Jane Goodall, the primatologist who forever changed our understanding of humanity’s closest relatives and became a tireless global advocate for the natural world, has died at the age of 91. She died of natural causes on October 1, 2025 in California, where she was still on a speaking tour, proof that her mission took her to the end.
The Jane Goodall Institute, which she founded in 1977, confirmed her death: “Dr. Goodall’s discoveries as an ethologist revolutionized science, and she was a tireless advocate for the protection and restoration of our natural world.”
A childhood dream
Goodall’s story began in London in 1934. Growing up in Bournemouth, she was a girl who seemed destined for adventure. A stuffed monkey named Jubilee, a gift from his father, became his most treasured companion. Books like Tarzan of the Apes and doctor dolittle It fueled his imagination. At age 10, he knew he wanted to live in Africa and work with wild animals.
The dream seemed impossible: she couldn’t afford to go to university, so she trained as a secretary and worked in administrative jobs. But in 1957, a friend invited her to Kenya. Goodall saved her salary, booked a boat ticket and, when she turned 23, set foot on African soil. There he met anthropologist Louis Leakey, who soon asked him to study chimpanzees in what was then Tanganyika (now Tanzania).
in the forest
At age 26, Goodall arrived in the rugged forest of Gombe Stream. The terrain was steep, leopards and buffalo lurked nearby, and she often camped alone. But she didn’t flinch: “It was what I always dreamed of” he said later.
What he observed there changed science. He discovered that chimpanzees were surprisingly similar to humans: they kissed, hugged, held hands and showed tenderness, but they could also be violent and wage war. She documented them using and even making tools, a revelation that forced scientists to reconsider what separated humans from animals.
His decision to name the chimpanzees rather than number them (David Greybeard, Flo, Fifi) broke convention, but reflected his belief that they were individuals with personalities and emotions.
“There is no clear line that divides humans from the rest of the animal kingdom.” he told a TED audience in 2002. “We are part of it.”
Bringing Gombe to the world
His research gained fame through films and National Geographic magazines. In 1965, the CBS special “Miss Goodall and the world of chimpanzees” introduced his beloved chimpanzees into living rooms across America. In the 1970s, his books such as In the shadow of man (1971) cemented her reputation as a scientist and storyteller.
With his fame came cultural influence. She became a role model for women entering science, a field from which they were once largely absent. When she began her career, only about 7% of scientists were women; By 2011, that figure had risen to 26%, a change his institute attributes in part to his pioneering presence.
In later years, it even inspired toys: in 2022, Mattel released a Jane Goodall Barbie, dressed in khaki and holding binoculars, made from sustainable plastics. “Throughout my entire career, I have wanted to inspire children to be curious and explore the world.” he said at that time.
From scientist to activist
In the 1980s, Jane realized that science alone would not save the chimpanzees. Habitat destruction was accelerating and poaching threatened entire populations. So he left the forest to become a conservationist and global activist.
The Jane Goodall Institute expanded from Gombe to become a global movement, and its Roots & Shoots program empowered young people from more than 100 countries to take action for the planet. He traveled up to 300 days a year well into his 80s and 90s.
She spoke not only for wildlife but also for the planet itself. In 2019, he warned, “We are in danger. We have a window of time. I’m pretty sure we do. But we have to take action.”
Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, he pointed to human behavior as the root cause of zoonotic outbreaks: “We have disrespected the natural world. We have brought animals into closer contact with humans…creating a perfect environment for viruses to jump species.”
His defense extended to unexpected areas. In 2022, it partnered with Apple to promote technology recycling, urging consumers to reduce waste and protect ecosystems from destructive mining.
“It is possible to make money without destroying the planet” she said. “We have come so far in destroying the planet that it is shocking.”
A life of family and loss
Goodall married wildlife photographer Hugo van Lawick in 1964. They had a son, Hugo Eric Louis, nicknamed “Grub”. Although they divorced in 1974, their work together left a lasting legacy in both film and science. Van Lawick died in 2002.
In 1975 she married Derek Bryceson, director of Tanzania’s national parks, who died of cancer in 1980. She never remarried and dedicated herself to her work.
Honest, but always humble
Throughout her life, Goodall wrote more than 30 books, including Reason for hope: a spiritual journey (1999) and The book of hope (2021). She received the Templeton Prize, was named a Dame of the British Empire, and was awarded the US Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2025. However, she remained modest and often marveled at her own unexpected path. “It never ceases to amaze me that there is this person who travels and does all these things. And it’s me. I don’t look like me at all.” he said in 2014.
The hope you leave behind
To the end, Jane insisted that hope was essential. “Yes, there is hope… It’s in our hands, it’s in your hands and mine and our children’s hands. It’s really up to us.” she said.
Her legacy lives on not only in scientific history but also in every conservationist, student, and child who learned from her that our shared planet is worth protecting.
The girl who once dreamed of Africa became the woman who changed the world. And he left us the lesson that compassion, curiosity and hope are the tools that can still save you.
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