An update from our 2023 annual report.
Curiosity, resilience, and innovation are essential elements born from Dr. Jane Goodall’s first steps into the forests of Gombe. Drawn to this work due to her unceasing desire to understand animals, Dr. Jane Goodall found that observing nature and performing scientific research fulfilled her innate sense of wonder. Today, science is at the center of JGI’s work, which is always infused with compassion as we cultivate respectful relationships with the people, animals, and ecosystems with which we work. Our team commits to community engagement and capacity-building, ensuring that scientific knowledge is disseminated and applied in ways that benefit local communities and wildlife.
Advancing Disease Detection
The Gombe Stream Research Center’s laboratory — now one of the first of its kind in western Tanzania — was upgraded with cutting-edge equipment. This allows our scientists to analyze extracted DNA and detect specific, disease-causing agents in animals, onsite and with unprecedented precision. JGI is working with leaders in the field to bring this state-of-the-art technology directly to communities — building local capacity that will drive groundbreaking scientific progress.
In 2023, this enhanced capacity enabled us to monitor potential occurrences of up to 12 pathogens that could be responsible for respiratory illnesses. This type of knowledge has the potential to help the scientific community, JGI, and Tanzania National Park staff get ahead of managing these diseases — and even predict outbreaks among animals and humans. By identifying and managing pathogens swiftly, we can better protect both wildlife and human communities, thereby fostering a healthier ecosystem.
Capturing Nature’s Voice
In 2022, JGI expanded our toolkit of conservation technology by introducing audio recording devices called ecoacoustic sensors. In 2023, in collaboration with Tanzania government wildlife officials and national park officials, we selected 10 permanent locations across Gombe for continuous ecoacoustic data collection in biodiversity hotspots. Another four temporary ecoacoustic devices were set up across the Jambiani Muyuni Forest Reserve in Zanzibar, which will be used as educational tools for local youth and communities to learn about the biodiversity in their community and the important role technology plays in monitoring and preserving biodiversity.
Ecoacoustics utilizes audio recorders strategically placed in foliage to capture the soundscape of animal habitats. Each sound carries a unique fingerprint, analyzed through AI algorithms to unravel mysteries of species diversity and ecosystem dynamics. This approach offers significant advantages as it does not disturb the animals or their surroundings, monitors expansive areas in all directions, and operates continuously over extended periods of time — making it ideal for monitoring vocal indicator species that are challenging to study with traditional methods.
Building Capacity for Conservation
In an increasingly digital world, it is crucial for JGI’s partners and staff to maintain sharp skills and remain at the forefront of adopting new conservation technology — which is why we are invested in ongoing technology training! 2023 trainings included:
Optimizing Park Ranger Patrols: JGI developed a new tool using the ArcGIS FieldMaps application to track Tchimpounga Nature Reserve park ranger patrols. This application allows us to precisely pinpoint ranger locations for improved data accuracy.
Leveraging Maps to Manage Protected Spaces: Park rangers at the Tchimpounga Nature Reserve participated in a two-day training on utilizing GPS systems and cartography. This included workshops for rangers to refresh and expand their knowledge in reading maps and using GPS devices.
Strengthening Congo’s Wildlife Monitoring: JGI began supporting partner organization Endangered Species International (ESI) to establish the Ntombo Forest Reserve in the Republic of the Congo, including a two-day training for ESI’s researchers on camera traps for wildlife monitoring.
Strengthening Zanzibar’s Forest Conservation: JGI trained forest officers, rangers, and community members in and around the Jambiani Muyuni Forest Reserve in Zanzibar on using the Tacare model of conservation within their villages, as well as technology to monitor wildlife.
Combating Deforestation in Uganda:
The Kagombe Central Forest Reserve in Western Uganda is made up of 74,000 acres of forest and has faced significant challenges. Nearly three-quarters of this critical reserve had been degraded due to rapid agricultural expansion over the past decade. In a monumental effort to restore this invaluable habitat, JGI supported the restoration of 1,440 acres of once-degraded forest, breathing new life into this biodiverse landscape.
JGI also supported the planting of a remarkable 1.2 million trees strategically placed across Uganda’s vital forest corridors — areas of habitat that connect wildlife populations to larger, fragmented forests, allowing more space for animals to roam. Monitoring assessments reveal a promising survival rate of more than 50% for these trees — underscoring the resilience and the success of ongoing conservation and education. These efforts not only mitigate deforestation but also enhance ecological connectivity, ensuring a sustainable future where thriving forest ecosystems continue to flourish.
We have so many more stories to tell from this year! Explore our full 🔗 2023 annual report PDF to learn about preparations for the possible reintroduction of chimpanzees to the wild, meet one of the newest species observed in Gombe National Park, look at the future of JGI’s Gombe Chimpanzee Archive, and explore our Chimpscapes dashboard we use to monitor habitat across the chimpanzee range.
Photo credits, in order of appearance: Jane Goodall Institute, JGI Tanzania, JGI/Stephano Lihedule, JGI/Fernando Turmo, Picasa.
