Jane Goodall, trailblazing primatologist and conservationist, dies at 91

THE GLOBAL conservation community is paying tribute to British primatologist and environmental champion Dr Jane Goodall, who died on October 1, at the age of 91. The Jane Goodall Institute confirmed that she passed away from natural causes in Los Angeles, California, while on a speaking tour — a testament to her lifelong commitment to inspiring action for the planet.

Goodall rose to prominence in the 1960s for her groundbreaking fieldwork with wild chimpanzees in what is now Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania. She overturned long-held scientific beliefs by documenting chimpanzees using tools, showing complex emotions, and forming intricate social bonds once thought to be uniquely human. Her decades-long study at Gombe became the world’s longest continuous observation of wild chimpanzees.

Over time, Goodall moved beyond research to global advocacy. She founded the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977, developed a community-centred conservation model linking wildlife protection with human well-being, and launched the Roots & Shoots youth movement in 1991 to encourage young people to protect animals, people, and the environment.

Her work earned some of the world’s highest honours, including being named a UN Messenger of Peace in 2002 and receiving the title Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2004. She also inspired generations through bestselling books such as In the Shadow of Man and The Book of Hope.

In a statement, the United Nations praised Goodall’s “extraordinary” life of service and her role in shaping modern conservation and environmental ethics. Around the world, scientists, activists and admirers have hailed her enduring message that “every individual can make a difference.”