Jane Goodall, chimpanzee expert and leading conservationist, has died aged 91

Leading conservationist Dr Jane Goodall has died aged 91, the institute set up in her name has announced.

In a statement, the Jane Goodall Institute said: “Dr. Jane Goodall DBE, UN Messenger of Peace and Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute has passed away due to natural causes. “

She was in California as part of a speaking tour in the United States, the institute said.

The statement continued: “Dr Goodall’s discoveries as an ethologist revolutionized science, and she was a tireless advocate for the protection and restoration of our natural world.”

Dr Goodall spent a lifetime trying to understand, protect and educate others about the natural world.

While living among chimpanzees in Africa in the 1960s, Dr Goodall documented the animals using tools and doing other activities previously believed to be exclusive to people, and also noted their distinct personalities. She didn’t simply observe them from afar but immersed herself in every aspect of their lives. She fed them and gave them names instead of numbers, something for which she received pushback from some scientists. One in particular, David Greybeard, became a favourite with Dr Goodall, and later, the world.

Her observations transformed how the world perceived not only humans’ closest living biological relatives but also the emotional and social complexity of all animals, while propelling her into the public consciousness.

In her later years, Goodall devoted decades to education and advocacy on humanitarian causes and protecting the natural world.

Renowned conservationist Jane Goodall on the importance of young people protecting our planet

She spoke to ITV News Science Correspondent Martin Stew in June this year, where she reflected on the state of the climate, the importance of conservation work and the job of young people to protect the future of our planet.

Dr Goodall has earned top civilian honours from several countries, including Britain, France, the US and Tanzania

Dr Goodall was awarded a damehood in 2004, and in January, she was among several famous faces to receive the highest US civilian honour, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, from outgoing US president Joe Biden.

The animal rights campaigner was even honoured with a Barbie doll in honour.

The doll was launched in 2022 to coincide with the 62nd anniversary of her first journey to the forest of Gombe National Park in Tanzania.

“My entire career, I’ve wanted to help inspire kids to be curious and explore the world around them – just like I did when I first travelled to Tanzania 62 years ago,” Dr Goodall said at the time.

“I’m thrilled to partner with Barbie and encourage young children to learn from their environment and feel a sense that they can make a difference.”

Born in London in 1934, Goodall said her fascination with animals began when she learned to crawl. In her book, “In the Shadow of Man,” she described an early memory of hiding in a henhouse to see a chicken lay an egg. She was in there so long her mother reported her missing to the police.

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