Renowned primatologist Jane Goodall dies at 91 in California

Jane Goodall, the world-renowned primatologist and leading expert on chimpanzees, has died at the age of 91. According to a statement released by the Jane Goodall Institute, she passed away on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, of natural causes while in California for a scheduled speaking tour across the United States. She was due to appear at UCLA in Los Angeles later this week.

Goodall’s groundbreaking work transformed the field of primatology, beginning with her 1960 discovery that chimpanzees could make and use tools—an observation that redefined humanity's understanding of animal intelligence. A protégé of famed anthropologist Louis S.B. Leakey, Goodall first traveled to Kenya in 1957 before launching her pioneering research in Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park.

Unlike other researchers of her time, Goodall was known for naming the chimpanzees she observed, rather than assigning them numbers, fostering a deeper recognition of their individual personalities and social dynamics. Over the years, she became the only human fully accepted into a chimpanzee community.

Her life and work were the subject of over 40 documentaries, including the acclaimed 2017 film Jane, which drew from 140 hours of never-before-seen National Geographic footage. The documentary received two Primetime Emmys and several other accolades. In 2023, Jane Goodall: Reasons for Hope, an IMAX release, highlighted her recent efforts in habitat restoration.

Beyond research, Goodall was a tireless advocate for environmental and animal welfare causes. In 1977, she founded the Jane Goodall Institute to support conservation and scientific work. She also launched the Roots & Shoots program to engage youth in activism and created TACARE, a community-centered development initiative in Africa.

Goodall continued her mission through global lectures, raising awareness on issues ranging from wildlife conservation to climate change. Her legacy as a scientist, humanitarian, and advocate remains immeasurable.