Conservation world mourns Jane Goodall

Jane Goodall, a titan of wildlife conservation, died Wednesday, Oct. 1, at the age of 91, The Associated Press reported.

The renowned primatologist died of natural causes, according to a statement from the Jane Goodall Institute.

Her discoveries “revolutionized science, and she was a tireless advocate for the protection and restoration of our natural world,” the Institute said.

Her work studying chimpanzees in eastern Africa began in the early 1960s, and inspired generations of conservationists.

“Jane Goodall forever changed how people think about, interact with and care for the natural world,” said Daniela Raik, interim CEO of Conservation International. “Her passing is a profound loss for our movement and our planet. Her legacy lives on, not just through memories and accolades, but in the sense of belief she inspired in many: that we can reverse climate change, halt biodiversity loss and repair the natural world.

“She spent much of her life empowering that belief in young people. Now it’s on us to carry it forward.”

In recent years, Goodall was an outspoken advocate for humanitarian and conservation, “known for balancing the grim realities of the climate crisis with a sincere message of hope for the future,” The Associated Press noted.

She was also tireless, traveling nearly 300 days a year, even after she turned 90, to speak to packed auditoriums around the world. She recently appeared at New York Climate Week, and was in California on a U.S. speaking tour when she died, according to the AP.

But it was her work studying chimps that she was still most known for.

Goodall documented the animals using tools and doing other activities previously believed to be exclusive to humans, noting their distinct personalities, the AP reported. 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.”

″What the chimps have taught me over the years is they’re so like us,” she said in 1997. “They’ve blurred the line between humans and animals.”

Bruno Vander Velde is the managing director of storytelling at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? Sign up for email updates.