The world has lost a trailblazing legend.
Oh my gosh, I can’t believe it! Jane Goodall, you know, the absolute legend – the anthropologist, ethologist, primatologist, and the most incredible conservation activist ever – has passed away. Her organization just confirmed it. She was 91! I’ve been following her work my entire life, and it feels like losing a personal hero. It’s just… heartbreaking. I mean, she *was* everything to me and so many others!
The Jane Goodall Institute announced this morning, Wednesday, October 1, 2025, that Dr. Jane Goodall DBE, a UN Messenger of Peace and the Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, has died peacefully of natural causes, according to a statement posted on Facebook. She was in California while on a speaking tour across the United States.
The statement went on to say, “Dr. Goodall’s work as an animal behavior expert dramatically changed the field of science, and she consistently worked hard to protect and heal our planet’s environment.”
Jane Goodall was born in London in 1934 and became well-known in the 1960s for her groundbreaking work studying chimpanzees in the wild in Tanzania. Her research provided valuable insights into the behavior of primates and how they interact with each other. After initially studying primates in the late 1950s and early 1960s, she went on to become one of only eight people to earn a Ph.D. from Cambridge University without first completing a bachelor’s degree.
The world has lost a trailblazing legend.
Dr. Jane Goodall, a well-known scientist who studied humans, animals, and primates, and was a passionate advocate for protecting nature, has passed away, according to the organization she founded. She was 91 years old.
The Jane Goodall Institute announced this morning, Wednesday, October 1, 2025, that Dr. Jane Goodall DBE, a UN Messenger of Peace and the Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, has died peacefully of natural causes, according to a statement posted on Facebook. She was in California while traveling for a speaking engagement in the United States.
The statement went on to say, “Dr. Goodall’s work as an animal behavior expert dramatically changed the field of science, and she consistently worked hard to protect and heal our planet’s environment.”
Born in London in 1934, Jane Goodall became well-known in the 1960s for her groundbreaking work studying chimpanzees in the wild in Tanzania. Her research significantly improved our understanding of primate behavior and social connections. Following her initial studies of primates in the late 1950s and early 1960s, she earned her Ph.D. from Cambridge, becoming only the eighth person to do so without first completing a bachelor’s degree.
Over the following years, she remained dedicated to supporting animal welfare and environmental causes.
“I believe I was sent to this world with a purpose,” Jane Goodall-mother to son Hugo “Grub” Eric Louis van Lawick, 58, with her first husband, Baron Hugo van Lawick-shared with Alex Cooper on the May 21st episode of the Call Her Daddy podcast. This was one of her last interviews, conducted just a day before her 91st birthday. “We are facing difficult times, and the main issue is that people are losing their optimism.”
She went on to explain, “A lot of people tell me they feel overwhelmed when they see everything that’s wrong in the world and feel like they can’t make a difference. I always respond by saying, ‘You might not be able to fix all the world’s problems, but what about your own neighborhood or town? Is there anything you can do to help there?'”
When asked what sparked her passion, Goodall explained that she’s “been an animal lover since birth,” a feeling that was strengthened by reading books such as The Story of Doctor Dolittle and Tarzan of the Apes.
“What did Tarzan do?” she said with a laugh. “He married the wrong Jane.” She continued, “That’s when I first dreamed of my future. I imagined growing up, traveling to Africa, living amongst wild animals, and becoming an author.”
She explained that others often rejected her ideas, calling them “ridiculous.” However, her mother, Margaret “Vanne” Morris-Goodall, always believed in her. Her mother passed away at the age of 94 in 2000. (She was also preceded in death by her second husband, Derek Bryceson, who died at 57 after fighting cancer in 1980.)
She told me, ‘If you’re truly committed to achieving something like this, you’ll need to put in a lot of effort. Make the most of every chance you get. And if you persevere, you’ll likely succeed.’ That’s the message I share globally, especially with communities facing hardship. I wish my mother were still here to hear it, and maybe she is listening now.
Her influence lives on through her grandchildren, Angel van Lawick, Merlin van Lawick, and Nick van Lawick, who are the three children of Grub and his wife, Maria van Lawick.
“My grandmother doesn’t pressure us to achieve anything,” Angel explained to The Press Democrat back in 2014. “She simply encourages us, saying, ‘Don’t ever give up. If there’s something you truly desire, pursue it.’”
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2025-10-01 23:19