Jane Goodall, the celebrated primatologist and conservationist, has died

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Jane Goodall, the celebrated primatologist and conservationist, has died

8:10 CAT | 02 Oct 2025

Jane_Goodall_at_Mizzou_Arena_facing_right

FILE - Jane Goodall speaks in Mizzou Arena to a crowd of 4000. [File photo: Wikimedia/Mark Schierbecker]

Jane Goodall, the intellectual, soft-spoken conservationist renowned for her groundbreaking, immersive chimpanzee field research in which she documented the primates’ distinct personalities and use of tools, has died. She was 91.

The environmental advocate became a beloved household name who transcended generations through her appearances in documentaries and on television, as well as her travels to address packed auditoriums around the world.

In 1960, Dr. Jane Goodall’s early fieldwork observing chimpanzees at Gombe Stream Game Reserve, in Tanganyika (now Tanzania), unveiled groundbreaking research of shared behaviors between humans and apes.
The Jane Goodall Institute announced on October 1, 2025, that Jane Goodall… pic.twitter.com/c7AkEZsHeh

— National Geographic Documentary Films (@natgeodocs) October 1, 2025

The Jane Goodall Institute announced the primatologist’s death Wednesday in an Instagram post. According to the Washington, D.C.-based institute, Goodall died of natural causes while in California on a U.S. speaking tour.

Her discoveries “revolutionized science, and she was a tireless advocate for the protection and restoration of our natural world,” it said.

Humans and chimpanzees share many similarities, but there’s still so much we can learn from them!

*Dr. Goodall and the Jane Goodall Institute do not endorse handling or close proximity to wildlife. Part of the clip below reflects a historical context.* https://t.co/0pwywP6Kpj

— Dr. Jane Goodall & the Jane Goodall Institute (@JaneGoodallInst) November 15, 2023

While living among chimpanzees in Africa decades ago, Goodall documented them doing activities previously believed to be exclusive to humans. Her observations and subsequent magazine and documentary appearances in the 1960s transformed how the world perceived not only humans’ closest living biological relatives but also the emotional and social complexity of all animals, while propelling her into the public consciousness.

“Out there in nature by myself, when you’re alone, you can become part of nature and your humanity doesn’t get in the way,” she told The Associated Press in 2021. “It’s almost like an out-of-body experience when suddenly you hear different sounds and you smell different smells and you’re actually part of this amazing tapestry of life.”

She had been scheduled to meet with students and teachers on Wednesday to launch the planting of 5,000 trees around wildfire burn zones in the Los Angeles area. Organizers learned of her death as the event was to begin at EF Academy in Pasadena, said spokesperson Shawna Marino. The first tree was planted in Goodall’s name after a moment of silence.

“I don’t think there’s any better way to honor her legacy than having a thousand children gathered for her,” Marino said.

Goodall in her later years devoted decades to education and advocacy on humanitarian causes and protecting the natural world. In her British accent, she was known for balancing the grim realities of the climate crisis with a sincere message of hope for the future.

From her base in the British coastal town of Bournemouth, she traveled nearly 300 days a year, even after she turned 90, for public speeches. Between more serious messages, her speeches often featured her whooping like a chimpanzee or lamenting that Tarzan chose the wrong Jane.

Tributes from animal rights organizations, political leaders and admirers poured in following news of her death.

“I’m deeply saddened to learn about the passing of Jane Goodall, our dear Messenger of Peace. She is leaving an extraordinary legacy for humanity & our planet,” said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.

Nature broadcaster Chris Packham reflected on her relentless advocacy until the very end.

“In many ways Jane just died on the job,” he said. “The job that her life became. And that was protecting life on earth.”

With great sorrow, I have received the news of the passing of Dr. Jane Goodall. A renowned zoologist, primatologist, researcher and a friend of Tanzania, Dr. Goodall’s pioneering work at Gombe National Park transformed wildlife conservation, and placed our country at the heart of… pic.twitter.com/JkCzdeMmOb

— Samia Suluhu (@SuluhuSamia) October 1, 2025

On Saturday, January 4, 2025, President Joe Biden awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to renowned primatologist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall.

Dr. Goodall’s groundbreaking research at Gombe National Park in Tanzania has significantly advanced our understanding of… pic.twitter.com/qWCjUkXl8e

— Tanzania National Parks (@tzparks) January 6, 2025