Trailblazing Primatologist, Dr. Jane Goodall, Dies At 91
Language
Reading Level
Listen to Article
Alignment
Dr. Jane Goodall, who transformed our understanding of chimpanzees, passed away peacefully in her sleep on October 1, 2025, at age 91. She was on a speaking tour in California, sharing her lifelong love for wildlife and conservation.
Born on April 3, 1934, in London, Goodall dreamed of studying wildlife in Africa from an early age. Her chance came in 1957 when she was invited to visit a friend’s family farm in Kenya. There, she met Dr. Louis Leakey, a scientist studying human evolution in Africa. Impressed by her interest, Leakey asked Goodall to study chimpanzees at the Gombe Stream Game Reserve in Tanzania. She readily agreed.
In 1960, at age 26, Goodall set up camp at Gombe with little more than a notebook, binoculars, and a deep sense of wonder. She spent the next 60 years there, conducting one of the longest continuous wildlife studies in history.
Her pioneering work revealed surprising facts about chimpanzees’ behavior and intelligence. She saw them using tools, like twigs, to fish for termites. This proved that humans are not the only toolmakers. She also watched chimpanzees hunt and eat small animals. This showed that their diets included more protein than scientists had thought. Her research also found that chimpanzees led complex social lives. They groomed each other, made friends, and even mourned the loss of group members. Goodall gave names to the chimps she studied and showed that each one had its own personality. These discoveries changed how people saw the animals forever.
Goodall’s findings made her famous around the world. In 1965, the University of Cambridge gave her a PhD in ethology. She is one of the few people there to earn a doctorate without first completing a college degree. In 2003, Goodall was named a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, one of the highest honors in the United Kingdom.
Goodall’s legacy goes far beyond her discoveries. The Jane Goodall Institute, started in 1977, helps protect chimpanzee homes and supports sustainable development. Her Roots & Shoots program, started in 1991, now reaches young people in nearly 100 countries. It encourages them to take action to help the environment, animals, and their communities. Through these efforts, Goodall’s work continues to make a difference around the world.
Resources: Wikipedia.org, Janegoodall.org
Get the Workbook for this article!
Workbook contains: Article, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking Questions, Vocabulary in Context (+ answers), Multiple Choice Quiz (+ answers), Parts of Speech Quiz (+ answers), Vocabulary Game (+ answers)Cite Article
Learn Keywords in this Article
36 Comments
rokiwicolite10 daysthere should be a statue of her- rokiwicolite10 daysShe loved animals and we would not know more about them if it wasn't for her. She found out that chimpanzees can make tools and have feelings. And she stuck up for these animals saying they should live. After all, these animals are an endangered species. And now by her death we may never have a person how loves animals and take care of them like she did. R.I.P Jane Goodall you will always be amazing star!!!
- rokiwicolite10 daysShe had an amazing life she loved animals so much that she wanted to take care of them. She had a amazing connection that no on else had. RIP Jane Goodall
taytay674116 daysWhat a wonderful lady. You will be missed by many.
isabelle16627 daysThank you for your business Dr. Jane!- sosityhorobeabout 1 monthRIP Dr. Jane's
guggleabout 1 monthI want to see a chimp so bad now they are so cool!
dasillygooseabout 1 monthRip she lived a good life
bellbell22about 1 monthRIP Jane, we loved you!
kemawesygupiabout 1 monthrip