As part of the Inspiring Women Series, Mattel Creations unveiled new Barbie that gives a nod to Jane Goodall

Fulfilling a longtime wish to inspire young girls, British primatologist and conservationist Jane Goodall now has her own Barbie doll made from recycled, ocean-bound plastic, Mattel Creations announced recently.

Jane’s Barbie was introduced alongside Barbie’s “2022 Barbie Career of The Year Eco-Leadership Team” which is a doll set that features a conservation scientist, a renewable energy engineer, a chief sustainability officer, and an environmental advocate.

The doll is dressed in a khaki shirt and shorts while holding a notebook and has a pair of binoculars around her neck. By her side is David Greybeard, a replica of the first chimpanzee to trust the primatologist as she conducted her research at Gombe National Park, in what is now Tanzania in east Africa.

Photo: Courtesy of Mattel Creations

Seen as the world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees, Jane’s strong interest in wildlife has directed her to revolutionary research and noble achievements as a humanitarian, conservationist, and animal behavior expert. Known for her 60-year study of social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees since she first went to Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania in 1960, Jane has been named a UN Messenger of Peace and is also an honorary member of the World Future Council.

In 1977, she launched the Jane Goodall Institute, a global community conservation organization that advances the vision and work of Dr. Jane Goodall—groundbreaking science, community-led conservation, advocacy, and youth empowerment. From what started with a group of students in Tanzania in 1991, Jane’s global youth program, Roots and Shoots, works to empower young people to alter positive change in their communities. The program has grown to include thousands of groups in over 60 countries.

With a Barbie in her likeness, Mattel Creations has honored her decades of dedication to the Barbie Inspiring Women Collection. A first for the series, the doll is made with sustainable materials and pays tribute to astounding heroines who took risks, changed rules, and paved the way for generations of girls to dream bigger than ever before.

In an interview with Reuters, Jane shared she wanted a doll to be her even before this idea came up. “I’ve seen little girls playing with Barbie dolls and certainly at the beginning, they were all very girly girly and I thought little girls need some choice.” She continued, “Mattel has changed its range of dolls and there’s all kinds of astronauts and doctors and things like that. So many children learn about me at school. They’ll be thrilled to have the Barbie doll.”

For more information on the Jane Goodall Institute, visit janegoodall.org. Click here to get your own Jane Goodall Barbie.