Dr. Jane Goodall has died. The famed primatologist and conservationist was 91 years old when she passed away from natural causes. The news was shared by the conservation institute she founded with the following post on social media:
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 revolutionized science, and she was a tireless advocate for the protection and restoration of our natural world.
At 26, Goodall went to Tanzania and began a lifetime of research on chimpanzees in the world. Her studies proved that primates display an array of behaviors that are quite similar to humans. This included the ability to communicate, develop individual personalities, and even make and utilize their own tools.
In 2020, Goodall told ABC News how “how like us” Chimpanzees are. “Their behavior, with their gestures, kissing, embracing, holding hands and patting on the back,” she said. “…The fact that they can actually be violent and brutal and have a kind of war, but also loving and altruistic.
The Jane Goodall Institute, founded in 1977, is now the longest-running study of wild chimpanzees. Her work and influence have reached far beyond the institute. Throughout her life and career, she has impacted generations of people and inspired a love of Chimpanzees and the natural world. “My entire career, I’ve wanted to help inspire kids to be curious and explore the world around them,” Goodall said in a statement when her likeness was used as a Barbie doll.
She has also been a strong proponent of conservation. She has done this through multiple efforts, including the Disney Conservation Fund. “I was one of many young people inspired by Dr. Jane to believe in the power I had to make a difference for animals, people and nature” said Claire Martin, Senior Manager, Strategic Philanthropy, Disney Social Responsibility, when Goodall turned 90.
In 2012, the Jane Goodall Institute was the conservation partner for the Disneynature film Chimpanzee, and Dr. Goodall served as an ambassador for Disneynature. Dr. Goodall was also an honoree at the Disney Kids and Nature Celebration in 2012, helping to launch a commitment that led Disney to provide more than 35 million nature experiences to kids and families through the next five years. Dr. Goodall also helped launch Disney Planet Possible, a voice for a commitment to hope and optimism as Disney works to create a healthier planet for people and wildlife.
Throughout all of these new initiatives through the years, Goodall continued to research Chimpanzees. In 2020, she said, “They’re still teaching us.” There is still much to learn about “our closest-living relatives,” she said.
The Jane Goodall Institute continues the work of preserving Chimpanzees and their environment. More information can be found at JaneGoodall.global.
