, Goodall founded Roots & Shoots, which emphasizes the power of collective small actions. The program’s metaphorical name highlights its dual focus: building a strong foundation (“roots”) and nurturing growth and resilience (“shoots”). The twin chimpanzees, Rootsi and Shootsi, were named after the program to symbolize these foundational principles. By 1993, Roots & Shoots had expanded internationally. Today, it operates in over 60 countries, promoting the intrinsic value of all living beings and the importance of individual contributions to global change.

TACARE

TACARE, the Lake Tanganyika Catchment Reforestation and Education project, aims to restore the balance of nature by reforesting denuded hills, preventing further environmental degradation, and ensuring sustainable livelihoods for local communities. Through TACARE, Jane Goodall addresses environmental issues while emphasizing the importance of sustainable practices to local people. The project is a model for how conservation efforts can simultaneously improve ecological health and human well-being. By fostering harmony between people and nature, TACARE reflects Goodall’s holistic approach to conservation, recognizing the interdependence of all life forms and the necessity of preserving the natural world for future generations.

Tchimpuonga Sanctuary

The Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Center, founded in 1992 in the Republic of Congo, is one of Africa’s largest chimpanzee sanctuaries, providing care to over 200 chimpanzees. The sanctuary was created following Jane Goodall’s advocacy efforts; she worked with the government to enforce laws against hunting and selling chimps, leading to the rescue of many chimpanzees. This included an infant who was nursed back to health by Graziella Cotman, a Belgian woman Goodall met in Congo. At the time of Goodall’s writing, Cotman cared for 48 orphaned chimps at what became known as Tchimpounga Sanctuary. With support from the petroleum company Conoco, Tchimpounga was able to expand to include a main site and three forested island sites within the Nature Reserve. Here, chimpanzees who are orphaned, malnourished, or injured by the illegal wildlife trade and deforestation receive expert care and rehabilitation.