Remembering the Legacy of Jane Goodall
A life lived to its fullest potential.
BY Bella Tabak and Ava Swidler ★ October 2nd, 2025
Design by: Sofia Floresca
Jane Goodall, a well-known environmental conservationist and primatologist, died Wednesday at 91. After stepping into the forests of Tanzania with her notebook and an immersive approach, Goodall was able to share groundbreaking observations on chimpanzees.
In 1960, she was the first to learn that chimpanzees made and used tools. Goodall also set the record straight that the animals were omnivorous, since they were previously thought to be herbivores.
Goodall’s legacy is more than science alone. Goodall’s experience studying chimpanzees led into her work as a conservationist. She focused on the deforestation that hurt the chimpanzees' habitat and educated others about environmentalism.
She also defined style in the truest sense, not just about clothes or trends, but about the way she carried herself. She gave fashion a new silhouette of power: khaki pants, soft blouses and windswept hair. She displayed that strength and femininity can look like kneeling in the dirt with wild animals, eyes alight with discovery.
Photo: Michael Nichols
Goodall pictured in her signature khaki pants and top, with her hair swept back and binoculars.
She began as an observer but became a powerful voice for animals, the environment and women, daring to explore in spaces where few had gone before.
Last year, Goodall told the New York Times that she travels 300 days a year to continue educating others about living with the environment in mind and consuming less. She poured her life into a cause with great purpose, making the world a better place for both humans and chimpanzees.
Her legacy should remind us that our lives, too, should move closer to the natural world. We should remember that caring for the environment is not just noble but necessary. We must carry on her vision forward — to live curiously, tread gently and cultivate a deeper bond with the Earth we all share.
If you want to make a donation to the Jane Goodall Institute, click here.
Edited by: Madison Sherman