“Every single one of us counts. Every single one of us has a role to play. Every single one of us makes a difference.” These are the words of Jane Goodall, which have rung out over decades of scientific breakthrough, campaigning, and optimism and now, following her death at the age of 91, are ringing out in a global chorus of tributes.
1. A Global Chorus of Respect
Praise from President Joe Biden about her “message of hope” to Leonardo DiCaprio where she called him “my hero,” leaders, celebrities, and activists have heralded Goodall’s impactful work. Michelle Obama reminisced about how her career “opened doors for generations of women in science,” while PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk attributed her with having “forever changed the way we think about our fellow animals.”
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan recognized her as a “friend” whose trailblazing work at Gombe National Park put Tanzania at the center of international conservation.
2. Revolutionizing Science at Gombe
Goodall’s odyssey started in 1960, when she arrived at the Gombe Stream National Park with very little more than binoculars, a notebook, and indefatigable patience. Within a few months, she had recorded behaviors such as tool use and hunting that dismantled the notion that only humans were capable of such behavior. Her choice to name chimpanzees and chronicle their personalities was unconventional, but it brought to light their “rich emotional life” and intricate social structures. These findings not only revolutionized primatology but also increased humanity’s feeling of kinship with other animals.
3. Decades of Breakthrough Research
The Gombe study, now in its 60th year, is still one of the oldest studies of wildlife ever conducted. It has uncovered subtle details of chimpanzee life history, from weaning age to dominance patterns. Goodall’s original subjects David Greybeard, Flo, and others became species ambassadors, exciting international fascination. However, the research also revealed threats: infectious diseases such as SIVcpz, forest clearance, and isolation from other populations. Programs of health monitoring by the Jane Goodall Institute and community conservation have been crucial in confronting these dangers.
4. Promoting Compassionate Conservation
Goodall’s philosophy combined scientific discipline with compassion. She demanded that conservation take into account both individual animal well-being and ecosystem health. Initiatives such as Tacare in Tanzania empowered local communities to defend ecosystems without injuring wildlife, while sanctuaries like Tchimpounga provided refuge for recovered chimpanzees. Her voice was extended to non-lethal methods for resolving human–wildlife conflict, always striving for coexistence, not control.
5. Inspiring Generations Through Education
Sensing that the future of conservation was in the hands of young people, Goodall established Roots & Shoots in 1991. Starting with 12 students in Dar es Salaam, it has expanded to become a network in more than 75 nations, urging youth to take hands-on action on behalf of animals, the environment, and their communities. “Many, many, many young girls have told me that they went into conservation or animal behavior because of me,” she once told CBS News. This legacy of empowerment continues to shape the next wave of environmental leaders.
6. Global Conservation Impact
Her research at Gombe prompted wider initiatives throughout Africa, resulting in the establishment of Village Land Forest Reserves and the Gombe-Masito-Ugalla UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. These have rehabilitated degraded land, reconnected split habitats, and lifted the percentage of protected chimpanzee range in Tanzania from 9% to 43% in more than a decade. Such success reinforces her conviction that conservation needs to benefit people as well as wildlife if it is to last.
7. A Life Lived Without Boundaries
Goodall’s career challenged convention from the beginning she began her career without a university degree, gained her PhD from Cambridge, and spent more than 300 days annually traveling to share her message. She was as at home speaking to scientists as pant-hooting in the U.S. Capitol to illustrate chimpanzee communication. Friends and colleagues remember her boundless energy, humility, and capacity for making anyone optimistic about the future even during international crises.
Her death has been met with not only sorrow but also rededication. As African Wildlife Foundation’s Kaddu Sebunya put it, the challenge now is “carrying forward the flame she lit, making sure that Africa is still at the centre of the world’s conservation agenda.” As one tribute had it, “We all need to carry the torch for her in preserving our one home for all.”
