Dr. Jane Goodall, renowned chimpanzee researcher and animal advocate, has passed away.
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The Jane Goodall Institute announced the 91-year-old’s death from natural causes in a statement on Wednesday.
“Dr. Goodall’s discoveries as an ethologist revolutionized science, and she was a tireless advocate for the protection and restoration of our natural world,” the statement said, per NBC News.
Goodall was in California on a U.S. speaking tour when she passed away, the statement added.
Of course, Goodall gained fame for her work with chimpanzees. She founded the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977. According to the Institute, she “went into the forest to study the remarkable lives of chimpanzees—and she came out of the forest to save them.”
The foundation’s website states that Goodall created a new approach to conservation when she saw that chimps were threatened by habitat destruction and illegal trafficking. This approach “improves the lives of people, animals, and the environment by honoring their connectedness to each other.”
Jane Goodall Began Her Study of Wild Chimpanzees at Age 26
Goodall was 26 when she first visited Tanzania to study wild chimpanzees. According to the foundation, she took an “unorthodox approach” by “immersing herself in their habitat and their lives” to understand their society as a neighbor, not a distant observer.
Goodall dedicated decades to protecting chimpanzees from extinction, becoming a globally beloved figure. Named a UN Messenger of Peace in 2002, her supporters included Prince Harry, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Angelina Jolie, according to PEOPLE.
Mattel further cemented Goodall’s pop culture legacy in 2022 by releasing a special edition Barbie doll dedicated to the conservationist. This celebrated the 62nd anniversary of her first visit to Tanzania’s Gombe National Park.
“My entire career, I’ve wanted to help inspire kids to be curious and explore the world around them,” Goodall said then.
The doll is dressed in a khaki shirt and shorts, holds a notebook, and comes with a pair of binoculars. It is also sustainably made from ocean-bound plastic.
Founded in 1977, The Jane Goodall Institute now conducts the longest-running study of wild chimpanzees. The organization continues its work to preserve the species’ natural habitat and prevent extinction.