I always loved animals. And when I was ten, I decided I had to go to Africa and live with animals and write books about them.

You aren't going to save the world on your own. But you might inspire a generation of kids to save it for all of us. You would be amazed at what inspired children can do.

Chimps are far too much human to be my favorite animal.

I've got different ideas of complete happiness. But one is being by myself out in a forest, completely happy. Another is walking with a dog in some nice place. And three is sitting around preferably a fire, but not necessarily, and drinking red wine with friends and telling stories.

I cannot remember a time when I did not want to go to Africa to study animals.

It was because the chimps are so eye-catching, so like us and teach us so much that my work was recognised worldwide.

It's not that humans and non-humans are identical... but the lack of understanding that led to the slave trade is the same lack of understanding many people have about animals today. When slaves were brought over from Africa, many people believed they were not humans, that they didn't have feelings. Many people believe that primates and other animals don't have feelings, too, but they do.