**Jane Goodall, Legendary Primatologist and Conservationist, Dies at 91**
Jane Goodall, the renowned primatologist and conservationist, has passed away at the age of 91, according to a statement from the Jane Goodall Institute, which she founded. The institute announced on social media that Dr. Jane Goodall DBE, UN Messenger of Peace and Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, died due to natural causes on Wednesday, October 1, 2025. At the time, she was in California as part of her speaking tour in the United States.
The British primatologist’s groundbreaking discoveries as an ethologist revolutionized science. She was also a tireless advocate for the protection and restoration of the natural world, the institute emphasized.
Goodall’s journey began when she was only 26 years old, upon first entering Tanzania to begin her pivotal research on chimpanzees in the wild. Over the years, she demonstrated that primates exhibit many behaviors similar to humans, including the development of individual personalities and the ability to make and use tools.
One of her most remarkable discoveries was how closely chimpanzees resemble humans, she told ABC News in 2020. “Their behavior, with their gestures, kissing, embracing, holding hands, and patting on the back,” she said. “The fact that they can actually be violent and brutal and have a kind of war, but also loving and altruistic.” This discovery is regarded as one of the great achievements of 20th-century scholarship.
Goodall’s love for animals began in childhood. Growing up in London and Bournemouth, she dreamed of traveling to Africa and living among wildlife. At age 10, after reading the books *Doctor Dolittle* and *Tarzan*, her path was set.
Her initial arrival at Gombe National Park was challenging. The terrain was steep and mountainous, forests dense, and threats from buffalo and leopards ever-present. Yet, her lifelong ambition had been realized. “It was what I always dreamed of,” she recalled in an interview with ABC News.
She later earned a PhD in ethology—the study of animal behavior—from the University of Cambridge. Her doctoral thesis detailed the first five years of her research at Gombe.
In 1977, Goodall founded the Jane Goodall Institute with Genevieve di San Faustino. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in 25 cities worldwide, the institute focuses on improving the treatment and understanding of primates through public education and legal advocacy.
Goodall’s exemplary research earned her numerous scientific honors and widespread fame. She is credited with inspiring a significant increase in women pursuing STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) careers. According to the Jane Goodall Institute, the percentage of women in STEM rose from 7% to 26% between 1970 and 2011.
In April 2002, she was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace. Even into her 80s and 90s, Goodall remained an active voice on environmental issues. In 2019, she highlighted the urgent need to address the climate crisis. “The planet is imperiled. We are definitely at a point where we need to make something happen,” she said. “We have a window of time… But, we’ve got to take action.”
In 2022, Goodall partnered with Apple to encourage device recycling, aiming to reduce individual carbon footprints and minimize harmful mining activities worldwide. “Yes, people need to make money, but it is possible to make money without destroying the planet,” she said. “We’ve gone so far in destroying the planet that it’s shocking.”
Goodall stressed in 2020 that much remains to be learned from our closest living relatives in the animal kingdom. “They’re still teaching us,” she said during the 60th anniversary of her chimpanzee studies.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Goodall theorized that humans were responsible for the outbreak due to their disregard for the natural world. She explained how deforestation, wildlife trafficking, and crowded animal meat markets create conditions that allow viruses to jump from animals to humans.
Goodall’s influence extended into popular culture as well. In 2022, Mattel released a special edition Barbie doll in her honor, commemorating the 62nd anniversary of her first visit to Tanzania’s Gombe National Park. The doll wears Goodall’s iconic khaki shirt and shorts, carries binoculars, and holds a notebook, crafted sustainably from ocean-bound plastic. “My entire career, I’ve wanted to help inspire kids to be curious and explore the world around them,” Goodall said at the time.
Throughout her life, Goodall received many prestigious honors. She was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1995 for her services to zoology and was promoted to Dame Commander (DBE) in 2003. Additional accolades included the French Legion of Honor, Japan’s Kyoto Prize, and the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Jane Goodall’s extraordinary legacy continues to inspire generations to respect and protect the natural world. Her profound connection to the animal kingdom and unwavering dedication to conservation will be remembered worldwide.
https://abcnews.go.com/International/jane-goodall-famed-primatologist-anthropologist-conservationist-dead-91/story?id=109868347