Campaigning tirelessly for the protection of our world until the end of her life, the inspirational primatologist and activist, Jane Goodall, sadly passed away on 1st October 2025, at the age of 91. An influential scientist in many ways, not only did Goodall transform science’s understanding of chimps, but she also showed the importance of compassion in conservation.
Driven by curiosity for the natural world, a career in primatology was not what Jane Goodall was focused on. When she moved to Africa, her goal was to study any animal she could and share what she learned with the world. Her outstanding career began in 1960, when Dr Louis Leakey offered her the opportunity to study chimpanzees in Tanzania. Although she had little formal training at the time, her work at Gombe Stream National Park has completely altered our understanding of wild animals and shifted our perspective on how they should be approached.
Unlike many other scientists at the time, Jane Goodall refused to treat the chimpanzees as just subjects. Every chimpanzee encountered was given a name instead of a number, which humanised the characters she studied. Goodall paid attention to each individual’s personality, as well as the fascinating behaviours that chimpanzees exhibit. These behaviours include tool-use and complex social dynamics, concepts that people are still amazed by today. Goodall’s personal and empathetic approach to primate study allowed her to understand the animals in a way no one had before.
An activist to the core, Goodall used her findings to campaign for primate conservation and protection. By demonstrating how human-like these animals are, her work awoke compassion and empathy from the general public. As a result, many big charities and companies, such as the WWF and National Geographic, have funded primate research and have helped share her work with a global audience.
The legacy of Jane Goodall is to be carried on by the Jane Goodall Institute, which she founded in 1977. Goodall once said that she would’ve happily spent the rest of her life in Tanzania, studying the same groups of chimpanzees. However, she became increasingly aware that primates worldwide require research and support. The Institute allows chimpanzee research and conservation to be carried out worldwide, and is now a global organisation. Currently, almost 300 chimpanzees and gorillas are being supported by the Institute. The continuation of the Institute after her passing allows her lifelong commitment, passion, and curiosity for primates to be immortalised and shared with generations to come.
With a passion for animals of all shapes and sizes, and consistent principles, Jane Goodall did not only work to protect primates. In addition to setting up institutions and initiatives concerning her own research, she also endorsed charities such as APOPO. One initiative of APOPO is HeroRATs, which are African giant pouched rats that have been trained to detect landmines and tuberculosis. These HeroRATs save lives and help restore communities globally. Goodall’s support for charities like this one is an illustration of how compassion can shape positive futures.
Jane Goodall once said that every human makes a difference and that it’s up to us to make the kind of difference we want to see in the world. It is undeniable that she made a wonderful difference during her time on Earth, and her legacy of kindness, compassion and curiosity will be remembered for many generations to come.
