Remembering Dr Jane Goodall: A Beacon of Conservation and the Enduring Legacy in Tanzanian Tourism
It is with profound sadness that the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) announces the passing of Dr Jane Goodall, the Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI), United Nations Messenger of Peace, and world-renowned ethologist, conservationist, and humanitarian. Dr. Goodall, who touched the lives of millions through her groundbreaking work and unwavering commitment to our planet, died peacefully at the age of 91 of natural causes. Her departure leaves an irreplaceable void, not only in the global conservation community but especially in Tanzania, where her life’s work began and flourished.
As TATO, we extend our deepest condolences to her son Hugo Eric Louis van Lawick, her grandchildren Merlin, Angel, and Nick, her sister Judy Waters, and the extended family and global network she inspired. Dr Jane Goodall’s legacy, rooted in the forests of Gombe Stream National Park, will forever illuminate the path for sustainable tourism and environmental stewardship in our beloved nation.
Early Life and Passion for Nature
Born Valerie Jane Morris-Goodall on April 3, 1934, in London, Dr Jane Goodall’s journey was one of unyielding curiosity and compassion. As the eldest daughter of businessman and racing car driver Mortimer Herbert Morris-Goodall and writer Margaret Myfanwe Joseph, she displayed an early fascination with the natural world. From childhood, Jane devoured books on animals, dreaming of venturing to Africa to observe wildlife firsthand. Saving money from waitressing jobs, she embarked on a sea voyage to Kenya in 1957, where fate intervened.
Advised to meet the esteemed paleontologist Dr. Louis Leakey, she secured a position as his secretary at the National Museum in Nairobi. This serendipitous connection led to fieldwork at Olduvai Gorge alongside Louis and Mary Leakey, unearthing fossils and honing her observational skills.
Groundbreaking Research and Global Impact
In 1960, at just 26 years old, Dr Jane Goodall arrived in Tanzania’s Gombe Stream Reserve, then a remote forest along the shores of Lake Tanganyika, with little more than a notebook and binoculars. Tasked by Leakey to study wild chimpanzees, she immersed herself in their world, displaying extraordinary patience that would redefine primatology. Her breakthrough came in 1960 when she observed chimpanzees fashioning and using tools to extract termites from mounds, a discovery that shattered the scientific dogma that tool use was uniquely human.
This observation, famously challenging the era’s “man the tool-maker” paradigm, propelled her to international acclaim and earned her a PhD in Ethology from Cambridge University’s Newnham College in 1965, despite lacking an undergraduate degree. Her thesis, The Behaviour of Free-living Chimpanzees in the Gombe Stream Reserve, laid the foundation for a 65-year study that continues today under the auspices of the Jane Goodall Institute.
Personal Life and Connection to Tanzania
Dr Jane Goodall’s personal life intertwined deeply with her professional odyssey. She married twice: first to wildlife photographer Hugo van Lawick in 1964, with whom she had son Grub (Hugo Eric Louis); their union ended in 1974. Her second marriage was to Derek Bryceson, a Tanzanian parliamentarian and former director of Tanzania National Parks, who passed in 1980. These relationships anchored her in Tanzania, a land she came to cherish as her spiritual home.
Global Recognition and Accolades
Over decades, she authored more than 27 books, including the poignant In the Shadow of Man (1963) and her latest, The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times (2020), translated into over 20 languages. Documentaries, IMAX films, and the 2019 National Geographic exhibit Becoming Jane further amplified her voice.
Her accolades are legion: the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom (2017), France’s Légion d’honneur, Japan’s Kyoto Prize, Tanzania’s Medal of Tanzania, and the Gandhi-King Award for Nonviolence, among others. In 2002, she was appointed a UN Messenger of Peace, a role she fulfilled with tireless advocacy for human rights, animal welfare, and environmental protection.
Contribution to Tanzanian Tourism
Yet, Dr Jane Goodall’s impact transcended academia and awards; it reshaped the human-nature relationship, particularly in tourism. Her work in Gombe sparked a global fascination with Tanzania’s pristine ecosystems, transforming a little-known chimpanzee habitat into a premier eco-tourism destination.
Gombe Stream National Park, now a UNESCO-recognized site, draws researchers, adventurers, and conservation enthusiasts eager to tread the paths where Goodall once sat for hours, binoculars in hand. This niche attraction, focused on chimpanzee trekking, biodiversity, and immersive wildlife experiences, has bolstered Tanzania’s reputation as the world’s best nature-based tourist destination, aligning seamlessly with TATO’s mission.
