Renowned primatologist Jane Goodall shares a tender moment with a young chimpanzee on December 20, 2004.
Bela Szandelszky/AP
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Bela Szandelszky/AP
In front of Chicago’s Field Museum stands a bronze statue by artist Marla Friedman that immortalizes a profound moment of connection.
Titled “The Red Palm Nut,” the sculpture depicts a barefoot young woman seated on the earth, extending her hand toward a chimpanzee sitting just a few feet away. The chimpanzee gently clasps her fingers, a subtle yet meaningful gesture, while a vivid red palm nut rests between them on the ground.
This figure represents Jane Goodall, the legendary primatologist and conservation advocate, captured at the instant she gained the trust of a wild chimpanzee. Reflecting on the encounter, she recalled, “He reached out, took the palm nut, then softly squeezed my fingers-a reassuring gesture among chimpanzees. In that silent exchange, we communicated beyond words, through the language of gestures.”
Jane Goodall affectionately named the chimpanzee David Greybeard. As a young woman in her twenties, originally a secretary from Bournemouth, England, she had saved money from waitressing to embark on a journey to Africa. There, she persuaded the renowned anthropologist Louis Leakey to let her assist him in his research.
Despite lacking formal academic credentials, Goodall convinced Leakey that she was the ideal candidate to live among and observe a troop of chimpanzees discovered near Lake Tanganyika.
On a rainy morning, November 4, 1960, she witnessed David Greybeard and other chimpanzees stripping leaves from twigs and using them as tools to extract termites from mounds-much like a person might use a spoon to scoop peanut butter.
This groundbreaking observation revealed that chimpanzees fashioned and utilized tools, challenging long-held beliefs about human uniqueness. When Goodall shared her findings with Leakey, he famously responded, “We must now redefine man, redefine tools, or accept chimpanzees as humans.”
Throughout her life, which concluded this week at age 91, Jane Goodall received global recognition for her pioneering research and tireless efforts in animal welfare and forest preservation.
It’s important to remember that David Greybeard passed away in 1968. Yet, the friendship forged between Jane Goodall and this wild chimpanzee marked a turning point in how humanity perceives its relationship with the natural world.
