Tribute from Dr. Jane Goodall – Remembering the late John Hare

It was a sad day for conservation and for his many collaborators, friends and especially his family, when John Hare left Planet Earth on February, 2nd, 2022.  John was one of my great friends – and I use ‘great’ in its truest sense for he was one of the great adventurers and explorers, always ready to take on new challenges, travelling into some of the wildest, most inhospitable places in the world, facing with courage – and subsequently described with a British sense of humour – the many dangers he encountered.  He didn’t look like a tough guy, burley and rugged, but his slim elegance concealed an incredible power of determination and endurance.  There will never be another John Hare.

[…] My favorite story of the many he shared with me took place in Lop Nur.  He was with an old friend from their time together, working with camels,  in the foreign service in Africa, and there were 5 or  6 Chinese camel handlers.  A sudden turbulent sand storm caught them unaware. Their 20 camels ran off, carrying most of their supplies. The small group was in a desperate situation for the sand storm had obliterated the tracks of the camels so that they didn’t even know in what direction they had gone.  After much discussion, 2 of the Chinese companions, with a few of the supplies that they had managed to unload, set off walking in the direction they thought the camels had gone.  The others just sat there and waited.  Their only food was the grain fed to the camels, and a limited amount of water. After three days the situation was grim. John’s friend felt that John and the Chinese colleagues should set off walking.  He was lame and would be unable to undertake such a trek.  So he asked John to do the “decent thing, old man” and handed him his revolver.  “I just laughed”, John told me – he was not about to shoot his old friend – They would face the end together.  They waited.  Suddenly the oldest of the Chinese companions said something to the other two who at once became very excited.  They stared at the sky.  “Yes, I see them, I see them” they cried.  At first John could see nothing but then – there they were. Three  swallows – symbols for new beginnings in China. But why were they there?  2,000 miles away from any migration route?  The birds came close, circled round the small group of men, touched each one with the tip of a wing - and vanished.  The Chinese men who had been tense and nervous, relaxed. And within a short time the runaway camels were seen returning, led by their handlers.  The little expedition was saved.   […]

First published on janegoodall.org on 10 February, 2022. Read full tribute here: Dr. Jane Goodall Remembers John Hare