Dr. Jane Goodall, legendary conservationist, passes away at 91

Dr. Jane Goodall, the renowned primatologist, conservationist, and UN Messenger of Peace, passed away early Wednesday morning, October 1, 2025, in California. She was 91 years old. Her death was due to natural causes, and she was on a U.S. speaking tour at the time.

A Life of Groundbreaking Science and Advocacy

Born as Valerie Jane Morris‐Goodall in London on April 3, 1934, Jane Goodall’s fascination with animals and nature began early. In 1957, she traveled to Africa, where she eventually met paleoanthropologist Louis Leakey, who encouraged her to pursue field study of wild chimpanzees.

In 1960, she began her landmark research at Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania, observing chimpanzees in the wild. Her approach was revolutionary: rather than treating animals as distant objects, she immersed herself in their environment, observing their behaviors, relationships, personalities, and even their tool use. Among her most seminal discoveries was that chimpanzees fashion and use tools—something once believed to be a uniquely human trait.

Over decades, Goodall’s work broke down barriers in the scientific community about the emotional and social complexities of nonhuman animals, helping to shift how humanity views our closest living relatives.

In 1977, Jane Goodall co-founded the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI), with a mission to protect chimpanzees, conserve habitat, and promote sustainable livelihoods in communities living around fragile ecosystems. The Institute supports Gombe research, among many other global programs. It also created the youth empowerment program Roots & Shoots (launched in 1991), which encourages students to initiate projects that help people, animals, and the environment. Today it operates in many countries, fostering a generational commitment to conservation.

Over the years, JGI has engaged in habitat restoration, community-based conservation, and chimpanzee rehabilitation efforts (for example, the Tchimpounga Sanctuary in the Republic of Congo).

Honors, Roles, & Influence

• In April 2002, she was appointed a United Nations Messenger of Peace, a role in which she advocated globally for environmental protection, sustainability, and respect for all life.

• In 2004, she was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in recognition of her contributions to conservation.

• Among her many awards are the Kyoto Prize, Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement, and in 2025 she was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the United States.

Her books, lectures, media appearances, and global advocacy throughout her life inspired millions to rethink humanity’s relationship with nature.

Dr. Goodall’s passing marks the end of an era in wildlife science and conservation, but her influence is far from over. Her language of compassion, her belief in hope, and her call for action live on through the thousands she inspired and through the institutions she built.

Her mission—to protect the planet and all its inhabitants—continues through the Jane Goodall Institute, Roots & Shoots, and countless individuals who carry forward her vision of a more respectful, sustainable world.

She passed away on October 1, 2025, in California, during a speaking tour—still on mission to educate and motivate.