Jane Goodall, the woman who taught us that we’re more like the chimps than we thought, has left the world for good. Jane Goodall was a legendary primatologist and beloved figure worldwide, and at the age of 91, she died peacefully in her sleep while on a speaking tour. She wasn’t just a scientist, but a symbol of curiosity, compassion, feminism, and relentless activism.
Jane Goodall was born in London in 1934 and began her journey toward being the fixture in the scientific community that she was by just being a little kid obsessed with animals. As a young woman, she traveled to Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania in 1960 with a notebook, binoculars, and an endless well of curiosity. Her discoveries from her work with chimpanzees completely revolutionized the way the scientific community thought about the superiority of man (i.e., that we’re not actually so different from the animals). Goodall is the reason we know that chimpanzees use tools, have personalities, form attached friendships, and even wage wars on one another. See? Humans aren’t so special — we just like accessories.
Beyond her work in the jungle, she became a powerful voice for the planet, evolving from scientist to full-time conservationist. She founded the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977 to support wildlife protection and community-led conservation efforts all over the world. She also began Roots & Shoots, a global youth program that got kids involved in saving the planet and caring for the environment their whole lives. She didn’t just talk about saving trees and the animals that rely on them — she pushed hard for policy changes, animal rights, and climate action on the global stage.
Goodall was widely recognized for her work while alive. Among her accolades are a U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom (awarded earlier this year), being made a Dame of the British Empire, and being named a UN Messenger of Peace. There are also countless honorary doctorates, books, documentaries, and a permanent spot in both science textbooks and pop culture. On my trophy shelf currently is an award for “Best Costume” at a contest hosted by my favorite drag bar. It’s nowhere near as cool as Jane Goodall’s list of accomplishments, but since the whole costume was made out of thrifted pieces, I like to think Dr. Goodall would have been proud of me.
Some people retire in their golden years, but not Jane Goodall. Even in her 90s, she was still traveling, speaking, and drawing huge crowds to hear what she had to say, proving that activism doesn’t retire. Given that her favorite message was, “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make,” it’s not really a surprise that she kept trying to make the difference she wanted to make right up to the end of her life. Jane Goodall probably did more for our planet in her sunset years than most of us do in our entire lives.
If you’ve been on social media at all since the announcement of her death, then you know that people are in their feelings about the passing of this giant. It’s not just the scientific community pouring their hearts out — celebrities are also tearfully remembering encounters with the late Jane Goodall. Fans who have since become climate scientists, zoologists, and activists in their own right have taken to their channels to express how Dr. Goodall played a role in shaping their futures simply by making the kind of difference she wanted to make. To the friends and family of Dr. Jane Goodall, you have my deepest sympathies. To the fellow fans who admired her and are gonna need a mighty minute to be sad, me too. We can be sad and remember her legacy together. To Jane herself: thank you. We love you, and we will miss you.
