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A Day with Jane Goodall and Tom Mangelsen

I wanted to give a big thank you to Tom Mangelsen for hosting us at his Jackson Hole home for an intimate dinner with Jane Goodall, America’s famed Ethologist, Conservationist, and Inspirer of Hope.  Both are American legends in their own time.  

My wife, Aimee, and I received a special invite to spend a weekend “safari-ing” through Jackson Hole with Tom.  Tom has been one of the world’s top wildlife photo artists for decades, starting off with that iconic “Fish jumping into Bear’s mouth in the river” photo (real name “Catch of the Day”).  

Tom captures all his pictures in person out in the real wild.  He explained that many times these days, photographers merely pay to go visit a wildlife ranch and take pictures of the animals held in captivity.  Not Tom, he wakes up early, hikes to remote locations…and waits…and waits…and waits.  He told us the longest he ever waited for one shot was 42 days.  Anderson Cooper interviewed him on 60 minutes recently.  

Meeting Jane was truly inspirational.  She is 88 years old now and isn’t about to stop what she’s doing because in her words, “we have to keep fighting” for the animals and the planet.  She told us that we humans are as much of a concern to save on this planet as are all the chimps, monkeys, gorillas, and Sandhill Cranes (which she has become fond of thanks to Tom).

The weather was perfect.  The guests were diverse and interesting folks from across the US and dinner was delicious.  Our favorite part of the evening was “story-telling” time with Tom and Jane around the fire, sitting on hay bales.  

Jane is super special and I hope to see her and Mr. H again next year.  It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to spend time with two icons.  

 

Jane’s Always Traveling Companion, Mr. H.

Jane carries Mr. H around the world. She told us more than 61 million people had held Mr. H, including Aimee and me. That companion is a stuffed monkey given to her by Gary Haun, a blind magician in Rockford, IL in 2010. He was known as the blindman who wanted to be a magician, and when told “that’s impossible,” he proved everyone wrong. When meeting Jane for the first time, he brought her this stuffed animal as a gift, thinking it was a Chimpanzee, Jane was so touched by his gesture, but also wanted him to know that the stuffed animal that has a tail, like monkeys, while chimps do not. Mr. H has traveled to over 64 countries and is indoctrinated as a reminder to “the indomitable human spirit!”

Read the full story here.

Websites:
https://www.janegoodall.org/
https://www.mangelsen.com/