Jane Goodall, Renowned Primatologist, Dies at 91
The Jane Goodall Institute announced that Jane Goodall (born April 3, 1934), the renowned primatologist and conservationist who discovered that chimpanzees use tools and profoundly changed our understanding of their social lives, died at 91 in California of natural causes while on a U.S. speaking tour. Colleagues and friends paid tribute — Jeffrey Flocken called her “an inspiration for all of us” — and her honors included receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2025.
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🔍 Key Facts
- Jane Goodall, the renowned primatologist, has died at age 91.
- The Jane Goodall Institute posted the announcement confirming she "passed away earlier that morning" and said the cause was natural causes.
- She was in California as part of a U.S. speaking tour when she died.
- Goodall was born April 3, 1934; her early career included secretarial school, she met paleoanthropologist Louis Leakey, and she began her Gombe fieldwork in 1960.
- She was a pioneering scientist best known for showing that chimpanzees use tools and for reshaping understanding of chimp behavior — as she observed, "They kiss, embrace, hold hands, pat one another on the back. They show love and compassion, and they also show violence and have a kind of primitive warfare."
- She received the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom earlier in 2025.
- Major U.S. outlets (including 60 Minutes and CBS News) posted tributes and archival segments; CBS ran a short video tribute that included on‑camera remembrance from Jeffrey Flocken, who called her "an inspiration for all of us."
📰 Sources (5)
Jane Goodall's friend remembers the animal advocate: "She is an inspiration for all of us"
New information:
- Jeffrey Flocken, chief international officer of Humane World for Animals and a personal friend of Goodall’s, gave an on‑camera remembrance to CBS News.
- Flocken is quoted calling Jane Goodall 'an inspiration for all of us' in the CBS News 'The Daily Report' segment.
- The CBS piece is a short video tribute (TV segment) rather than a written obituary and carries the voice of a named colleague/advocate.
Jane Goodall and Tom Mangelsen | 60 Minutes Archive
New information:
- CBS News/60 Minutes archival video segment referencing Jane Goodall and Tom Mangelsen (includes a 2018 Anderson Cooper profile of Mangelsen).
- Source explicitly states Goodall 'died today at the age of 91,' providing corroboration from a major U.S. news outlet.
Jane Goodall, pioneer who discovered chimpanzees use tools, dead at 91 during U.S. tour
New information:
- Jane Goodall Institute said she 'passed away earlier that morning' and that the cause was 'natural causes.'
- The article specifies she was in California as part of a U.S. speaking tour when she died.
- Notes she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom earlier in 2025 (contextual US recognition).
Jane Goodall, legendary primatologist, has died at age 91
New information:
- Announcement source: Jane Goodall Institute posted the announcement confirming her death.
- Biographical details reiterated/collected: birth date (April 3, 1934) and early-career details (secretarial school, meeting Louis Leakey, Gombe fieldwork beginning in 1960).
- Direct quote used in obituary illustrating her scientific framing: 'They kiss, embrace, hold hands, pat one another on the back. They show love and compassion, and they also show violence and have a kind of primitive warfare.'