Dr. Jane Goodall encourages conservation in speech at Phoenix Zoo

PHOENIX — Dr. Jane Goodall, known for her decades of work with chimpanzees, visited the Phoenix Zoo on Tuesday to advocate for conservation efforts.

The animal behavior expert’s Jane Goodall Institute funds the work of Hilda Tresz, the zoo’s behavioral enrichment and international animal welfare coordinator, who travels the world to improve conditions for chimpanzees in zoos.

Goodall spoke to members of the Arizona Center for Nature Conservation about her pioneering work as a woman in a field that was dominated by men.

“When I was 10, I decided I would go to Africa, live with animals and write books about them,” she told reporters at the event.

Dr. Goodall was kind enought to take some extra questions from reporters after. Stick with @KTAR923 to hear her advice for young women and young people working towards conservation efforts pic.twitter.com/ShWzu5Uj5O

— Taylor Kinnerup (@KinnerupTaylor) March 26, 2019

“Women didn’t do that sort of thing back then. Everybody laughed at me — how will you get there … you don’t have any money, and you’re a girl.”

But Goodall said she drew inspiration from her mother, who believed in her dream and encouraged her to take advantage of every opportunity she could.

Goodall moved from England to Tanzania in 1960 when she was 26, where she made important discoveries about chimpanzees, including that they make and use tools.

At the zoo, she spoke about the importance of taking care of the Earth for generations to come.

“Maybe you can find a teacher, maybe it’s a parent, maybe it’s a child, and just start finding somebody who’s passionate, and from that little seed, it can grow,” she told KTAR News 92.3 FM at the event.

“And kids are changing their mothers, teachers are changing the children, kids are teaching their grandparents to change their ways, so from these little seeds, it can ripple out and reach quite far. And the main thing is, if it doesn’t seem to be working, don’t give up.”

Goodall also took some time to record a video for the zoo’s orangutan Bess, who celebrated her 40th birthday last weekend.

“I’m sure you’re going to get terribly spoiled with all kinds of treats, like we are for our birthday,” she said.

“You’ll probably put on weight, but you deserve it. Forty years is a jolly good age.”

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Taylor Kinnerup contributed to this report.