Koen Margodt is an Belgian ethicist and is cochair of the Global Ethics Committee of the Jane Goodall Institute. Together with Dr. Goodall he has written an essay on factory farms.
News
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World Chimpanzee Day 2025 and Gombe 65
Read moreEvery World Chimpanzee Day on July 14, we celebrate not only our closest living relatives in the animal kingdom—but also one of the most important places in the history of science and conservation: JGI’s Gombe Stream Research Center in Tanzania. This year marks 65 years of continuous research at Gombe Stream Research Center—the world’s longest-running wild chimpanzee study, driving groundbreaking discoveries in primatology, chimpanzee behavior, and wildlife conservation.
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Commemorating the killing of Cecil the Lion
Read moreOn 1 July 2015, an American dentist shot and killed Cecil the lion on his quest for a trophy to bring back from Africa. What followed was a wave of global outrage that gave way to more robust discussion about the ethics of trophy hunting.
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An open letter from Dr. Jane Goodall & JGI’s Cetacean Committee on whale hunting in the Faroe Islands
Read moreWhales and dolphins – new knowledge and new compassion
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Jane Goodall: Farm Animals Are Sentient – and Often Sapient
Read moreI first met cows when I was 5 years old, on a farm belonging to my father’s family. I always loved all animals, and I remember I was so excited to see the cows, and their calves out in a big field, the mothers grazing while their calves played and frolicked.
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Dr Jane signed open letter to World Bank against factory farming
Read moreFactory farming has led to “extreme cruelty” to billions of animals and is harming our planet. As Dr. Goodall says, “We’re making unsustainable demands on the natural world.” But there’s hope! By embracing more plant-based options, we can restore biodiversity, slow climate change, and build a healthier future for both animals and people.
🍃 Take action today: Reduce your consumption of factory-farmed products, opt for plant-based choices where possible, and support farms that prioritize sustainability.
"Choosing to eat differently does not have to be a radical change" says Jane. Even small changes — like cutting back on meat, supporting local farmers, or spreading awareness — makes a positive impact. After all, "What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make."
Let's join them in advocating for a future where all animals are treated with care and respect.
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Dr. Jane Goodall champions seaside sanctuaries for captive cetaceans
Read moreIt is well-documented that dolphins and whales in captivity exhibit behaviours linked to stress, boredom, depression, and frustration. Dolphinariums are outdated and inappropriate remnants of the past, and there is growing international sentiment against them.
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Go Wild !
Read moreAre you between 9 and 14 years old and ready to get wild with us? Then enter the Sauvage Contest!
And win a Wild Day at the Institute of Natural Sciences, with a member of your family, on Saturday February 22, 2025. You'll be able to watch a fascinating film. You'll discover our new exhibition Sauvage? and of course the Dinosaur Gallery and all the other rooms. A riddle trail and a delicious lunch complete the experience. But that's not all... a surprising challenge awaits you!
If you'd like to find out more about biodiversity and what you can do to protect it, take a look at www.ensemblepourlabiodiversite.be.
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No dolphinarium, including the one in Bruges, can comply
Read moreBrussels, Wednesday 6 March 2024 – This morning, the Animal Welfare Committee of the Flemish Parliament heard experts on the proposal for a decree “on the welfare of dolphins” submitted by Els Ampe (Voor U). Also on hand: none other than Dr Jane Goodall, the legendary UN peace ambassador and world-renowned authority anthropologist/biologist, whose research on chimpanzees in their own biotope provided groundbreaking scientific knowledge and revolutionised primatology. In a video message, Jane Goodall explained why she is fighting against keeping cetaceans in captivity and pleading for the phasing out of the keeping of dolphins at the Bruges’ Boudewijn Seapark dolphinarium: “No dolphinarium, including the one in Bruge, can meet the needs of these magnificent marine mammals!”
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