When a young woman left school in 1942 to be a film production assistant, she did not know that she would one day be working for Louis Leakey—a highly acclaimed palaeoanthropologist who is renowned for his claim and universally accepted theory that humans evolved in Africa. At 23, that same woman did not yet know that her name would be recognized worldwide after her studies of chimpanzees proved that “human qualities,” such as the creation and use of tools, the exhibition of social structures, and the demonstration of family bonds were not innately or solely “human.” At 31, this woman earned her PhD in ethology—the science of animal behavior—from the University of Cambridge without any prior undergrad teaching or experience.
The first 23 years of Dr. Jane Goodall’s career were merely stepping stones for the profusion of work in the field of ethology. 32 books, 40 films, and over 300 published works by researchers associated with her work in Gombe, Tanzania, may be the tangible iterations of her impact, but her true purpose came from helping the world to see and understand that the actions of these animals we called “instinct,” were not so far from actions of our own: the actions and reactions of emotion. She found humanity in wildlife.
The Jane Goodall Institute was formed in 1977 for the continuation and stability of Goodall’s groundbreaking research, as well as the conservation of the environment—not just for the longevity of humans, but for the survival of wildlife diversity. Today, the organization has expanded from solely the study of chimpanzees to worldwide, societal preservation. Women’s health has become a primary initiative, ensuring that women have fair access to education, scholarships for higher education, healthcare, and reproductive and menstrual health services.
In 1990, Goodall appeared on CBS News for an interview to explain why humans and chimps are not as unalike as previously perceived. At that time, she had been studying chimpanzees for 30 years; it was a record then for the longest continuous study of a singular animal species, and she would continue that study for nearly 30 years after. Before Goodall, the longest unbroken field study was only a year long. When asked what it was that Goodall wanted the public to learn from her novel Through a Window, a publication on her research with chimpanzees in Gombe, she answered that our takeaways should reflect back on how and why we act as humans.
“Learning how close to us in so many ways these amazing beings are, it’s a little humbling because we’re not quite as different from the rest of the animal kingdom as we used to think. And I believe that if that message comes home to us, it will lead to new attitudes to all the other amazing, nonhuman beings with whom we share the planet today.”
More recently, Goodall sat down with Brad Falchuk for Netflix’s Famous Last Words documentary interview series. The interview was filmed earlier this year in March and, as Goodall knew, would only be released after her death. When she walked into the interview, she sat down and held a stuffed animal in her lap. Mr. H, the stuffed animal, has been in Goodall’s possession for 34 years, and was given to her by Gary Haun—whom the toy monkey is named after—as a birthday present. But Goodall says that Mr. H is far more than a toy, he is “a symbol of the indomitable spirit.” She said this in reference to the story of the man who gifted him to her, but in a way, that statement is also incredibly fitting for Goodall herself.
Overall, it appears Goodall’s biggest concern is time, and that we are running out of it. If anyone is adept to talk about taking time to make change, it is Goodall, with her lifetime of dedication and 60 years of hands-on research. She says that her greatest hope for the future is “raising this generation of compassionate citizens,” though she asks, “Do we have time?” Goodall says she doesn’t know. “There’s so much we still have to discover, you know, and I know when I’m gone, there’ll be more and more discovered if we can save the planet in time.” It is about the little actions, she remarks, that we add to each day of our lives that will add on time, that will add up to make bigger differences and, in turn, save us, and our planet, and all of the other nonhuman species that she loved so dearly. Given a private moment for her last public words, Goodall continues to do what she has done all her life: give people hope.
“Don’t give up. There is a future for you. Do your best while you’re still here on this beautiful planet Earth that I look down upon from where I am now.”
Dr. Jane Goodall passed on the morning of Oct. 1, 2025 in Los Angeles while on her U.S. speaking tour, spreading her efforts of conservation. Her hope and compassion inspired millions across the globe, and her legacy will continue to share the same notion: Earth belongs to us all.