Dr. Jane Goodall has sadly passed away, aged 91.
The British-born primatologist was a pioneer of groundbreaking chimpanzee field research and widely considered the world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees after spending decades studying them in the wild in Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park.
Jane died in her sleep on October 1, and her death certificate has listed her cause of death as cardiopulmonary arrest, according to Rolling Stone.
Tributes poured in from across the globe after the news of her passing, with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle describing Dr. Goodall as a “visionary humanitarian, scientist and friend to the planet” in a statement.
Actor Leonardo DiCaprio also shared a lengthy statement of his own as he remembered his dear friend.
“Today we have lost a true hero for the planet, an inspiration to millions, and a dear friend,” he penned.
“Jane Goodall devoted her life to protecting our planet and giving a voice to the wild animals and the ecosystems they inhabit. Her groundbreaking research on Chimpanzees in Tanzania transformed our understanding of how our closest relatives live, socialize, and think – reminding us that we are deeply connected not only to Chimpanzees and the other great apes, but to all life.”
News of her death was confirmed on October 1st in a statement released by the Jane Goodall Institute.
“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,” they confirmed.
“Dr. Goodall’s discoveries as an ethologist revolutionized science, and she was a tireless advocate for the protection and restoration of our natural world.”
Only a week prior, Dr. Goodall appeared onstage at the Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Forum in New York City, where she spoke of the threat climate change posed to the natural world.
“The climate crisis is the greatest challenge of our time – but if we act with courage and hope, change is still possible,” she reportedly shared at the time, according to her namesake institute.
Two days later, during an appearance on The Wall Street Journal’s podcast, she said that “every day that we live, we make an impact on the planet.”
“We can choose what sort of impact we make,” she added.
“The important thing for everyone to understand is that we are part of the natural world. It seems these days everybody’s so involved with technology that we forget we’re not only part of the natural world, we’re an animal like the others.”
“But we depend on it. We depend on it for clean air, water, food, clothing – everything basically comes from the natural world. But what we depend on are healthy ecosystems, and it’s the ecosystems that we are gradually destroying because of unsustainable demands on natural resources.”
Despite well and truly surpassing the traditional age for retirement, Dr. Goodall said she never planned on slowing down or taking a step back from her work.
“I do it because I have to,” she shared during an appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast in April, just days before her 91st birthday.
“This mission keeps me going because there’s so much to do. And if we lose hope, we’re doomed. Because if you lose hope, you become apathetic and do nothing.”
Dr. Goodall is survived by her son Hugo and three grandchildren, Angel, Merlin, and Nick.
