Legendary primatologist Jane Goodall helped pioneer several programs at Oakland Zoo

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) — Oakland Zoo CEO Nik Dehejia says he was shaking when he got the news Wednesday that world-famous primatologist Jane Goodall had died at 91.

Goodall, who helped shape the world’s understanding of chimpanzees, visited the Oakland Zoo on several occasions.

MORE: Jane Goodall, famed primatologist, anthropologist and conservationist, dead at 91

The last time was just three years ago in 2022. Dehejia says that stop didn’t just inspire his team at the zoo, but also young people like Lucy Espinoza, an anthropology student at the zoo.

“Ever since I learned about her, probably in middle school I think, I’ve looked up to her since then. And I want to become an anthropologist partly because of her,” Espinoza said.

Dr Goodall’s legacy is tangible at the Oakland Zoo. Besides her multiple visits, she also helped pioneer several zoo programs.

“We have a program called the Teen Wild Guides. These are young adults in high school who are coming here to the zoo to learn and engage. And it was really an offshoot of her Roots and Shoots program,” said Dehejia.

When not traveling to spread her conservationist message, Goodall spent much of her time with primates in various African nations.

It was in the country of Tanzania that Walnut Creek resident Gregg Chavaria spent a summer with Goodall back in 1993.

“Just bringing all of these handmade little booklets to these kids so that they could learn about to be better stewards of the land, learn about climate change, learn about environmental sustainability and, most importantly, just being a good human being,” he said.

Chavaria’s friendship with Goodall would last decades and he even turned his journals from the summer they spent together into a book.

Reflecting on her death, Chavaria says the world will be a little less bright without Goodall in it.

But he knows her legacy will continue on for many years to come.

“We all are going to leave this mortal soil someday, but some people are going to have a much bigger impact when they go and Jane is definitely one of those folks,” said Chavaria.