Dr. Jane Goodall, the pioneering primatologist and conservationist whose groundbreaking research in Tanzania redefined humanity’s understanding of its closest living relatives, has died at the age of 91.
Her passing was confirmed by the Jane Goodall Institute, which announced she died of natural causes on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, while in California for a speaking tour. A UN Messenger of Peace and founder of the institute, Goodall was a tireless advocate for the protection of the natural world.
Goodall’s legacy began in July 1960 when, at 26 years old, she first ventured into what is now Gombe Stream National Park to study chimpanzees in their natural habitat. Her patient observation revealed that chimpanzees possess complex social structures, develop individual personalities, and have the ability to make and use tools—discoveries that revolutionized ethology and challenged long-held scientific beliefs about the uniqueness of humankind.
In a 2020 interview, Goodall recalled that one of her most surprising early findings was simply “how like us” the chimpanzees were. She noted their capacity for affectionate gestures like “kissing, embracing, holding hands,” but also for complex social dynamics that included both altruism and brutal, war-like violence. Her work demonstrated a deep emotional and cognitive continuity between humans and other primates.
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