Research & Technology

Highlights of Major Research Learnings From 2019

April 01, 2026 — Gombe’s transformative research is as dynamic and insightful as ever. In 2019, six decades after it first began, daily routine observations of chimpanzees, known as the B-Record, continued alongside studies of chimpanzee mothers and infants, adolescent females, and vocalizations as well as research including health, other species and more. Through a Window: Chimpanzees and OurselvesIn 2019, the JGI team conducted 716 daily chimpanzee focal follows; 74% of these follows were more than 8 hours (81% at Mitumba, […]

Head Above the Rest: Gabo, Leader of Gombe’s Chimpanzee Research Team

April 01, 2026 — It’s hard to miss Gabo Paul Zilikana. Nearly a foot taller than most of his fellow field assistants in Gombe, Gabo is a gentle giant and master storyteller who is beloved by everyone. Known for his calm demeanor, cool confidence, and welcoming company, Gabo makes everyone feel at home, even as he breezily hacks through […]

GOODALI: Gombe’s Brand New Baby Boy!

April 01, 2026 — Isn’t it wonderful when all the stars align? On days like this, from the moment you wake up, the day just keeps getting better and better. It is a dream in itself to sleep on the shores of Lake Tanganyika in Western Tanzania. At dawn, a chorus of birds blends with the soft sound of […]

12 Days of Gombe

April 01, 2026 — You might be familiar with Gombe as the famed location of Dr. Jane Goodall’s earliest discoveries on chimpanzee behavior and the 60 years of ongoing research through the Jane Goodall Institute – but did you know that it is home to a wonderful variety of other species as well? This Holiday Season, we’re celebrating 12 […]

Chimpanzees, Culture and Spirituality

April 01, 2026 — “Chalchiuhtlicue” meaning, “she of the jade skirt,” was the name given to a water deity by the ancient Aztecs in the 15th century. The goddess symbolized “the purity and preciousness of spring, river, and lake water that was used to irrigate the fields” (The Met Museum). Human beings have been worshiping nature for centuries – […]

How Jane Changed Science Forever

April 01, 2026 — In 1960, Jane Goodall transformed our understanding of what differentiates humans from the rest of the animal kingdom through the observation that chimpanzees make and use tools. This groundbreaking moment has been referenced time and time again, but what can we learn from Jane’s earliest findings and writings on the subject, and what we continue […]

A New Era of Discovery in Gombe Thanks to Disney Family Trust

April 01, 2026 — On Thursday, October 10, The Walt Disney Family Museum hosted a celebration to honor the achievements of Dr. Jane Goodall at the museum’s historic location in the Presidio of San Francisco. The evening was made even more special with an announcement made by Kirsten Komoroske, Executive Director of The Walt Disney Family Museum for a […]

Leakey and Goodall: Scientists Who Changed How We Define ‘Human’

April 01, 2026 — Dr. Jane Goodall’s journey to Gombe nearly 60 years ago to study wild chimpanzees may seem like a simple story, but it was the result of a lot of hard work and dedication. Many details of the path Jane took to get to Gombe are often eclipsed by her groundbreaking discoveries and subsequent activism, but they […]

Now we must redefine man, or accept chimpanzees as…humans?

April 01, 2026 — When Jane Goodall first witnessed Gombe chimpanzee David Greybeard fishing for termites by manipulating blades of grass in 1960, the line between humans and other animals suddenly became blurry. Tool use was no longer uniquely human, leading Dr. Louis Leakey, Jane’s mentor, to famously say, “Now we must redefine tool, redefine man, or accept chimpanzees as human.” We know that chimpanzees are […]

Dr. Elizabeth Lonsdorf Is Taking Chimpanzee Research to the Next Level

April 01, 2026 — Dr. Jane Goodall started research at Gombe Stream National Park in 1960, and the discoveries made by Jane and researchers who followed have redefined our understanding of and relationship to chimpanzees as our closest living relatives. The legacy she left at Gombe continues today through JGI and other institutions thanks to the efforts of scientists […]

Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE (1934-2025)

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Highlights of Major Research Learnings From 2019

Head Above the Rest: Gabo, Leader of Gombe’s Chimpanzee Research Team

GOODALI: Gombe’s Brand New Baby Boy!

12 Days of Gombe

Chimpanzees, Culture and Spirituality

How Jane Changed Science Forever

A New Era of Discovery in Gombe Thanks to Disney Family Trust

Leakey and Goodall: Scientists Who Changed How We Define ‘Human’

Now we must redefine man, or accept chimpanzees as…humans?

Dr. Elizabeth Lonsdorf Is Taking Chimpanzee Research to the Next Level