Few figures have reshaped humanity's understanding of the natural world as profoundly as Jane Goodall (1934–2025). Her legacy is not only scientific but deeply human—an enduring call to rethink our relationship with the planet and its closest relatives to us: the great apes.
When Goodall began her groundbreaking fieldwork in Tanzania in 1960, chimpanzees were still largely misunderstood. Her patient, immersive approach—living among them, naming individuals and observing their daily lives—revealed a startling truth: chimpanzees use tools, form complex social bonds and display emotions once thought uniquely human.
These discoveries didn't just revolutionise primatology; they blurred the line between humans and animals in ways that still influence conservation ethics today. Yet Goodall's most significant contribution may be what came next. By the late 1970s, she shifted from research to advocacy, founding the Jane Goodall Institute to protect chimpanzees and their habitats.
Goodall's influence here is less about field research and more about building systems of care and awareness.
From research to regional impact
While chimpanzees are not native to South Africa, the region has become a critical hub for rehabilitation and advocacy. Across Africa, chimpanzees face mounting threats: habitat destruction, the bushmeat trade, illegal pet trafficking and exploitation in entertainment industries. Many orphaned chimps are left traumatised, having witnessed the killing of their families.
Chimp Eden: a sanctuary of second chances
Tucked into the lush hills of Mpumalanga, Chimp Eden—officially the Jane Goodall Institute South Africa Chimpanzee Sanctuary—stands as one of the most powerful expressions of Goodall's legacy in the region. Established in 2006 within the Umhloti Nature Reserve near Mbombela, it is South Africa's first and only chimpanzee sanctuary. Today it is home to more than 30 rescued chimpanzees, each with a story of survival.
Experience The African Continent
Taj is opening three bush lodges in the Greater Kruger this year, before expanding to the Maasai Mara, the Serengeti, Botswana and Zambia.
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Chimp Eden also reflects a broader shift in southern African tourism: from passive wildlife viewing to meaningful engagement. Visitor fees contribute to the care of the chimpanzees, while the sanctuary's presence raises awareness about illegal wildlife trade and habitat loss.
Jane Goodall's legacy is often measured in scientific breakthroughs, but its true power lies in its continuity. Through institutions like Chimp Eden, her work lives on: not as history but as an active, evolving effort to protect one of our closest relatives. And perhaps that is Goodall's greatest contribution of all: a quiet but enduring reminder that empathy, when paired with action, can change the world.
Chimpanzee sanctuaries & Mpumalanga, 9 days
Small-group itineraries visiting the reserves and sanctuaries in this feature. Booked and operated by the tour partner.
