Dr Jane Goodall, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace, was a remarkable example of courage and conviction, working tirelessly throughout her life to raise awareness about threats to wildlife, promote conservation, and inspire a more harmonious, sustainable relationship between people, animals and the natural world.
With great sadness, the Jane Goodall Institute confirmed this morning the passing of the organization’s founder, Dr. Jane Goodall, age 91 who died peacefully in her sleep and of natural causes while in Los Angeles, CA while on her speaking tour in the United States.
Dr. Goodall’s life and work not only made an indelible mark on our understanding of chimpanzees and other species, but also of humankind and the environments we all share. She inspired curiosity, hope and compassion in countless people around the world, and paved the way for many others – particularly young people who gave her hope for the future.
In 1960 Dr. Goodall established the longest running wild chimpanzee study in Gombe National Park, Tanzania which continues to this day. She pioneered and sustained the Jane Goodall Institute’s community-centered conservation initiatives across the chimpanzee range for decades. Her legacy includes the creation of JGI’s international environmental and humanitarian youth program Roots & Shoots which is actively driving change in nearly 75 countries around the world.
The groundbreaking scientific discoveries and methods established by Dr. Goodall are expansive and helped to remove barriers for women in science and other fields. Jane’s breakthrough and most famed observation of tool-use in non-human animals is known as the moment that “redefined humankind”. This finding was followed by many others during her research of wild chimpanzees, including the existence of strong mother-infant bonds, meat-eating and hunting, primitive warfare, altruism, and compassion. Jane’s findings also influenced fields of human health, evolution, and ecology. Her passion and ingenuity made Jane a singular figure in scientific and philosophical thought.
Having served as a UN Messenger of Peace since 2002, Dr. Goodall’s recent efforts were marked by her tireless commitment to sharing her message of hope and inspiring individuals around the world to take action and make a difference, every day. As a fierce advocate, she supported innumerable causes and organisations over her lifetime, using her platform to support human rights, animal welfare, species and environmental protection, and many other crucial issues. Her podcast The Hopecast reached millions, and she travelled approximately 300 days a year inspiring audience worldwide with her reasons for hope.
Jane’s vision-turned-mission lives on as the Jane Goodall Institute, which has chapters in 25 countries around the world. The global organization will continue to uphold and expand Dr. Goodall’s holistic approach to involve local communities in conservation efforts using the latest science and technology to promote understanding, conservation, and welfare of wild and captive apes. The Roots & Shoots program, one of Dr Jane’s most beloved initiatives, will continue to empower young people to live as compassionate citizens, and become our much-needed future conservation leaders.
The Jane Goodall Institute is incredibly grateful to all our supporters, partners, and friends, especially during this difficult time. To add a personal remembrance of Dr. Goodall and continue her legacy for future generations, please visit our “Remembering Jane” page at the button below.
About Dr. Jane Goodall
Jane Goodall was born on April 3, 1934, in London England. At the young age of 26, she followed her passion for African wildlife to Gombe, Tanzania, where she began her landmark study of chimpanzees in the wild, immersing herself in their habitat as a neighbor rather than a distant observer. Her discovery in 1960 that chimpanzees make and use tools rocked the scientific world and redefined the relationship between humans and animals. In 1977, she established the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) to advance her work around the world and for generations to come. JGI continues the field research at Gombe and builds on Dr. Jane’s innovative approach to conservation, which recognises the central role that people play in the well-being of animals and the environment. In 1991, she created Roots & Shoots, a global program that guides young people in 75 countries in becoming compassionate citizens and leaders in their daily lives. Prior to her recent passing, Dr. Goodall traveled the world nearly 300 days a year, speaking about the threats facing wildlife, environmental crises and her reasons for hope. In her books and speeches, she emphasized the interconnectedness of all living things and the collective power of individual action. Dr. Goodall was a UN Messenger of Peace and a Dame Commander of the British Empire. Most recently, she received the United States’ Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2025, for her contributions to science and tireless advocacy for our planet.
About the Jane Goodall Institute
The Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) is a global community conservation organisation that advances the vision and work of Dr. Jane Goodall. By protecting chimpanzees and inspiring action to conserve the natural world we all share, we improve the lives of people, animals, and the environment. Founded in 1977 by Dr. Jane Goodall, JGI makes a difference through community-centered conservation and the innovative use of science and technology. JGI works closely with local communities around the world, inspiring hope through the collective power of individual action. Through Roots & Shoots, JGI’s youth-led community action and learning program, young people in nearly 75 countries are acquiring the knowledge and skills to become compassionate conservation leaders in their own backyards.
Image credits, in order of appearance: Marko Zlousic, Katherine Holland, Hugo van Lawick, Norman Jean Roy, JGI/Eric Guzzetta, Robert Ratzer, Michael Neugebauer.
