Jane Goodall Passes Away at 91

Jane Goodall, the world-renowned primatologist and champion for wildlife conservation, has died at the age of 91 of natural causes while on a speaking tour in California. 

Her passing marks the end of a remarkable era in science and activism — and the world reflects on a life that transformed our understanding of animals, humanity, and the fragile bonds that connect all life.

Goodall first made her mark when she journeyed to Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania, in 1960 under the mentorship of Louis Leakey. There, she broke new scientific ground by observing chimpanzees in their natural habitat — naming them, documenting their personalities, and revealing their use of tools, challenging long-held assumptions about the divide between humans and animals. 

Over decades, she built the Jane Goodall Institute and founded Roots & Shoots, a global youth-oriented environmental education program. Her advocacy extended beyond primates to habitat protection, climate action, and promoting ethical stewardship of the planet.  In 2025, she was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, among her many awards, recognizing a life of scientific achievement and moral purpose. 

At her passing, Goodall leaves behind her son Hugo and three grandchildren.  Her legacy lives on in the thousands she inspired to care for the natural world, in the programs she built, and in the continued efforts to protect primates and their ecosystems. As tributes pour in globally, her life stands as a testament to the power of one voice — and one life — to change how we see ourselves and our kin on this planet.

This article was previously published on omanmoments. To see the original article, click here