Jane Goodall, Legendary Chimpanzee Researcher, Dead at 91

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Dr. Jane Goodall, a world-renowned expert on chimpanzees, a champion for animal welfare, and a dedicated conservationist, has died. She was 91 years old when she passed away.

The Jane Goodall Institute shared the sad news of the passing of its founder, Dr. Jane Goodall, earlier today, Wednesday, October 1, 2025. According to a statement released by the organization, Dr. Goodall DBE, a UN Messenger of Peace, died peacefully of natural causes while in California for a speaking engagement in the United States. The Institute highlighted that Dr. Goodall’s groundbreaking work as an ethologist fundamentally changed the field of science, and she passionately dedicated her life to protecting and restoring the environment. She was a tireless advocate for our planet.

Valerie Jane Morris-Goodall, known as Jane Goodall, was born on April 3, 1934, in Hampstead, London. Her parents were Mortimer Herbert Morris Goodall and Margaret Myfanwe Joseph. According to her official biography on the Institute’s website, she developed a strong interest in animals, particularly chimpanzees, when she was a child. She transformed this early passion into a remarkable and well-known career.

Goodell started her remarkable career in 1960, traveling to what is now Tanzania to study chimpanzees. According to the Jane Goodall Institute, she arrived with only binoculars, a notebook, and a strong passion for animals. Once she started her research, she dedicated her life to it. For 65 years, she continued working as both an ethologist – someone who studies animal behavior – and an activist. This included establishing the organization named after her in 1977, and all her research and advocacy were for chimpanzees, other animals, and the environment.

Jane Goodall has been married two times. She and her first husband, Hugo van Lawick, had a son named Hugo Eric Louis. Sadly, her second husband, Derek Bryceson, died in 1980.

Following her passing, people have also remembered her wit and kindness. However, it’s her dedication to the natural world that will truly keep her memory alive for generations to come.

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2025-10-01 22:33