Jane Goodall — Childhood

Jane Goodall was born in London, England, on April 3, 1934. She grew up in Bournemouth on the southern coast of England. On her second birthday, Jane's father bought her a beautiful, life-like toy chimpanzee named Jubilee. The toy was named in honor of a baby chimpanzee born at the London Zoo. Friends warned her parents that such a gift would cause nightmares for a child. Jane loved the toy, however, and to this day, Jubillee sits on a chair in her home in England.

A Four-Year-Old Scientist

Jane recalls, "I have been interested in animals since before I can remember. When I was four years old, I stayed on a farm where I helped collect hen's eggs. I became puzzled and asked those around me, 'How is the hole big enough for the eggs to come out?' When no one answered to my satisfaction, I hid in a small, stuffy hen house for about four hours to find out. When my mother saw me rushing toward the house, she noticed my excitement. Instead of scolding me for disappearing for so long (the family had even called the police!), she sat down and listened to me tell the wonderful story of how a hen lays an egg."

An Encouraging Mother

Jane's favorite books as a child were about animals, including The Story of Dr. Dolittle, The Jungle Book, and the Tarzan books. By the age of 10 or 11, Jane dreamed of going to Africa to live with animals. This was quite a radical dream in those days, as young girls did not think of going on such "wild" adventures. But, Jane had encouragement from her mother who told her, "Jane, if you really want something, and if you work hard, take advantage of the opportunities, and never give up, you will somehow find a way."