World famous primatologist, ethologist, anthropologist and UN Messenger of Peace Jane Goodall was at The Discovery Centre yesterday morning.
The 77-year-old from London, England, carrying her stuffed monkey Mr. H, spoke to students from several different schools about memories, life experiences and her most recent organization called Roots and Shoots.
Metro had a chance to speak with Goodall following her presentation.
Why is Mr. H so special to you? He goes with you everywhere?
Mr. H was given to me 16 years ago by a man who lost his eyesight. He thought he was giving me a stuffed chimpanzee, and I said, “Gary, you have no excuse. I know you can’t see it’s the wrong colour.” But I made him hold the tail, and he said, ‘Never mind, take him with you where you go and you know my spirit’s with you.’ So, he’s been to 59 countries with me now. H stands for Haun, Gary Haun. Fortunately, it also stands for hope.”
What is one of your favourite memories with a primate?
I think a very, very special moment was when old Flo who after all grew up being afraid of me, she’s a wild chimpanzee, and yet she had so much trust in the end that she let her precious little five-month-old infant walk up. She kept her hand around him, but she let him walk over to me and reach out and touch my nose. It was a very special moment.
What do you hope to see happen in the future in regards to primates?
The urgent thing now is to protect the habitat so that the primates can live in their habitats and be studied. So in many cases the actual research project can help in conservation because it focuses attention and it’s easier to stop poaching if there’s some kind of presence there.
Is there a moment that helped you decide what you wanted to accomplish?
The major one is going to this conference in 1986 at which I realized for the first time the extent of the destruction of the habitat and the decrease in numbers of the chimpanzees across Africa.
Is there any message you want to send youth that was not at your presentation today?
Youth are the ones who have to grow up and cope with the mess that we’ve left them. So, it’s very important to encourage them as much as we can so that they don’t get overwhelmed with hopelessness which is what I’ve found was happening all around the world.
Do you have any advice for people aspiring to be like you?
It would be exactly what my mother said to me. If you really want something and you work hard and you take advantage of opportunity and you never give up. But it’s hard, especially in the economically difficult times.
