Jane Goodall dies aged 91

Jane Goodall became famous for observing that chimpanzees displayed rational thought and emotions - Michael Neugebauer

Jane Goodall has died at the age of 91.

The zoologist and anthropologist, who was considered to be the world’s leading expert on chimpanzees, died of natural causes during a speaking tour in California.

Her institute said in an Instagram post on Wednesday: “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.

“She was in California as part of her speaking tour in the United States.

“Dr Goodall’s discoveries as an ethologist revolutionised science, and she was a tireless advocate for the protection and restoration of our natural world.”

Goodall was born on April 3, 1934, in Hampstead, London, before later moving to Bournemouth where she attended Uplands School.

Goodall appears on a CBS television show from Gombe national park in 1965 - CBS

Her father gave her a stuffed toy chimpanzee named Jubilee as an alternative to a teddy bear, which the primatologist believed sparked her fondness for animals.

She first visited Africa on a trip to the farm of a friend in the Kenya highlands in 1957.

Goodall then came into contact with Louis Leakey, a Kenyan archaeologist and palaeontologist, to discuss animals.

After studying primate behaviour and anatomy in London in 1958, she raised funds to go to Gombe in 1960.

Goodall raised funds to go to Gombe where she visited and her Institute continues to fund research in the region - CBS

Following her time in Tanzania, Mr Leakey arranged funding for Goodall, who did not have a degree, to attend the University of Cambridge, then just the eighth person to study for a PhD at Cambridge without a prior bachelor’s degree.

Her thesis was completed in 1966 and she then spent more time in Africa.

She became famous for observing that chimpanzees displayed rational thought and emotions such as joy and sorrow, as well as actions like hugs, kisses, tickling and pats on the back, similar to human bonds that develop between family and close friends.

Goodall also noted that primates were capable of using tools to effectively “fish” for termites, highlighting their capacity and omnivore nature.

In 1977, she established the Jane Goodall Institute, which continues to support the Gombe research.

Goodall became famous for observing that chimpanzees displayed rational thought and emotions - Hulton Archive

Goodall campaigned extensively on conservation and animal welfare issues, founding the Roots and Shoots group in 1991, which gave young people the opportunity to work on environmental, conservation and humanitarian issues.

In April 2002, she was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace, and from 2022 she served on the board of the Nonhuman Rights Project, which seeks to change the legal status of animals from property to persons.

Her institute said: “With deepest sorrow, we share the news that Dr. Jane Goodall, our founder, mentor, and friend, has passed away.”

“Jane changed the way the world understands animals, people, and the natural world.

“From her groundbreaking discoveries at Gombe to her tireless work for conservation and peace, she inspired millions with her courage, compassion, and unwavering hope.

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“Her vision lives on through the Jane Goodall Institute and Roots and Shoots, in the countless young people she empowered, and in the hearts of everyone moved by her message: that every one of us has the power to make a difference.

“Today is a profoundly sad day for the planet. But Jane’s light continues in all of us.

“We invite you to share your memories, tributes, and reflections in her honour. Together, we will keep her legacy alive.

“Rest peacefully, Jane. Thank you for showing us the way.”

Naturalist and TV presenter Chris Packham said the conservationist was “remarkable” and described her work as “revolutionary”.

He told the BBC: “I read Jane Goodall’s books, and I put those people on a pedestal. I worshipped what they did.

“You know, they were enormously inspirational. They were heroes. Frankly, that’s what they were. They were absolute heroes. And to have lost a hero at a time when we need all of them on the front line fighting for the future of life on Earth, it is a tragedy.”

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