Dr. Jane Goodall, the legendary British primatologist, conservationist, and founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, passed away at the age of 91 due to natural causes, the institute announced on social media on Wednesday, October 1, 2025. She was in California at the time as part of her speaking tour in the United States. “The Jane Goodall Institute has learned this morning, Wednesday, October 1, 2025, that Dr. Jane Goodall DBE, UN Messenger of Peace and Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, has passed away due to natural causes,” the institute said. Goodall, whose groundbreaking work transformed the field of primatology, first ventured to Tanzania at the age of 26 to study chimpanzees in the wild. Her research proved that primates display behaviors remarkably similar to humans, including communication, individual personalities, and the ability to make and use tools. Her discoveries as an ethologist “revolutionized science, and she was a tireless advocate for the protection and restoration of our natural world,” the institute said. Goodall later earned a PhD in ethology from the University of Cambridge, with her thesis documenting the first five years of her study at the Gombe Stream Reserve. In 1977, she co-founded the Jane Goodall Institute with Genevieve di San Faustino. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in 25 cities worldwide, the institute works to improve the treatment and understanding of primates through public education and legal representation. Goodall’s work earned her both scientific recognition and global fame. She is credited with inspiring generations of women to pursue careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). According to the Jane Goodall Institute, the number of women in STEM has grown from 7% in 1970 to 26% by 2011. In April 2002, Goodall was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace. Even in her 80s and 90s, she remained active in advocating for environmental conservation and sustainable practices around the world. Her passing marks the end of an era in primatology and environmental advocacy, leaving behind a legacy of scientific achievement and tireless dedication to the natural world.
