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Over 60 years ago, Dr. Jane Goodall made a groundbreaking observation: She watched a wild chimpanzee she named David Greybeard skillfully using a twig to "fish" for termites, forever changing how we see ourselves in relation to other animals. 🐵🍂 This behavior, known as termite fishing, involves chimps selecting a branch, stripping the leaves, and using it to extract nutritious termites from mounds.

Jane's discovery had profound implications for science: It revealed chimpanzees' complex intelligence and led to Louis Leakey’s famous quote: “Now we must redefine tool, redefine man, or accept chimpanzees as human.” The realization that non-human animals could craft and use tools sparked new conversations about what it means to be human.

While chimpanzees largely eat a plant-based diet, they are omnivores—another behavior Dr. Jane Goodall first observed in Gombe! 🐜🍽 Termites are packed with energy, fat, protein, and vitamins, making them a valuable part of a chimp’s diet.

This legacy of understanding and connection continues through ongoing research at JGI's Gombe Stream Research Center, the longest-running wild chimpanzee study in the world. Help support this work and become a Gombe Science Hero today! LINK IN BIO or shop.janegoodall.org/category/gombe-science-heroes

📷 Hugo Van Lawick

Video description: We see archival footage from Dr. Jane Goodall's research from 1960's. David Greybeard, a wild chimpanzee with distinctive white hair around his chin, is shown skillfully dipping a branch into a termite mound and pulling it out to eat the termites.
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