Jane Goodall, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, UN Messenger of Peace and world-renowned ethologist, conservationist, and humanitarian, has passed away due to natural causes at the age of 91. She was in Los Angeles, CA for her speaking tour in the United States when she went peacefully in her sleep. Jane was most remembered for her impact on science for her research on our relationships with chimpanzees.
Jane first started her research on chimpanzees back in July of 1960, traveling to the Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania, to watch their daily lives. She discovered that chimpanzees have the same behaviors as humans. Such as making and using tools, a strong bond between mother and child, hunting and eating meat, having compassion, and even waging wars. Jane’s discovery that chimpanzees make and use tools is considered one of the greatest achievements of twentieth-century scholarship. Also, a little similar to humans, they can be very brutal. Jane said, “During the first ten years of the study, I had believed that the Gombe chimpanzees were, for the most part, rather nicer than human beings. Then suddenly we found that chimpanzees could be brutal—that they, like us, had a darker side to their nature.”
Jane realized that to continue her research on chimpanzees, she must protect their habitat. Years later, in 1977, she established the Jane Goodall Institute. The institute focuses on wildlife research, conservation, and community-centered programs aimed at protecting great apes and their ecosystems. Through her organization, Goodall expanded her mission beyond chimpanzees to include environmental education and sustainable development initiatives around the world, inspiring generations to take action for the planet and its inhabitants.
Jane Goodall’s lifelong dedication to understanding and protecting chimpanzees has transformed the way humans view animals and the environment. Her work continues to remind the world that every individual can make a difference, and that caring for nature is essential to ensuring a healthy and sustainable future for all living beings.
