The House Where Jane Goodall Lived All Her Life

Although she died far from home—her last breath was taken in Los Angeles, California—England was always home to Dr. Jane Goodall, the most adored primatologist in the world. Up to the very end, her childhood home—where her wild imagination first began to flourish—remained her haven.

The pioneering British ethologist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall passed away quietly in her sleep in Los Angeles at the age of 91. She had been promoting conservation till the very end of yet another hectic tour. On October 1, 2025, the Jane Goodall Institute reported her death.

“Dr. Goodall’s life and work not only made an indelible mark on our understanding of chimpanzees and other species, but also of humankind and the environments we all share,” the institute said in a heartfelt remembrance.

An Unexpected Finding That Upended Scientific Boundaries
Goodall, who is well-known for her groundbreaking work with chimpanzees, began what would turn out to be the longest-running wild chimpanzee research in history in 1960, deep within the verdant forests of Tanzania’s Gombe National Park, a location that would always bear her legacy.

In October of the same year, she made a major finding in the particular jungle that shocked the scientific community: chimpanzees were observed utilizing and creating tools. The once-unbreakable barrier between people and animals was blurred by this startling discovery.

In 1967, Goodall established the Jane Goodall Institute, a now-international nonprofit organization devoted to environmental healing and wildlife study and conservation, after receiving her Ph.D. from Cambridge University in 1966.

At first, Gombe was supposed to be her permanent residence and the site of her further education. However, destiny had other ideas. At a primatology conference in 1986, Goodall was forced to face the terrible reality of deforestation and its terrible effects on entire human groups that live close to the disappearing trees, in addition to chimpanzees.

She became aware of the gruesome reality of using chimpanzees in biomedical studies at that same conference. They were “held captive in five-by-five-foot cages alone for decades,” she disclosed, describing the startling circumstances she found. “Some of the worst times in my life.”

From Scholar to Vigorous Supporter
Disturbed by what she had seen, Goodall became an activist, collaborating with animal advocacy groups to put an end to this abuse. Her perseverance paid off. In 2024, she stated, “the last chimpanzees of the 400 that were being used for experiments were finally released into sanctuaries about eight years ago.”

She continued after that. Goodall focused on empowering others, particularly the younger generation. She established Roots & Shoots, a youth-led movement that is currently active in 75 countries and has ignited hope and action worldwide, and she pioneered community-centered conservation through her Institute.

One home forever, but a life in motion
Goodall traveled all over the world, but her true home remained constant. The modest childhood home on the south coast of England, where she lived with her loving younger sister Judy, now 87, remained her permanent dwelling.

“It’s the house where we grew up,” she said. We still live there as a family. It’s where my sister resides all the time. Our birthdays fall on the same day, despite the fact that she is four years younger than me.

Ten-year-old Goodall climbed her favorite tree in the very garden, which has mostly remained unaltered since the 1940s, while holding a copy of “Tarzan of the Apes.” It was a common joke of hers that she fell deeply in love with the King of the Jungle, despite the fact that he “married the wrong Jane.”

It was nothing short of a victory lap as she celebrated her 90th birthday in April 2024. She received a standing ovation and a standing ovation at the Beacon Theater in Manhattan, where everyone in the house sang “Happy Birthday.” After running across the platform for a little while, she exclaimed, “I’m still fit!” to applause. What’s her secret? Saying, “Good genes,” “I’ve been very lucky.”

An Unwavering Mission
Goodall maintained her humility as she reflected on the remarkable journey that transformed her from a quiet British child to a global force of nature. “To be honest, I don’t feel any different from how I was last year at this time,” she stated to the audience. “I feel that I was put on this planet with a mission.”

The Jane Goodall Institute called on everyone to continue the light she kindled in the wake of her death. “She inspired curiosity, hope and compassion in countless people around the world, and paved the way for many others — particularly young people who gave her hope for the future,” they stated.

After starting her existence in a modest English home, Jane Goodall would go through the most influential stages in the world, into the heart of Africa, and back again. But despite everything, that same house stayed the same—unaltered, entrenched, and brimming with the spirit of the girl who had once had a forest dream.