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Jane Goodall, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) and UN Messenger of Peace, died this week at the age of 91.
JGI said that Goodall passed away “peacefully in her sleep” while in Los Angeles, California, for a planned speaking tour. Environmentalists, scientists, and other public figures have shared tributes to Goodall and her work in response to the news.
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Goodall, a renowned primatologist, anthropologist, and conservationist, challenged long-held scientific beliefs about animals through her study of chimpanzees. Her groundbreaking work over the last 65 years has helped shape how people think about animal behavior, mainstreaming concepts like sentience amongst great apes.
“Jane’s breakthrough and most famed observation of tool-use in non-human animals is known as the moment that ‘redefined humankind,’ wrote JGI. “This finding was followed by many others during her research of wild chimpanzees, including the existence of strong mother-infant bonds, meat-eating and hunting, primitive warfare, altruism, and compassion.”
Goodall notably named the chimps that she was observing, a practice that her peers in the scientific community ridiculed at the time. She also discussed the personalities and emotions of her chimp “friends,” a practically unheard-of practice in the 1960s.
‘She emphasized the interconnectedness of all living things’
Following her early breakthroughs in the field, Goodall worked to free captive chimpanzees and advocated for broader environmental protections and community-led conservation. A longtime vegan, she also frequently addressed how a meat-dominated food system negatively affects the planet, wildlife, and humans.
Goodall established JGI in 1977, and the nonprofit has worked to protect wildlife for nearly half a century. She launched Roots & Shoots in 1991, a far-reaching program with thousands of local chapters in 75 countries, to provide conservation and leadership-focused educational opportunities for young people around the word.
“Prior to her recent passing, Dr Goodall traveled the world nearly 300 days a year, speaking about the threats facing wildlife, environmental crises, and her reasons for hope,” said JGI. “In her books and speeches, she emphasized the interconnectedness of all living things and the collective power of individual action.”
Read more: Dr Jane Goodall Says ‘Think Before You Buy’ To Protect Animals And The Planet
‘A true hero for the planet’
The United Nations wrote that Goodall “worked tirelessly for our planet and all its inhabitants, leaving an extraordinary legacy for humanity and nature.”
Writing on Instagram, actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio said, “Today we have lost a true hero for the planet, an inspiration to millions, and a dear friend.”
Speaking to the BBC, British environmentalist Chris Packham described Goodall as “revolutionary” and “remarkable,” and added, “To have lost a hero at a time when we need all of them on the frontline fighting for life on earth is a tragedy.”
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