Happy birthday to the pioneering conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall, whose work transformed the world's understanding of chimpanzees. JANE is now streaming on Disney and Hulu. | National Geographic Documentary Films

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 died at 91. A primatologist, conservationist, animal advocate, educator, and National Geographic Explorer, her work revolutionized our understanding of the natural world. | National Geographic Africa

Jane Goodall, the conservationist renowned for her groundbreaking chimpanzee field research and globe-spanning environmental advocacy, has died. She was 91. The Jane Goodall Institute said Wednesday Goodall died of natural causes while in California on a U.S. speaking tour. The researcher and activist left a massive impact on the environmental science world. She advocated to protect and restore nature up until her death. | AP