Researching Wild Chimpanzees Because chimpanzees are so
biologically and socially similar to humans, they offer us a
great deal of insights into our evolutionary past, as well as
into our future. As we observe and document the world of
chimpanzees, we learn more about our own behaviors and social
patterns, our impact on the ecosystem, and even our ability to
spread disease. The Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) manages
chimpanzee research at multiple sites, including Gombe National
Park in Tanzania and the Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation
Center in the Republic of Congo. Photo Credit: Jane Goodall The
research program at Gombe National Park in Tanzania is the
longest running study of great apes in the wild, providing
insights into one of our closest relative's emotions, behaviors
and social structures. The impact of the Gombe research spans
the globe and covers a wide range of scientific disciplines,
including human evolution, ethology, anthropology, behavioral
psychology, sociology, conservation, disease tra