TATO’s Role in Advancing Her Legacy
Established in 1983, TATO has been the vanguard of Tanzania’s tourism evolution, witnessing visitor numbers surge from 54,000 in our founding year to 1.5 million by 2022, with foreign exchange earnings ballooning from $12.81 million to $2.5 billion.
Dr. Goodall’s contributions to Tanzanian tourism were profoundly indirect yet transformative. By humanizing chimpanzees, revealing their personalities, intellects, and emotions, she ignited a worldwide curiosity that funneled eco-tourists to Gombe and beyond. Visitors, inspired by her narratives, flock to Kigoma region for guided treks, homestays, and cultural immersions, generating sustainable revenue for local communities.
The Jane Goodall Institute and Roots & Shoots
Central to her legacy is the Jane Goodall Institute, founded in 1977 to sustain Gombe research, now boasting 25 global offices. JGI’s community-centered programs, like TACARE (Take Care), empower Gombe and Kigoma residents through sustainable agriculture, microfinance, and health initiatives, reducing reliance on forest resources and curbing poaching.
These efforts dovetail with eco-tourism, as tourists engage in village visits, tree-planting drives, and cultural exchanges, enriching their journeys while supporting livelihoods. In 1991, Dr. Goodall launched Roots & Shoots in Dar es Salaam with 12 students, evolving it into a youth-led movement in over 75 countries.
Dr Jane Goodall’s Partnership with TATO and Conservation Programs
TATO’s bond with Dr Jane Goodall crystallized in a landmark partnership announced on August 21, 2023, during our 40th anniversary celebrations in Arusha. Graced by Dr. Goodall herself, the event saw TATO Chairman Mr. Wilbard Chambulo pledge collaboration with JGI’s Roots & Shoots to instill conservation values in youth nationwide. “As the first beneficiaries of the conservation efforts, we are going to work with JGI’s Roots and Shoots project to instill youth with conservation values across the country, as TATO turns 40 this year,” Chambulo declared to applause from over 300 members. TATO CEO At That time highlighted our role: With members commanding 80% of Tanzania’s tourism market, contributing 17% to GDP, we facilitate knowledge sharing, best practices, and networking. This alliance, the maiden of 40 anniversary endeavors, underscores our commitment to “pay back to the community and nature.”
Conservation Programs and De-Snaring Efforts
Under Chambulo’s stewardship, TATO has supported 17 startups in formalizing tourism ventures, creating jobs and taxpayers while promoting responsibility. We pioneered the Serengeti De-Snaring Programme with the Frankfurt Zoological Society and Tanzania National Parks, removing thousands of snares and freeing hundreds of animals—efforts that safeguard the wildlife underpinning our safaris.
Dr. Goodall, moved by this, urged: “It was worth coming here.” She implored operators to educate tourists on conservation’s imperatives, respect wildlife, and uplift rural communities dependent on natural resources.
Upholding TATO’s Four Pillars
This partnership embodies TATO’s four pillars: Advocacy & Lobbying on behalf of members to influence policies, as seen in our joint youth initiatives; Research & Marketing to position Tanzania as a premier global safari destination, amplified by Goodall’s Gombe narrative; Consultancy & Training to elevate standards, mirroring Roots & Shoots’ educational ethos through TATO workshops; and Information Sharing to keep members abreast of sectoral shifts, including conservation updates from JGI collaborations.
Dr. Goodall’s Legacy and Final Reflections
Dr Jane Goodall’s ethos, that “every single one of us makes a difference every day”, resonates in TATO’s daily operations. Her 2017 Jane Goodall Legacy Foundation ensures continuity for JGI programs, including sanctuaries like Chimp Eden in South Africa and Tchimpounga in Congo. In Tanzania, ongoing Gombe research and TACARE sustain her vision, drawing eco-tourists who, through TATO members, experience ethical wildlife encounters. Post-pandemic, Tanzania’s tourism rebounded, with Gombe visits up 25% in 2024, per Ministry of Natural Resources data, testament to her enduring draw.
As we mourn, TATO recommits to her spirit. Our members, from Arusha-based safari outfits to coastal operators, integrate her principles: low-impact treks in Gombe, youth mentorship via Roots & Shoots chapters, and advocacy for protected areas. Imagine a future where every tour operator echoes her patience, observing, not exploiting; connecting, not consuming. Dr Jane Goodall taught us chimpanzees share our emotions; now, we honor her by sharing her hope with the world.
In her memory, TATO invites operators, youth, and travelers to join Roots & Shoots events nationwide. Dr Jane Goodall: observer, advocate, eternal guardian. Rest in peace.
