Jane Goodall, Renowned Chimpanzee Researcher, Dies at 91
Dr. Jane Goodall, world-renowned for her groundbreaking research on wild chimpanzees in Tanzania, has died at age 91, the Jane Goodall Institute announced Wednesday. She passed away of natural causes in California.
“Dr. Goodall’s discoveries revolutionized science, and she was a tireless advocate for nature,” the institute said. “Her light continues in all of us.”
Goodall recently spoke at New York Climate Week and was on a U.S. speaking tour, with appearances scheduled in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.
Her decades-long work beginning in the 1960s revealed chimpanzees use tools, eat meat, and have complex social behaviors. Her immersive, empathetic approach—naming chimpanzees instead of numbering them—challenged scientific norms and reshaped how humans view animals.
She was also a UN Messenger of Peace, a vegan, and an advocate for animal rights. PETA praised her legacy and plans to plant a tree in her honor.
Goodall received top honors from around the world, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2025 and the Templeton Prize in 2021.