Born as Valerie Jane Morris-Goodall on April 3, 1934, in London, England, Jane Goodall earned her PhD from Newnham College, Cambridge.
Known for her groundbreaking study of chimpanzees and her lifelong commitment to conservation and animal welfare, Jane passed away on October 1, 2025, at the age of 91, in Los Angeles, California, USA.
She was married twice. Her first husband, Hugo van Lawick, was a Dutch baron and wildlife photographer working for National Geographic when they met. Jane and Hugo divorced in 1974, and she later married Derek Bryceson, a member of Tanzania’s parliament and former director of Tanzania’s National Parks. Derek passed away in 1980.
Jane authored more than 27 books for adults and children and appeared in numerous documentaries and films, including two major IMAX productions. In 2019, National Geographic launched Becoming Jane, a travelling exhibit highlighting her life’s work, which continues to tour across the United States. Her most recent publication, The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times, has been translated into over 20 languages.
Her awards and accolades span the breadth of human achievement. In 2002, she was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace, and in 2004, she was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) at Buckingham Palace. Jane also received the United States Presidential Medal of Freedom, the French Légion d’honneur, the Benjamin Franklin Medal in Life Science, Japan’s Kyoto Prize, the Gandhi–King Award for Nonviolence, the Medal of Tanzania, and the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement.
In 1977, Jane founded the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) to support her research at Gombe. Today, the institute operates 25 offices worldwide, running diverse conservation and education programs.
In 1991, she launched Roots & Shoots, a global humanitarian and environmental program for young people. The initiative began with just 12 high school students in Dar es Salaam and has since expanded to more than 75 countries. Through Roots & Shoots, members are empowered to take part in hands-on projects that promote positive change for animals, the environment, and their local communities.
In 2017, Jane established the Jane Goodall Legacy Foundation to ensure the long-term stability of the programs she created — the essence of her life’s mission.
Although she travelled more than 300 days a year, Jane’s home remained in Bournemouth, UK, in the same house where her grandmother and mother once lived. Her sister, Judy Waters, and her family played a vital role in supporting Jane’s work, always offering a warm welcome when she returned home.
Jane is survived by her son, Hugo Eric Louis van Lawick (affectionately known as Grub), her three grandchildren — Merlin, Angel, and Nick — and her sister, Judy.