The Life and Legacy of Jane Goodall

Dr. Jane Goodall in Gombe National Park. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

On October 1, 2025, renowned primatologist Doctor Jane Goodall, known for her 65 year study of chimpanzees in Africa, passed away due to natural causes while in Los Angeles, California. Goodall's tireless work studying humans’ closest relatives has made her a household name since the 1970s. The breadth of knowledge today about chimpanzee behavior and human evolution can be largely credited to Dr. Goodall and her work.

Primatology, or the study of primates, is an incredibly important field as it aids the understanding of modern human social behavior. Humans share evolutionary history with apes like gorillas, orangutans, and chimpanzees. Understanding primates helps humans understand themselves, whether a study is conducted in zoos or in the wild. 

Doctor Goodall understood this concept from a very young age. Born in 1934 in London, Goodall spent the early years of her life working as a waitress and attending secretarial school in order to pursue her dream of studying animals in Africa. When posed with the chance to go to Kenya to stay with a friend's family, Goodall moved there in the late 1950s. 

While in Kenya, Goodall was introduced to Doctor Louis Leakey, who was struck by her immense interest and knowledge about chimpanzees despite her lack of formal education about the species. Leakey made Goodall his secretary and later assigned her to research a troop of chimpanzees in Gombe. 

Goodall found that socializing and becoming close with the troop of chimpanzees would not happen instantly as the troop would hide or retreat when seeing Goodall at first. However, after months of dedication to following the troop of chimpanzees, they began to feel comfortable around her, and she started to observe and note incredible behavior at the hand of chimpanzees that has forever impacted the world of primatology. 

One of Goodall’s greatest observations was when David Greybeard, whom Goodall named as her favorite chimpanzee, was seen using a stick as a tool, cleaning off its leaves and stems and then using it to scoop into termite hills to retrieve the small bugs. Her other observations, such as chimpanzees doing rain dances, socializing, and even violently battling with each other, have been monumental contributions to the field of primatology and gave scientists worldwide a newfound understanding and appreciation for the intelligence of chimpanzees. These findings also solidified that humans evolved from apes. Previously, the dominant theory was that only humans were able to use tools like David Greybeard had. Goodall’s findings continue to build our understanding of primates today. 

Around the 1970s, Goodall's focus on chimpanzees shifted from learning about them and their behaviors to conserving their wellbeing. In 1977, the Jane Goodall Institute was founded with the intent to support her work in Gombe following her troop of chimpanzees. Over time, the purpose of the foundation spread, and focused on other issues besides funding her research. The roots and shoots program of the institute launched in 1991 and now teaches children in over 75 countries about the importance of being in and preserving the outdoors. In 2017, Jane also founded the Jane Goodall Legacy Foundation, whose purpose is to ‘build, invest, and manage” endowments which will go towards the various organizations underneath the Jane Goodall institute umbrella, as well as towards future organizations. 

Goodall has been awarded numerous awards for her humanitarian and conservation work following the creation of these organizations. Goodall has always approached issues with a soft spoken manner and a positive outlook, attesting that problems faced now are solvable and there exists the ability to cultivate a better future for humans and animals alike. 

While Goodall’s accolades convey the importance and broad reach of her work, she has had a specific impact on women and young people with an interest in science and the environment. Goodall joined a male dominated field in a time when women were typically expected to do housework or fulfill secretarial duties. She saw this as a challenge rather than a barrier to entry. Her legacy is marked by her ability to overcome stereotypes in the fields of science and primatology and her commitment to organizations and charities leaves the door to science open wider for younger generations.

Today, many women work hard within primatology to study and conserve not just chimpanzees, but other primates as well. Boston University’s Doctor Cheryl Knott, Professor of Biology, Anthropology, and Women's Studies, has been running one of the longest studies on wild orangutans since 1994. Not only has she spent years in Gunung Palung National Park in Indonesia learning about orangutans and their nutrition, social behaviors, juvenile growth, and more, but she has dedicated herself to saving and looking after this species. Dr. Knott’s  Gunung Palung Conservation Program works to spread knowledge about the factors impacting orangutans and their habitats to ensure their conservation. Women have begun to influence and join the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math field (STEM) at higher rates over the past couple decades. In the 1970s, when Dr. Goodall was beginning her work, only 8% of employed women were involved in the STEM field. In 2024, that number has jumped to 28.2%. Dr. Goodall used her fame to endorse the protection of primates and the inclusion of women in a male dominated field, the effects of which are still seen today. There are still many unknowns in the field of science, and there is no doubt that many will be answered by the women in science continuing Dr. Goodall’s legacy.