Exactly 60 years after Dr Jane Goodall commenced her thrilling research into wild chimpanzees at Gombe Stream National Park, the very first World Chimpanzee Day was commemorated on the 14th of July, 2018. Not only does this date remind us of Dr Goodall’s passionate dedication to the care and conservation of our closest cousin in the animal kingdom, but equally it raises awareness about the vital need for their worldwide protection in the wild and in captivity.
Climb for Chimps participants
To celebrate this significant occasion, the Brisbane Roots and Shoots Volunteer team embarked on a 3.5km walk in the depths of Mt Cootha. Listening intently to the unique screech of the sulphur-crested cockatoo and soft chirps of many rainbow lorikeets, they attempted to distinguish between the calls of a variety of native birds. The tranquillity of such blissful sounds gave the volunteers a much needed break from the artificial clatter of suburbia and city living. Home-packed plastic free lunches were enjoyed under the shady trees at Grey Gum Picnic Area, in which bamboo cutlery and steel straws were the main points of passionate discussion. The group are very excited to organise similar events in the future and intend on encouraging involvement of like-minded members of the public. Initiatives such as this offer us all opportunities to recognize and appreciate the intrinsic beauty of the natural world, providing us with a humble awareness of the diversity of life that surrounds us in every direction.
Dana Gosling is a volunteer at Roots & Shoots Queensland
The Roots & Shoots Team
JGIA acknowledges the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of this nation. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands and pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present.