Trump vs Jane Goodall

With reference to the latest Trump attack on climate change and the environment, I recently received this poignant email from Captain Paul Watson:


Dr. Jane Goodall – A Sad Loss for a Legendary Hero of our Planet

Billions of miles away, far beyond the orbits of Neptune and Pluto there is a gold record on the Voyager spacecraft.

On that record is a portrait of this incredible woman, a primatologist, an ecologist, an environmentalist and a tireless champion for life and diversity on planet Earth.

That portrait of this amazing iconic woman with her message of peace between all species will outlast our planet and our sun.

Over the years, It has been my privilege to know her, to communicate with her, to follow her work, to support her and the Jane Goodall Foundation.

Every day I would see her in the field, traveling to conferences, speaking to young people, always on the move, motivating and inspiring each new generation of young people.

Never afraid to speak her mind and always on the front lines in defense of animals and nature, a lifelong vegetarian and a truly wonderful and admirable human being.

Last year when I was in prison in Greenland, Jane sent an email of support followed by a letter to which I answered and then a reply after my release. I am posting her letter below.

Her support meant so much to me. When a Greenlandic prison guard handed me her first letter he asked if this was the real Jane Goodall, the woman who lives with chimpanzees?

Her work was recognized globally from Greenland to Japan from the Cape of Good Hope to Cape Horn and her lifelong study of chimpanzee communities taught us a great deal about ourselves.

Jane and I shared our deep concern that our planet is facing a terrible crisis. As she said in 2024, “We're in the midst of the sixth great extinction... the more we can do to restore nature and protect existing forests, the better."

We also shared an optimism for the future when she said she was motivated by her belief that "Surely people want a future for their children."

Jane passed away yesterday while on tour in California. She never retired and she seemingly never tired. Her voice reached so many millions of people, and I know that the chimp community are intuitively aware and are mourning the loss of her as we do.

In 1957, Dr. Louis Leakey sent three women into the world. He was not looking for women with impeccable scientific credentials. He was looking for passion, for courage and imagination, the three virtues I have always said are what is needed to change the world.

Diane Fossey went to Rwanda to work with Mountain Gorillas, Birute Galdikas went to Borneo to work with Orangutans and Jane went to Gombe in Tanzania to work with chimps. These three women pioneered a new way of researching the behavior of primates and in doing so unveiled new and meaningful insights into the nature of humanity. Diane was tragically murdered in Rwanda in1985 at the age of 54. Now with Jane’s passing only Birute remains and continuing her work with Orangutans.

Like Diane and Birute, Jane has inspired thousands of young people to pursue careers in science and activism to benefit our planet and the diversity of life that has been such a blessing to us all. Her contributions to nature, to humanity, to our children and to the future of all life has been immensely significant.

I will miss her, the world will miss her, and future generations will continue to be taught by her enlightened studies, her extraordinary discoveries, her kindness and her inspiring compassion.

Valerie Jane Morris-Goodall was born on April 3, 1934. She left this world on October 1st, 2025 at the age of 91.

- Captain Paul Watson