Global tributes flood in after death of Jane Goodall
Social media filled with tributes to global activist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall — renowned for her groundbreaking research on chimpanzee social behavior — after her death at age 91.
Her death was announced Wednesday by the Jane Goodall Institute.
The award-winning scientist was in California at the time of her death and had been scheduled to address 1,000 students in Pasadena. At the event, members of the Jane Goodall Institute shared a prerecorded video message in which Goodall said, “I find it most inspiring … compared to how I was when I was young, (young people) are so articulate, they’re so passionate — that’s been a real sea change.”
The video, acting as Goodall’s last public words took over the internet on Thursday, as people all over the world mourned the famed ethologist.
Former President Joe Biden, who awarded Goodall the Presidential Medal of Freedom in January, sent love to the Goodall family on behalf of himself and his wife.
“Jane taught us that when we search for humanity in the natural world around us, we discover it within ourselves,” the post said.
Jill and I are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Jane Goodall whose activism, vision, and message of hope mobilized a global movement to protect the planet. Above all, Jane taught us that when we search for humanity in the natural world around us, we discover it within…
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 1, 2025
Organizations across the U.S., such as National Geographic and Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, posted videos and photos from Goodall’s earlier work.
“Dr. Jane Goodall’s early fieldwork observing chimpanzees at Gombe Stream Game Reserve, in Tanganyika (now Tanzania), unveiled groundbreaking research of shared behaviors between humans and apes,” National Geographic said.
In 1960, Dr. Jane Goodall’s early fieldwork observing chimpanzees at Gombe Stream Game Reserve, in Tanganyika (now Tanzania), unveiled groundbreaking research of shared behaviors between humans and apes.
The Jane Goodall Institute announced on October 1, 2025, that Jane Goodall… pic.twitter.com/c7AkEZsHeh— National Geographic Documentary Films (@natgeodocs) October 1, 2025
We mourn the passing of ethologist Dr. Jane Goodall, whose groundbreaking research and tireless advocacy inspired generations of scientists and conservationists. When she visited the Smithsonian–Mason School of Conservation in 2017 and 2019, she took time to encourage students —… pic.twitter.com/trQmjE6Lx4
— National Zoo (@NationalZoo) October 1, 2025
Conservationists, activists and philanthropists from all over honored Goodall’s scientific contributions.
The Humane World for Animals released a statement which reminisced about Goodall’s work and relationship with the organization since 1993.
“I was lucky enough to have known Jane and worked with her on numerous collaborations to help animals over the years—chimps, pangolins, elephants and more. Jane cared about all animals passionately,” said Jeffrey Flocken, chief international officer of Humane World for Animals.
Audrey Azoulay, director general of the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, posted on X.
“She changed the way we see Great Apes,” the caption said.
Maria Shriver, a journalist and the former First Lady of California who awarded Goodall the Minerva Award in 2009, wrote “I admired her, learned from her, and was so honored to get to spend time with her over the years,” in a post on Instagram.
Biden was not the only politician to mourn Goodall. Former President Barack Obama and American politician Hillary Clinton both posted as well.
Jane Goodall had a remarkable ability to inspire us to connect with the natural wonders of our world, and her groundbreaking work on primates and the importance of conservation opened doors for generations of women in science. Michelle and I are thinking of all those who loved…
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) October 1, 2025
Hollywood mourned the loss of the primatologist as well.
Rock group Dave Matthews Band posted a photo of Matthews and Goodall in a bathtub together on social media platform X. On Goodall’s 80th birthday, Matthews serenaded her with his rendition of John Denver’s “Take Me To Tomorrow.”
The world has lost a giant but she left us with the idea that hope is an act of resistance in a world run by greed and cruelty. She was a fierce defender of social and environmental justice, which to her, went hand in hand.
She was my dear friend and I will miss her. pic.twitter.com/OkMCfYeq5d
— Dave Matthews Band (@davematthewsbnd) October 1, 2025
“The world has lost a giant but she left us with the idea that hope is an act of resistance in a world run by greed and cruelty,” Matthews posted.
Actor Leonardo DiCaprio posted several photos of Goodall and himself together on Instagram.
“My last message to Jane was simple: ‘You are my hero.’ Now, we all must carry the torch for her in protecting our one shared home,” DiCaprio’s post said.
Actress Jane Fonda posted a photo of herself and Goodall as well.
The caption read, “she did more than any human being has, to let us understand the richness of animal lives: their intelligence, skills, unique personalities, use of tools, empathy, suffering when one of theirs was killed.”
Megan Trotter is a TribLive staff writer. She can be reached at mtrotter@triblive.com.
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