By Julie Li
It’s crazy to think that in fourth grade I did a biography project on Jane Goodall. It’s crazy to think she would pass away so soon, only five years later. On October 1st, 2025, famous for her pioneering chimpanzee research and environmental advocacy, she died of cardiac arrest at age 91.
Childhood
Born from the land of fish and chips (Bournemouth, England), Jane developed a love and curiosity for animals and nature. This passion was only getting fueled by her parents. For example, instead of getting scolded for not being “normal” and playing with dolls, Jane’s mom let Jane stare at a chicken to learn how an egg was laid or read adventure books like Tarzan. Her childhood experiences and love for animals inspired her to want to go to Africa to learn more about animals.
Fun fact: when Jane was about 1 and a half years old, her father gifted her a chimpanzee named Jubilee, which became her favorite toy, demonstrating her natural bond with primates.
The BIG stuff made small
In 1960, 26-year old Jane got the chance to study chimpanzees under the guidance of Louis Leakey. He invited her to Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania. Little did they know she was going to make groundbreaking discoveries: observing things like chimps making/using tools, showing emotions, and other close human attributes. These proved scientists wrong; they believed only humans could make/use tools, or show emotion, etc. This made things more complicated in defining what’s human and another animal and reshaped our understanding of evolution and behavior.
Her legacy
Later, she founded the Jane Goodall Institute, which supports wildlife research, education, and conservation, while also being a UN Messenger of Peace and advocating for environmental protection and animal welfare worldwide. So who is Jane Goodall? She is a British primatologist, ethologist, and anthropologist known for her groundbreaking research on wild chimpanzees. Changing our understanding of primates and bridging the gap between humans and the animal world.
A legacy that moves on
No need to worry. Jane also made sure to leave programs to help inspire the future generations. In 1977, along came the Jane Goodall Institute, dedicated to wildlife research and environmental protection. She also launched Roots & Shoots, a youth program that inspires students worldwide to take action for animals, people, and the environment.