Renowned conservationist and chimpanzee expert Jane Goodall dies aged 91

A post on her Facebook page said: "The Jane Goodall Institute has learned this morning, Wednesday, October 1, 2025, that Dr. Jane Goodall DBE, UN Messenger of Peace and Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute has passed away due to natural causes.

"She was in California as part of her speaking tour in the United States.

"Dr. Goodall's discoveries as an ethologist revolutionized science, and she was a tireless advocate for the protection and restoration of our natural world."

In July 1960, at the age of 26, Dr. Goodall travelled from England to what is now Tanzania and ventured into the little-known world of wild chimpanzees.

She took an unorthodox approach in her field research, immersing herself in their habitat and their lives to experience their complex society as a neighbour rather than a distant observer.

She observed a chimpanzee named David Greybeard make a tool from twigs and use it to fish termites from a nest, a ground-breaking observation that challenged the definition of humans as the single species capable of making tools.

In 1977 she founded the Jane Goodall Institute, which works to protect the species and supports youth projects aimed at benefiting animals and the environment.

In 2002 she was handed a prominent United Nations role when she became a Messenger of Peace.

Chris Packham paid tribute to Dr. Goodall, calling her a "brilliant" and "remarkable woman".

He told Pip Tomson on LBC News: "She was a remarkable woman. She went into Africa virtually alone... She entered a field, primatology, at the time that was entirely governed by men.

"She found out so much, so much more quickly because of her gentle immersion into that group of chimpanzees and the way that she dedicatedly observed very precisely all of their behaviour.

"She was a very powerful and important voice, and we've just lost that voice. And that is a tragedy.

"What it means is that people like myself and all of the other advocates for nature will have to set our alarms five minutes earlier tomorrow and get up and try and in some small way, step into her shoes when it comes to trying to change people's minds, to advocate for a safer and more sustainable future on the planet."

Through nearly 60 years of groundbreaking work, Dr. Goodall championed the need to protect chimpanzees from extinction.

She also redefined species conservation to include the needs of local people and the environment.

Most recently, she travelled the world speaking about the threats facing chimpanzees and environmental crises, urging action on behalf of all living things and planet we share.

The British primatologist took to the Greenpeace stage at Glastonbury Festival last year and spoke about the planet, loss of biodiversity and climate change in a speech where she also acknowledged that “young people are still losing hope”.

In a statement, the Greenpeace’s co-executive director in the UK, Will McCallum, said: “We’re heartbroken to learn that Dr Jane Goodall has passed away. She was one of the true conservation giants of our time.

“We were lucky enough to host her at the Greenpeace Glastonbury field last year, where she charmed the audience with her vast knowledge of our primate cousins’ lives.

“Not only did her pioneering research transform our understanding of chimpanzees and their habitat, but she became a tireless advocate for the protection of wildlife and forests, inspiring millions to act.

“Dr Goodall’s legacy is not only in science but in the global movement she helped spark to protect nature and give hope for a better world.

“It’s now incumbent upon all of us to honour her legacy by continuing the fight to protect the world’s forests.”

Former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau said he was “heartbroken” to hear of Dr. Goodall’s death, saying “her compassion will live on” in future conservation.

In a statement on X, posted alongside a picture of himself and the conservationist planting a tree together, Mr Trudeau said: “Heartbroken to hear of Dr Jane Goodall’s passing. She was a pioneer whose research and advocacy reshaped our understanding of the natural world.

“Her wisdom and compassion will live on in every act of conservation. All of us who were so greatly inspired by her will miss her deeply.”