Jane Goodall, The Renowned English Primatologist And Conservationist, Has Died At The Age Of 91
Goodall had dedicated 65 years of her life to the study of chimpanzees and other primates, setting herself apart as the leading researcher on the topic.
Renowned English primatologist and conservationist Dame Jane Goodall has died at the age of 91.
Her institution made the announcement that she had died of natural causes on Wednesday, Oct. 1 in California, where she had been staying as part of her speaking tour.
Her institution said Goodall worked tirelessly to “raise awareness about threats to wildlife, promote conservation, and inspire a more harmonious, sustainable relationship between people, animals and the natural world”.
Goodall had dedicated 65 years of her life to the study of chimpanzees and other primates, setting herself apart as the leading researcher on the topic.
Her journey into the animal kingdom started in 1960 when she arrived in Gombe, Tanzania, to work for the British anthropologist Louis Leakey, following her passion for animals and Africa.
Her time in Gombe led to one of her best known discoveries that chimpanzees use tools, an activity previously believed to be exclusive to humans, helping redefine what it means to be human.
Following her observations, she was admitted to Cambridge University’s PhD program, becoming one of the few people to be accepted into the program without obtaining an undergraduate degree.
She also humanized the study of primates, giving chimpanzees names rather than numbers, according to Reuters.
In 1977, she established the Jane Goodall Institute, which was particularly focused on protecting chimpanzees and their wildlife habitat.
She founded the Roots and Shoots program in 1991 to empower young people to work on environmental, conservation and humanitarian issues.
In her later years, she devoted her life to education and advocacy on humanitarian causes and protecting the environment, according to AP.
Her work has also inspired many women to take up the field of primatology, previously dominated by men.
Goodall has received multiple awards and recognitions, including the United Nations Messenger of Peace in 2002, the title of Dame Commander of the British Empire (DBE) in 2004 and the US Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2025.
You Might Also Be Interested In
Sissi Yi Hu
Sofia Hou
