Jane Goodall tells Jimmy Fallon coronavirus pandemic was 'predicted to happen'
In honor of Earth Day, conservationist Jane Goodall made an appearance on 'The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon' tonight (April 22). She was accompanied by her stuffed toy chimpanzee, Mr H. Goodall held the toy in her arm and mentioned that Mr H is more than a soft toy. He has been with her for over 25 years and has traveled with her to 65 countries and symbolizes the indomitable human spirit as it was given to her by Gary Haun who was blinded at 21 and taught himself to paint.
Fallon spoke about Goodall's online presence in these times being instrumental in spreading hope. Goodall mentioned that she is just trying to send video messages to encourage the people associated with her institutes across 25 countries around the world.
Later on, Fallon also highlighted the spirit-lifting episodes of 'Storytime with Dr Jane'. Goodall mentioned that she's been reading about the chimpanzee family and the elephant family for children who are out of school and whose parents are finding it difficult to cope with them along with their office work.
She also mentioned that she's reading 'In the Shadow of Man', the very first book she wrote in 1971. Fallon asked Goodall if she remembers what her mom said when she told her that she wanted to go to Africa and work with chimpanzees and write about them.
"I was 10 years old and I didn't really know anything about chimpanzees. I just dreamt of going to Africa and live with wild animals and writing books about them," she said. Looking back at her journey, Goodall recalled the times she was laughed at for harboring big dreams. Hindrances like lack of money, the raging World War III wreaking havoc on the economy laced the path of her journey to be a world-renowned conservationist.
Goodall mentioned that she has worked extraordinarily hard, learned everything she could, and took every opportunity that came her way and continued to do so till she found her way while urging others watching to do the same.
Fallon revealed that he's a big fan of Goodall and also has a painting of hers in their living room to familiarize his daughters with her and the work she does. Goodall mentioned that the lockdown is a wonderful chance for children to learn what they want to and not just the curriculum and later joked about children taking online classes anyway, in a bid to know everything. She also had a message for the parents: "Please parents, just support your child as my mom did."
She later emphasized that it is bad on the parents' part to push their children into doing what they want them to do. She also had a universal message that everyone should use the lockdown time to reflect and think about the part they want to play in the future of the planet.
Lastly, she ended with a very powerful message that the current pandemic the world is facing was "predicted to happen".
She said the reason for this happening is because people "didn't learn the lessons from the previous epidemics and pandemics."
Humans have continued to "disrespect the natural world and the wild animals living in it," said Goodall.
She further said that humans have "taken away huge chunks of habitat, crowded animals together" and that has "led to viruses spilling from one species to another."
As per her, the continued practices of "hunting, meat consumption, trafficking, sending over animals from one country to another along with viruses to sell in the wildlife market as food or pets, stressing the animals in the process" has led the virus to "jump from animals to humans."
She mentioned that it held true for domestic animals as well who are abused through intensive farming.
Lastly, she ended with the message that the world will "come right only when every day is commemorated as Earth Day" as "humans are a part of the natural world and are dependent on nature."
