Jane Goodall: A Life of Listening, Loving, and Leading
Dame Jane Goodall, a renowned conservationist and primatologist, passed away today, October 1, 2025, due to natural causes. The Jane Goodall Institute announced via her official Instagram. Dame Goodall was on a speaking tour in the U.S. and was in California. She was one of the best of us, and her light will be greatly missed.
Listening: The Girl Who Heard the Forest
Goodall was just 26 years old in 1960, when she first traveled to the place that is now called Tanzania. She went with binoculars, a notebook, and curiosity. She became immersed in the habitat of the chimpanzees to better understand them, to understand their society. She watched, she listened, and she learned. Going into such a place from her familiar home in England must have been so strange. But, without her courage and curiosity, would we know everything we know about chimpanzees today?
“A sense of calm came over me. More and more often I found myself thinking, This is where I belong. This is what I came into this world to do.” – Jane Goodall
She saw that they used tools, had close relationships, and emotions. The chimpanzees were individuals. And she built a career of conservation from listening to the forest and the complex beings that called it home. Today, the Gombe Stream Research Centre exists because of her. It’s the home of the most studied group of chimpanzees and a place where curious researchers continue to learn about those complex animals and just how similar they are to humans.
Loving: A Heart That Held the World
The Jane Goodall Institute was founded by Goodall in 1977. At first, it was to support research in Gombe and to protect chimpanzees and their habitat, but she realized there was a much larger threat to these incredible beings. She noted the effect of deforestation and worked with local people to protect the natural world around them. Today, the Jane Goodall Institute continues that work of advocating for conservation and including communities to improve the lives of the people, the wildlife, and the environment.
The Roots & Shoots program was co-founded by Goodall in 1991 to work with young people across the globe who had their own worries about the environment. Through this program, young people continue to make their voices heard and to be leaders for change in their own communities.
“When you live in the forest, it’s easy to see that everything’s connected.” – Jane Goodall
Leading: A Voice That Moved Mountains
In recent years, Dr. Jane Goodall continued to travel, to speak, to advocate. She was a beacon of hope in a world where there are so many shadows. As a UN Messenger of Peace since 2002, Goodall has worked to promote the ethical treatment of animals and conservation. According to The Jane Goodall Institute website, she encouraged everyone to “use the gift of our life to make the world a better place.”
“Until We Have Peace and Harmony With the Environment, We Will Never Live in a World of Peace.” – Jane Goodall
Goodall also inspired so many women to join her field of research. Where women were once exceedingly rare, they now lead in the study of primate behavioral studies. And the Roots & Shoots program continues to guide young people on the path of conservation that she has walked before them.
Personal Reflection
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As a journalist, one is meant to be neutral and report the facts. I have done so here. But Jane Goodall was so much more than what she did. Through her actions and her love for the environment, animals, and humans, she set an example that most will never achieve. But we can try. She was a woman of kindness, hope, and goodness. Her name was so fitting. She is already missed.
Conclusion: The Forest Remembers
Dr. Jane Goodall may have passed on from this physical world to whatever lies beyond, but her presence will remain here with us for a great deal longer. Her work has left a mark on the world that won’t let her be forgotten. Children, and especially girls, can find inspiration in what she accomplished throughout her life. And all of us can look to her example and strive to lead a life of kindness and advocacy. Speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. Protect the planet and all of the living things on it. And, in everything, be a champion of peace.
