We have lost one of the world’s strongest advocates for animals and the environment.
Jane Goodall, a famous primatologist, ethologist, and wildlife conservationist, died on October 1, 2025, at the age of 91.
The Jane Goodall Institute claimed that she died of natural causes when she was in California giving talks. This is an appropriate end to her life’s work to inspire others to care about the environment.
Since Goodall died, people all across the world have been paying their respects. People from all walks of life, including scientists, international leaders, environmental activists, and even normal people who were moved by her words, have said that her death marked the end of an era. But it also starts a legacy that has changed how people view their relationship with nature.
The Beginning of a Great Journey
People know her stories and the things she finds. In 1960, when she was only 26 years old, she left her home in England and traveled to the woods of Gombe Stream in what is now Tanzania. At the time, it was very rare for a young lady without a college degree to go on a scientific expedition, especially in a field like primatology that was predominantly male. But Goodall’s determination, curiosity, and patience would make a big difference in the world.
She didn’t only see wild chimpanzees as subjects; she was very interested in their lives. She thought of them as people with their own thoughts, feelings, and personalities. Her early research demonstrated that chimpanzees used twigs with the leaves stripped off to “fish” termites out of mounds. Scientists were surprised by this discovery. People have always believed that utilizing tools made them human. One anthropologist said, “We must now redefine man, redefine tool, or accept chimpanzees as human” when she made her findings public.
Giving chimpanzees numbers instead of names was popular at the time, but Goodall was the first to do it. She wrote about how they were friends, how they fought, how they loved each other, and how they were sad. This made the line between people and other species less clear in a way that was both scientific and very nice.
Making a mark all around the world
She obtained her Ph.D. in ethology from Cambridge University. She was one of the few people who did this at the time without a college degree. Goodall’s influence extended significantly beyond academia. She created the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977 to perform research, conserve animals, and teach people. around time, it grew into a global network that not only helped conserve chimpanzees, but also worked with people all around the world to promote living in peace with environment.
She might have been most proud of Roots & Shoots, a program for kids that she created in 1991. The purpose was simple but important: to provide young people the tools they needed to make things better for animals, people, and the environment. Roots & Shoots is currently active in over 60 countries and encourages hundreds of thousands of young people to take action.
A tireless advocate in her latter years
Even when she was in her 90s, Goodall never ceased working hard. She gave speeches at universities, conferences, and other public events, and she traveled a lot. She believed that stories could affect how people thought and felt, and she always told people that they had a duty to protect the Earth.
The last years of her life were a great sign of how she lived her life. She went to California to give talks as part of her duty to disseminate optimism and awareness. The Jane Goodall Institute said that Jane “never stopped believing that change was possible.” This showed how much she needed to do things in her life. She never stopped working to protect the environment and provide the next generation the tools they need to make the world a better place.
People from all around the world are paying their respects.
Leonardo DiCaprio, an actor and environmental activist, presented one of the most moving tributes. Goodall and DiCaprio had both been UN Messengers of Peace and had worked together to solve problems with the environment. DiCaprio called her “my hero” on Instagram and requested his fans to honor her memory by donating to the Jane Goodall Institute.
DiCaprio said, “Jane Goodall spent her whole life protecting the Earth and speaking up for the animals and ecosystems that live there.” “Her groundbreaking research on chimpanzees in Tanzania changed the way we think about how our closest relatives live, talk to each other, and believe.” She offered millions of people hope, love, and the will to act.
They just finished working together on Howl, a live-action movie that will come out soon. It tells the narrative of survival from the point of view of a wolf and a dog. Goodall believed that telling tales made people feel more sorry for animals, and this project was a great example of that.
How it affects culture and science
People who work for news organizations and groups that protect the environment have remarked that Goodall’s work transformed the globe. Her early discoveries regarding chimpanzees using tools changed the way schools taught, making it easier for pupils to learn about how animals thought and act. Goodall wrote on how chimpanzees felt and how they got along with each other, which helped break down the barriers that keep people and other animals apart.
Goodall also become a well-known person in the culture. Her movies, interviews, and books touched millions of individuals who might not have read a scientific journal. She wrote more than 20 books, including as memoirs, scholastic works, and children’s stories. Movies like Jane (2017) and The Hope (2020) taught us a lot about her life and work. They made her an even bigger symbol of hope and a scientist.
The Human Side of a Legend
People knew Goodall was famous, but they also knew she was nice and humble. She was honest about her challenges, such as prosopagnosia (facial blindness), which made it hard for her to remember people she had met before. What she said and did, nevertheless, brought her very close to other people.
Hugo Her son Eric Louis van Lawick is still living. He is the son of her marriage to Dutch wildlife photographer Hugo van Lawick. She also has three grandchildren. Goodall’s family was always there for her, even when she was working in other countries.
The Lasting Message of Hope
One of the best things about Jane Goodall’s legacy is that she always saw the good in things. She never tried to hide the big problems that the world was having, such climate change, loss of habitat, and extinction of species. Instead, she always told them not to give up and to have hope. She used to say, “Everyone is important.” “Everyone matters.” These words have been a guiding mantra for environmentalists for a long time.
Even if she is no longer here, her message will carry on. Many of the groups she created, including the Jane Goodall Institute and Roots & Shoots, will keep going. Her legacy lives on in the hearts of the millions of people who heard her speak, read her books, or just saw how hard she worked.
Last Thoughts
Jane Goodall passed away at the age of 91, marking the conclusion of one of the most extraordinary lives of the 20th and 21st centuries. From the first time she went into the Gombe jungles until the final day she spoke on the lecture circuit, she strove to learn about, protect, and stand up for wildlife. She changed science, told people to fight for what they believe in, and reminded them of their obligation to the planet.
People all throughout the world may be sad that she died, but they are also glad that she lived. People who believe, like she did, that there is always hope if we are willing to do something will remember her.
