Jane Goodall, Legendary Primatologist and Conservationist, Dies at 91

Jane Goodall, famed primatologist and conservationist, has died at 91 in California. She revolutionized science with her discovery that chimpanzees use tools and founded the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977. Tributes worldwide honor her as a pioneer and tireless advocate for nature.

World-renowned primatologist Jane Goodall has passed away at the age of 91 while in the United States, leaving behind an extraordinary legacy that reshaped humanity’s relationship with the natural world.

The Jane Goodall Institute announced on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, that Dr. Jane Goodall DBE, UN Messenger of Peace and Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, had died of natural causes. The statement shared on her official Facebook page explained that she was in California at the time, where she had been participating in a speaking tour across the United States, continuing her lifelong mission to inspire action for conservation even in her final days.

The statement paid tribute to her groundbreaking role as an ethologist whose discoveries changed the way science viewed both chimpanzees and the broader animal kingdom. “Dr. Goodall’s discoveries as an ethologist revolutionized science, and she was a tireless advocate for the protection and restoration of our natural world,” the Institute wrote, emphasizing that her voice and work will continue to echo for generations.

The United Nations also mourned her death, underscoring her global influence as both a scientist and humanitarian. In a heartfelt message posted on X, the UN stated, “Today, the UN family mourns the loss of Dr. Jane Goodall. The scientist, conservationist and UN Messenger of Peace worked tirelessly for our planet and all its inhabitants, leaving an extraordinary legacy for humanity and nature.”

Encyclopaedia Britannica highlighted Goodall’s remarkable academic journey, pointing out that she was one of the very few individuals to be awarded a Ph.D. without holding an undergraduate degree. Commenting on this unusual path, the publication noted on X: “It was thought that her lack of formal academic training would allow her to remain unbiased by traditional thought and study the chimps with an open mind. It worked.” This unconventional path not only shaped her approach but also enabled her to redefine scientific observation in ways that traditional methods had overlooked.

Born in London in 1934, Jane Goodall developed an early fascination with animals, one that would eventually take her across continents. According to her official biography, she arrived in Tanzania in 1960 at the age of 26 to study wild chimpanzee communities. It was here that her patient and immersive observation led to one of the most important scientific discoveries of the 20th century: that chimpanzees make and use tools. This revelation overturned long-standing assumptions about the uniqueness of human behavior and forced scientists to reconsider humanity’s place in the natural order.

In 1977, she founded the Jane Goodall Institute, a global organization dedicated not only to the protection of chimpanzees but also to the advancement of conservation and youth empowerment. The Institute’s “Roots & Shoots” program has inspired countless young people around the world to take action for animals, the environment, and their communities, ensuring that Goodall’s influence extended far beyond academia and into the lives of ordinary people who shared her vision for a better planet.

Goodall’s work also reached wider audiences through her collaboration with the National Geographic Society, which helped bring her field studies to global attention. Through books, documentaries, and public lectures, she turned the lives of chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park into a compelling story of intelligence, emotion, and social complexity, breaking barriers between human beings and the animal world.

Her legacy is one not only of scientific discovery but also of moral leadership. Goodall’s voice became one of the strongest in the global conservation movement, reminding the world of the urgent need to respect and protect nature. She remained active until her final days, dedicating her energy to education, advocacy, and inspiring action, embodying the very passion and resilience that defined her remarkable journey.

Jane Goodall’s passing marks the end of an era, yet her influence endures in every scientific discipline she touched, every young conservationist she inspired, and every voice raised for the protection of the Earth. Her life’s work transformed the way humanity understands its connection to other living beings and continues to serve as a guiding light for the future of conservation.