‘Be the voice for the voiceless’

As the world mourns the passing of Dr Jane Goodall the renowned British primatologist anthropologist and conservationist at the age of 91 I canrsquot help but reflect on my good fortune to have met and interacted with her even if for a few minutes last year at Sanjay Gandhi National Park SGNPAs a journalist covering the wildlife beat when I first got to know that Dr Goodall would be visiting the city I was excited to say the least as I had read her books and watched films inspired by her research on chimpanzees in Africa so I did not want to miss the opportunity to meet the living legendI was even happier about the fact that she was going to visit SGNP a forest in the heart of our metropolis which also has one of the highest densities of leopards anywhere in the worldOn the day of her visit to SGNP a few other journalists and I were waiting outside the auditorium What moved me most was seeing even children and youngsters along with adults and even forest department staff all eagerly gathered just to catch a glimpse of Dr GoodallThe arrival of Dr Goodall who was dressed in her trademark green shirt and trousers sparked a rare joy in everyone present at the auditorium as each person was acutely aware that they were in the presence of greatness of someone known across the globe for her outstanding work on wildlife conservation Though a nonagenarian Dr Goodall was full of energy and enthusiasm Walking without any support she made sure that she greeted everyone presentDuring her small speech Dr Goodall emphasised the crucial role of young people in protecting the environmentShe also praised humanleopard coexistence in the city stating ldquoMumbai is a prime example that shows the world how humans and wildlife can live in harmony We must recognise that wildlife and humans are inseparable and the only way forward is to coexist peacefullyrdquoldquoYoung people have the power to create positive change The youth are the future and they must come together to lead efforts in environmental and wildlife conservationrdquo urged Dr Goodall calling on both the youth and the community to take collective actionShe also stressed that as human beings we must care for all living things while taking urgent steps to address climate changeWhat struck me deeply was that despite her age Dr Goodall welcomed questions from members of the press and everyone else with patience and grace After her address when I introduced myself as a journalist covering wildlife and the environment she looked at me and said ldquoBe the voice for the voiceless and follow your passionrdquo Those words will remain with me forever continuing to guide and inspire my work as a journalist telling the stories of wildlife and the wildSpeaking about Mumbairsquos rich biodiversity Dr Goodall said ldquoProtecting our green spaces is crucial in the face of climate change We must unite and adopt measures to help mitigate this pressing issuerdquoWhat sets Dr Goodall apart from other wildlife conservationists is that when she began her research on chimpanzees she studied them in the wild not in captivity and even gave each primate she met special names like the famous David Greybeard the chimpanzee she was studying helping the world realise that animals have unique personalities emotions and social behavioursDuring her visit to Mumbai she highlighted another key insight in wildlife conservation the communities that share space with wild animals play a crucial role and coexistence is essential if we truly want to protect natureI will forever be thankful to my friend and wildlife photographer Nayan Khanolkar and Shweta Khare Naik of the Jane Goodall Institute mdash India for giving me the opportunity to meet Dr Goodall a memory that I will cherish for a lifetimeDr Goodallrsquos life reminds us that even one personrsquos passion can change how we view the world and hers will resonate for centuries to comeThe writer is a journalist with midday and reports on wildlife and environmental issuesSend your feedback to mailbagmiddaycom