Jane Goodall, the worldโs foremost expert on chimpanzees whose work was captured in more than 40 documentaries, has died.
Following her passing at 91, the world is celebrating Jane Goodallโs extraordinary life โ and one person profoundly inspired by the legendary activist is Leonardo DiCaprio.
A young woman in a male-dominated world
The actor has now shared his heartfelt final words about the legendary anthropologist.
The world is mourning the loss of Jane Goodall, the pioneering primatologist whose groundbreaking work on chimpanzees transformed our understanding of the natural world. Goodall, 91, passed away on October 1, 2025, while on a speaking tour in California, the Jane Goodall Institute confirmed.
Goodallโs name became synonymous with compassion for wildlife and tireless conservation. She first captured global attention in 1960 when she traveled from England to what is now Tanzania to study chimpanzees in the wild โ a bold move for a young woman in a male-dominated field.
She recalled to People how she observed chimpanzees using tools: โUsing a piece of grass as a tool to fish for termites, then picking leafy twigs and stripping the leaves.โ Until then, tool use was thought to be uniquely human.
Her love for animals and drive to make a difference led her to earn a Ph.D. in ethology from Cambridge in 1962, despite not having a bachelorโs degree. She founded the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977, authored numerous books, and spent more than six decades advocating for animal welfare, conservation, and environmental stewardship.
โIโm desperate to make a difference before itโs too late,โ she told Parade in 2020.
โWe can just give up, or we can say, โWeโve done a lot of harm to the environment, but weโre going to fight for whatโs left.โโ
Goodallโs contributions earned her recognition as a UN Messenger of Peace, a title she shared with Leonardo DiCaprio. Following her passing, the Oscar-winning actor shared a heartfelt tribute to his longtime friend and collaborator.
Leonardo DiCaprioโs last words to her
โJane Goodall devoted her life to protecting our planet and giving a voice to the wild animals and the ecosystems they inhabit,โ DiCaprio wrote on Instagram.
โHer groundbreaking research on chimpanzees in Tanzania transformed our understanding of how our closest relatives live, socialize, and thinkโreminding us that we are deeply connected not only to chimpanzees and the other great apes, but to all life.โ
He continued, โFor decades, Jane traveled the world with tireless energy, awakening generations to the wonder of the natural world. She spoke directly to the next generation, instilling hope, responsibility, and the belief that every individual can make a difference. She inspired millions to care, to act, and to hope. She never stopped. My deepest condolences to her family.โ
DiCaprio invited his followers to honor Goodallโs legacy: โJoin me in supporting the Jane Goodall Institute and other conservation groups. My last message to Jane was simple: โYou are my hero.โ Now, we all must carry the torch for her in protecting our one shared home.โ
Goodallโs influence extended far beyond science. She appeared in more than 40 documentaries, sharing her discoveries and insights with the world, and most recently collaborated with DiCaprio on Howl, a live-action film exploring the survival journey of a dog and a wolf from the animalsโ perspective.
What was Jane Goodallโs cause of death?
It is unclear whether Jane Goodall suffered from any life-threatening illnesses, but we know that she had prosopagnosia, which made it difficult for her to recognize familiar faces.
She passed away due to natural causes, the Jane Goodall Institute confirmed on Instagram.
Janeโs journey โ from a young girl inspired by a love of animals to a trailblazing anthropologist and global environmental icon โ leaves a lasting legacy that will continue to inspire generations to come.
She is survived by her son, Hugo Eric Louis van Lawick, and three grandchildren.
