How Jane Goodall, Who Died at 91, Spent Her Final Days — The Life Story of a Remarkable Woman

She devoted her life to protecting animals and promoting conservation, earning international recognition as a scientist, environmentalist, and natural force whose voice motivated millions of people. Her passing has now shocked the entire planet.

On Wednesday, October 1, 2025, the Jane Goodall Institute announced that 91-year-old pioneering ethologist Jane Goodall had died. According to the institute, she passed away naturally.

Set to Make an Appearance Only a Few Days After Her Death
She was in California during her 2025 USA Fall Tour when she passed away, according to the institute. As evidence of her resolve to remain active long into her nineties, one of her planned visits was an appearance in Los Angeles on October 3.

Her Last Appeal for Courage, Hope, and Urgency
Goodall persisted in her support of climate protection in the days preceding her death, emphasizing that, although being the century’s most significant issue, the crisis could be resolved with bravery on the part of all.

When questioned about retirement in 2015, she maintained that she would keep working as long as her body and mind permitted. Given the unpredictable nature of life, she felt driven to live each day to the fullest and viewed growing older as an opportunity to sharpen her skills rather than a reason to slow down.

Honoring 90: A Birthday in the Company of Nature and Dogs
In an interview conducted in May 2025, she recalled spending her 90th birthday with 90 dogs on a beach, enthusiastically throwing sticks into the ocean as the weather changed from rain to sunshine. She pursued her objective with unflinching determination, and that same sense of vigor drove her vast trips, which frequently spanned 300 days of the year.

She was adamant that local efforts, like picking up trash or conserving forests, were the first steps toward long-lasting change, even when the world’s problems demoralized many.

A Childhood Filled with Books, Worms, and Insatiable Curiosity
When Goodall was a toddler, she brought a handful of earthworms to bed, sparking an interest in animals that her mother fostered into a lifetime devotion. After reading “Dr. Dolittle” and “Tarzan of the Apes,” she had a dream at the age of eleven that she would live among animals in Africa and write about her experiences.

A blind U.S. Marine gave her a plush animal named Mr. H, who became one of her favorite friends. She shared it with audiences as a source of inspiration while traveling to 64 different nations.

Love, Loss, and Fierce Independence in One Life
Hugo van Lawick, a wildlife photographer hired by National Geographic to capture her work with chimpanzees, was the subject of her first marriage. The two developed a strong bond despite her initial worries that his presence would impede her studies. His photographs offered crucial proof that supported her ground-breaking discoveries.

Following van Lawick, Goodall wed Derek Bryceson, a member of the Tanzanian parliament who passed away in 1980. She never got married again.

In 2020, she said, “Well, I didn’t want to,” to People. “I guess I didn’t meet the right person, or maybe the right person. I had a large number of male buddies. I also had a number of female buddies. My life was finished. I didn’t require a spouse.