In this second of a three-part series, Jane transitions from researcher into activist to bring heightened awareness to the plight of wild chimpanzees in Africa
The Problem at Hand
After attending the 1986 symposium where she first realized how desperate the plight of wild chimpanzees in Africa had become, Jane Goodall has dedicated herself wholeheartedly to educating the general public and bringing light to this crisis. It is estimated that about 250,000 chimpanzees live in the wild. Of these, the main concentrations remain in countries with the the largest undisturbed tracts of forest such as Zaire, Gabon, and Cameroon. Further research is still necessary to determine exact population numbers and locations. But, one thing's for sure, as human populations have historically grown, higher rates of deforestation and competition for resources have caused a severe drop in chimpanzee populations.
Dwindling Numbers
This decline in chimpanzee populations has been devestating. By the 1970's, wild chimpanzees were extinct in four of the twenty-five countries where they once roamed. According to Jane in her book Through a Window, "in five others, the population is so small that the species cannot long survive. In seven countries, populations are less than five thousand." Sadly, in the four countries where the highest concentrations do remain, human encroachment is taking its toll. Beyond competition for resources and human population increases, chimpanzees have also been hunted for meat in the illegal bushmeat trade or become the victims of human diseases to which they are highly susceptible.
Cruel Trade
For the past several decades, the sale of live chimpanzees has created a source of easy cash in poor African nations. These captured animals are sold as pets, exploited in the entertainment industry, and acquired for medical research. In his book Walking with the Great Apes, Sy Montgomery explains that "the export market began with the entertainment industry and escalated with the increasing investment in biomedical research, beginning in the 1950s." Sadly, since adult chimpanzees can display vast amounts of physical strength, capturing infants is far easier and more lucrative. In some cases, females are snared, hunted by packs of dogs, shot, or poisoned in order to snatch their vulnerable infants. Oftentimes, the mothers and infants are both severely wounded during these violent seizures only to die several days later. "The whole sickening business of capturing infant chimpanzees, for any reason whatsoever," writes Jane in Through a Window, "is not only cruel but also horribly wasteful.
Steps Toward a Solution
In 1986, Jane united with several other prominent researchers and conservationists to create the Committee for the Conservation and Care of Chimpanzees. Through exhaustive research and documentation, they quickly achieved their first goal when chimpanzees were added to the endangered species list. This listing provided more international protection for the species. The committee also garnered huge public support due to Jane's celebrity. Jane capitalized on her fame by calling press conferences and making TV appearances on Good Morning America, National Geographic Explorer, Nightline and even Donohue to bring focus to the issue. Bringing the plight of wild chimpanzees to the forefront of American culture gave Jane and her colleagues renewed hope and inspiration. Want to read more about Jane? Then, check out Jane Goodall's Roots in Gombe and Jane Goodall's Reason for Hope.
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