Author: Ashley Sullivan

In a single fateful moment (not unique to the series of serendipitous meetings and events of Dr. Jane Goodall’s life), Jane flew over Tanzania and saw that the sacred forest home of the world famous chimps of Gombe was on the verge of disappearing entirely. The Jane Goodall Institute, founded by Jane 40 years ago, took a turn with her realization: the organization would initiate TACARE, a program supporting communities around Lake Tanganyika while addressing rapid degradation of the natural resources, prevent logging, damaging forms of agriculture, illegal bushmeat hunting and other harmful practices. However, this was only part of the…

They say that the impact of a name determines so much in a single life that it perhaps can even shape and define an individual. When a baby elephant entered the world in Botswana, the stars aligned to create one destined for greatness: “Naledi,” or ‘star’ in Setswana. In Naledi: A Baby Elephant’s Tale, we’re given an intimate look – from birth, to survival and exploration – into the life of one exceptional infant elephant, and the people working to ensure her survival. The film reveals moments nearly unparalleled in wildlife filmmaking, demonstrating interactions like the first steps of Naledi…

Interview with filmmaker Ryan Killackey of Yasuni Man At the International Primatological Society Conference, the JGI jungles of the Congo Basin interacted with the jungles of hundreds of other primate researchers and organizations. Along this primate journey, I met a filmmaker named Ryan Patrick Killackey, who is the producer, writer and director of a film called Yasuni Man, set in the Ecuadorian Amazon (He also coincidentally appeared in the PBS film EARTH a New Wild with our own Dr. JaneGoodall). Interested in the concept of how challenges to conservation overlap with challenges for people as depicted in his film, especially indigenous peoples, I…

Hope in Action The power of a single story is immeasurable. When a young 26 year old woman from England traveled to Tanzania to study wild animals and share their stories, she transformed our understanding of our relationship to non-human animals, and what was possible for a woman in science, or in general. The reverberations of her story have echoed endlessly and caused the emergence of millions of other bold, unstoppable women. In honor of the Jane Goodall Institute’s 40th anniversary, Jane Goodall’s Hope in Action campaign calls upon people everywhere who have been inspired in some way by Dr.…

What would the world absent of wildlife look like? We might think of a morning without the chiming song of birds, an ocean without whales spouting blasts of sea water beside ships, or a forest without the heart-stopping calls of chimpanzees. This is a world we cannot imagine, because it is one we should not imagine. Today, on World Wildlife Day, we stand up together to make sure this incomprehensible possibility of horrific loss of plants and animals is prevented entirely. From butterflies to bears, from turtles to tasmanian devils; All living things deserve to live and stay wild. On…

Happy 40th Birthday Jane Goodall Institute! For 40 years we’ve blazed the trail for conservation with Jane’s vision leading the way. Now, we’re taking the movement to tomorrow and beyond. As a young woman, Jane Goodall introduced us to the world of chimpanzees as our closest living relatives, and revealed our connection to all living things. Fueled by a goal of a more peaceful world for people, animals and the environment, the Jane Goodall Institute has been Jane’s vision realized for 40 years, and will continue to evolve toward this dream for years to come. Widely recognized as “Nature’s Agent”…

What inspires us? A few stray notes rolling across piano keys? A dancing shadow against a brick wall? A woman who followed her dreams into the jungle, and ultimately left, in order to save it? The things that inspire us and those that inspire are everywhere. They are sometimes unexpected, and on some rare occasions, inspire more individuals than was ever thought possible. Dr. Jane Goodall is one of those people. Compassion for animals and a passion for the environment may seem like commonplace now, but prior to a young pony-tailed girl reaching her yearning fingertips to touch the mirroring…

You may have heard of the term “wildlife trafficking,” in the context of graphic imagery of elephants being brutally murdered for their tusks, or piles and piles of the fins of sharks drying on the concrete. Public demand for wildlife and wildlife products has resulted in a boom of illegal trade, that is quickly pushing endangered species toward extinction. Working on the ground in preventing the tremendous loss of life is a fight against extreme danger and cruelty. It is because of the heroism of Park Rangers, that so many have been saved. Their stories, however, rarely get the same…

The most difficult and important step in confronting a problem is the one of the individual who does something to change the situation for the better, despite the obstacles. In a democracy that has been shaped by a past and present of racism and sexism, which now much more flamboyantly, aggressively, and confidently threatens that very democracy, we need to do as much as we can to become the inclusive and reflective nation we wish to represent. But how do we begin? And how do we maintain hope and an enduring legacy of an America for all? Teresa Baker is…

A hot topic of the last several decades has been on economic development – the concept of specifically designating what is required to improve the well-being of a nation, especially in emerging economies. What has rarely been measured, or prioritized, is what the goal of an emerging nation, or any nation for that matter, should be for its people, environment and wildlife. What if we directed efforts toward the goal of national happiness? What would that take? How would it be measured? Through a combination of outlining and examining economic, social, education and health statuses, the International Fund for Animal…