World Mourns Jane Goodall, Pioneering Primatologist and Conservation Icon
Global figures from science, entertainment, and technology are paying tribute to Jane Goodall, the renowned primatologist whose decades-long study of chimpanzees revolutionized our understanding of the natural world and humanityS place within it.goodall’s groundbreaking work, beginning in Tanzania in 1960, not only redefined animal behavior research but also ignited a global conservation movement.
David Obura, head of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on biodiversity and Ecosystem, recalled being inspired by Goodall’s books as a teenager. “I devoured her books that were really an account not just of her science, which shone through brilliantly, but of living in, and really identifying with the nature that became her life. I wanted to emulate what she found. And then as an adult with her humility and purpose – it was all about the species, places and people that she brought to the world’s attention,” he said.
Actor and conservationist Leonardo DiCaprio described Goodall as “his hero,” stating on Instagram that her research “transformed our understanding of how our closest relatives live, socialise, and think - reminding us that we are deeply connected not only to chimpanzees and other great apes, but to all life.” He added, “She never stopped.”
Apple chief executive Tim Cook lauded Goodall as “a groundbreaking scientist and leader who taught us all so much about the beauty and wonder of our world. She never stopped advocating for nature, people, and the planet we share. May she rest in peace.”
Environmental lawyer Farhana Yamin emphasized Goodall’s broader impact, saying she ”helped us understand apes but also ourselves. Thanks to her outstanding observations we no that language, love and caring are core parts of the more then human world and we don’t own nature but are part of it.”
Kaddu Sebunya, head of the African Wildlife Foundation, affirmed the organization’s commitment to continuing Goodall’s legacy, stating they ”recommit to carrying forward the flame she lit, ensuring that Africa remains at the heart of global conservation, and that her vision of a just and thriving world for people and nature endures.” He also shared a personal reflection, noting that Goodall “showed young girls everywhere, including my own daughter, that it is indeed possible to dream boldly, to lead fearlessly, and to leave the world better than they found it.”
A photograph from 2009 shows Goodall with a toy monkey gifted to her by a blind magician.
