• Jane Goodall, the esteemed primatologist, has passed away at the age of 91 in California.
• She was celebrated for her groundbreaking research on chimpanzees, revealing their complex behaviors and tool use.
• Goodall was a tireless advocate for wildlife conservation and environmental protection, inspiring millions globally.
• She founded the Jane Goodall Institute, promoting research and education on primates and sustainable practices.
• Goodall worked nearly 300 days a year into her 90s, delivering messages of hope for the natural world.

Jane Goodall, the renowned British primatologist and conservationist, passed away on October 1, 2025, at the age of 91. Her death was confirmed by the Jane Goodall Institute, which announced that she died of natural causes while on a speaking tour in California. Goodall was best known for her groundbreaking research on chimpanzees, which began in 1960 when she studied the primates in Tanzania's Gombe Stream National Park, where she documented their tool-making abilities and complex social behaviors, challenging long-held beliefs about the distinctions between humans and animals, according to LA Times, HuffPost, and ABC News.

Throughout her six-decade career, Goodall made significant contributions to ethology and wildlife conservation, emphasizing the emotional and social complexity of chimpanzees. She famously observed a chimpanzee named David Greybeard using a twig to fish for termites, a finding that challenged the notion that only humans could use tools. Her insights laid the foundation for understanding primate behavior and human evolution, according to Reuters, SFGate, and CBS News.

In 1977, she founded the Jane Goodall Institute, focusing on conservation, research, and community education to protect chimpanzees and their habitats. Additional initiatives such as Roots & Shoots have empowered young people globally to engage in conservation efforts. Goodall's activism in the 1980s and beyond highlighted issues such as habitat destruction and the ethical treatment of animals, fostering a culture of sustainability, as reported by Al Jazeera, Channel News Asia, and Africanews.

Goodall was not just a scientist but also a powerful communicator. She spoke to packed auditoriums worldwide, delivering messages filled with hope about humanity's role in caring for the planet. Even into her 90s, she traveled extensively to advocate for climate action and conservation, embodying her belief that everyone can make a difference. "Each individual has a role to play, and every one of us makes some impact on the planet every single day," Goodall said in her final speeches, according to India Times, Channel News Asia, and Channel News Asia.