On October 1, 2025, world-renowned primatologist, ethologist and conservationist Jane Goodall passed away. She made groundbreaking discoveries in her research, her most famous being her research on chimpanzees. Goodall was an activist and helped scientific discovery tremendously.

In 1960, Goodall started her groundbreaking work with chimpanzees. She studied wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania. There, she discovered that chimpanzees do things that humans do, such as making and using tools. She also observed complex social behaviors, such as the animals forming emotional bonds. This research challenged beliefs that humans and animals were vastly different. Her research showed us that animals, in this specific case, chimpanzees, have personalities and humanistic personality traits such as empathy and patience. 

In 1977, Goodall founded the “Jane Goodall Institute”. The institute is a global nonprofit that was founded to continue her research with chimpanzees. Here, she wanted the wildlife to be protected and for wildlife to be able to thrive. The institute helped to further long-term studies on chimpanzees in Tanzania. This became the longest continuous study of chimpanzees in the world. She also worked across multiple African countries to protect chimpanzee habitats from being destroyed and to help stop illegal wildlife trafficking. The Jane Goodall Institute puts a heavy emphasis on stopping illegal wildlife trade and helps to do so by supporting sanctuaries that rescue these animals. 

With the institute, Goodall founded the Lake Tanganyika Catchment Reforestation and Education Project (TACARE). This is a program that works on promoting education, healthcare and farming practices to working local communities. This program focused primarily on the youth and women so that they could follow in her footsteps and become friends to the environment. This program helps to ensure the safety and conservation of both humans and wildlife. Through this program, she later started an umbrella program. This was called the “Roots and Shoots Program” where youth all around the world could create projects that would help animals and the environment. She started this program to promote leadership and environmental engagement in the younger generations. 

Jane Goodall left a large impact on the world. Not only did she largely contribute to scientific and animal discovery, but she also founded an institute that has helped millions, both humans and animals, around the world. Goodall changed how we view animals and the environment as a whole. She has built up a community of people who see the importance of conservation, as well as helped to save millions of endangered chimpanzee populations. Her legacy will last forever.