Dr. Jane Goodall was a lifelong advocate for wildlife (Credit: Gorillas.org)
Dr. Jane Goodall, who transformed our understanding of chimpanzees, passed away peacefully in her sleep on October 1, 2025, at age 91. She was on a speaking tour in California, sharing her lifelong love for wildlife and conservation.
Born on April 3, 1934, in London, Goodall dreamed of studying wildlife in Africa from an early age. Her chance came in 1957 when she was invited to visit a friend’s family farm in Kenya. There, she met Dr. Louis Leakey, a scientist studying human evolution in Africa. Impressed by her interest, Leakey asked Goodall to study chimpanzees at the Gombe Stream Game Reserve in Tanzania. She readily agreed.
In 1960, at age 26, Goodall set up camp at Gombe with little more than a notebook, binoculars, and a deep sense of wonder. She spent the next 60 years there, conducting one of the longest continuous wildlife studies in history.
Goodall conducted a 60-year study on chimpanzees (Credit: Janegoodall.org)
Her pioneering work revealed surprising facts about chimpanzees’ behavior and intelligence. She saw them using tools, like twigs, to fish for termites. This proved that humans are not the only toolmakers. She also watched chimpanzees hunt and eat small animals. This showed that their diets included more protein than scientists had thought. Her research also found that chimpanzees led complex social lives. They groomed each other, made friends, and even mourned the loss of group members. Goodall gave names to the chimps she studied and showed that each one had its own personality. These discoveries changed how people saw the animals forever.
Goodall’s findings made her famous around the world. In 1965, the University of Cambridge gave her a PhD in ethology. She is one of the few people there to earn a doctorate without first completing a college degree. In 2003, Goodall was named a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, one of the highest honors in the United Kingdom.
Goodall’s discoveries changed our perception of chimpanzees (Credit: Janegoodall.ca)
Goodall’s legacy goes far beyond her discoveries. The Jane Goodall Institute, started in 1977, helps protect chimpanzee homes and supports sustainable development. Her Roots & Shoots program, started in 1991, now reaches young people in nearly 100 countries. It encourages them to take action to help the environment, animals, and their communities. Through these efforts, Goodall’s work continues to make a difference around the world.
Resources: Wikipedia.org, Janegoodall.org