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Jane Goodall, Pioneering Primatologist, Dies at 91

Goodall's discoveries challenged our definition of humanity. Her legacy continues through the Jane Goodall Institute and Roots & Shoots program.

On the left side there is a chimpanzee. In the background it is blurred.
On the left side there is a chimpanzee. In the background it is blurred.

Jane Goodall, Pioneering Primatologist, Dies at 91

Renowned primatologist Jane Goodall, a global icon and United Nations Messenger of Peace, has passed away at the age of 91. Her groundbreaking work with chimpanzees in Tanzania's Gombe Stream National Park revolutionised our understanding of animals and humans.

Born in London, Goodall's fascination with animals began in her childhood backyard. This curiosity led her to Tanzania in the 1960s, where she was chosen by renowned anthropologist Louis Leakey to study chimpanzees. Goodall's open mind and patience proved invaluable, as she documented chimps using and making tools, challenging the definition of what it means to be human.

Goodall named the chimps she observed, a practice unheard of at the time, and spoke of animals having emotions and cultures. Her most famous observation involved chimps fishing for termites using sticks, a behaviour previously thought exclusive to humans. These discoveries altered our understanding of the animal kingdom and our place within it.

Goodall's legacy lives on through the Jane Goodall Institute and the Roots & Shoots program, which engage people in conservation and teach children about connections between people, animals, and the environment. Her influence extends to Mireya Mayor, a primatologist who followed in her footsteps to become a wildlife correspondent for National Geographic. Jane Goodall passed away on October 1, 2025, in California, USA, leaving behind a profound impact on the world of science and conservation.

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