Conservation Heroes Gallery
Meet the coolest people on Earth who spend their lives saving animals and protecting nature! These heroes come from all over the world and do amazing things to help our planet.
🌟 Super Cool Fact!
Guess what? Almost HALF of the world's best conservation groups were started by kids under 18! That means you could start saving the world right now - you don't have to wait until you're a grown-up!
Jane Goodall
Tanzania, Africa
When she was little: Jane LOVED animals! At age 4, she hid in a chicken coop for hours just to see how a hen laid an egg
Her big dream: After reading Tarzan books, she dreamed of going to Africa to live with animals (and she actually did it!)
Mind-blowing discovery: She found out that chimps use tools, have feelings, and are like us in many ways
"What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make."
Wangari Maathai
Kenya, Africa
When she was a kid: Wangari grew up in rural Kenya and loved climbing trees and learning about plants from her mom
What she did: Planted over 30 MILLION trees! That's like planting a tree for every person in California!
Super cool award: She was the first African woman EVER to win the Nobel Peace Prize!
"It's the little things citizens do that will make the difference."
Greta Thunberg
Sweden, Europe
When she was your age: Greta was a quiet kid who worried A LOT about climate change after learning about it in school
Her brave decision: At age 15, she decided to skip school every Friday and sit outside the Swedish Parliament with a sign
The coolest part: She proved that one kid with a sign can change the whole world
Rachel Carson
United States, North America
When she was little: Rachel spent hours exploring the woods and fields near her home, and she loved to write stories about what she found
What she did: She wrote a famous book called "Silent Spring" that explained why dangerous chemicals were hurting birds
Amazing result: Her book helped get the bad chemicals banned and saved tons of birds!
Sylvia Earle
United States, North America
As a kid: Sylvia fell in love with the ocean at age 3 when a wave knocked her down - instead of being scared, she thought it was awesome!
Her adventures: She explores the deep, deep ocean where hardly anyone has ever been - like being an astronaut underwater!
First woman ever: To be the top ocean scientist for the whole United States government
David Attenborough
United Kingdom, Europe
As a little boy: David collected rocks, bird eggs, and butterflies. His room was like a mini natural history museum!
What he does: He makes the most amazing animal movies and TV shows that make millions of people love nature
How long: He's been filming animals for over 70 years - that's older than your grandparents!
You Can Be a Hero Too!
- •Learn about animals and their habitats
- •Reduce, reuse, and recycle to protect the environment
- •Plant trees and create wildlife-friendly gardens
- •Share what you learn with friends and family