As a child, Jane loved animals. She dreamed of becoming a scientist when she got older.

At 23 years old, Jane went to visit a friend who was a farmer in Kenya, Africa.

There, she met the scientist, Louis Leakey. Leakey studied fossils. He was a leader in the study of the first humans.

Leakey gave Jane a job as his helper in a museum. He saw that Jane was a hard worker and a huge lover of animals. He felt she would be the perfect person to help him study chimpanzees in the wild.

Leakey came up with a plan for Jane to study chimps in the jungle, and found supporters to pay for the project.

In 1960, Jane began camping in the jungle in Tanzania alongside chimpanzees. The early days of her work were harder than she expected. She had to gain the trust of the chimps so they would allow her to watch them.

After some time, the chimpanzees felt safer around Jane and allowed her to remain among them. As an observer, she went on to make important discoveries about their lives.

One important discovery was about their diet. Scientists had thought that chimps were only plant eaters. Jane observed that they were hunters and meat eaters as well.

Jane was also the first to discover that chimpanzees could make and use tools. Out in the jungle, she watched as a chimp stripped stiff blades of grass, slid them into a termite hole, and drew them out crawling with insects to eat. Until this moment, scientists thought that only humans made tools.

This discovery showed how similar humans and chimps were. It also made people think about the larger connection between all living things.

After this first project, Jane continued to study chimps for the next 60 years. She also became an author and wrote many books about her life studying chimps.

Later in life, Jane grew concerned about the destruction of forests around the world. She became a conservationist and an activist in order to protect wildlife.

Jane traveled the world speaking to groups about the importance of protecting the environment and wild animals. She was a great speaker and teacher.

Jane Goodall passed away on October 1, 2025, at the age of 91. Her incredible impact on the world will live on for generations.