Tributes from around the globe are flowing in for the renowned conservationist Dr Jane Goodall, who has died, aged 91.
Along with her groundbreaking work as the world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees, Dr Goodall is being remembered as a trailblazer for women in science.
“When I was a little girl, I used to dream as a man, because I wanted to do things that women didn’t do back then such as traveling to Africa, living with wild animals and writing books,” Dr Goodall had written back in 2018, in a piece for Time.
Dr Goodall described how growing up, it was male characters like Dr. Dolittle, Tarzan and Mowgli in The Jungle Book, who she looked up to, as there weren’t any representations of female explorers or scientists.
“It was only my mother who supported my dream: ‘You’ll have to work hard, take advantage of opportunities and never give up,’ she’d tell me.”
“I’ve shared that message with young people around the world, and so many have thanked me and said, “You taught me that because you did it, I can do it too.” I wish mum was around to hear the way her message to me has touched so many lives.”
Dr Goodall is known for her groundbreaking studies of wild chimpanzees in what is now Gombe, Tanzania.
Uncovering that chimps and humans are likely to have common ancestors, Dr Goodall’s scientific revelation was made through her discoveries that chimps use tools and create complex societies.
Later in her career, she created the conservation organisation, the Jane Goodall Institute, along with Roots & Shoots, an international youth program geared toward creating positive change in more than 65 countries.
On Thursday, The Jane Goodall Institute announced her passing “due to natural causes”, saying that at the time, “she was in California as part of her speaking tour in the United States”.
“Dr Goodall’s discoveries as an ethologist revolutionised science, and she was a tireless advocate for the protection and restoration of our natural world,” the Institute said.
Dr Goodall was recognised earlier this year with a Medal of Freedom by then-President Joe Biden. She also received Damehood in the UK, among many other international accolades for her work.
Dr Goodall was also a Messenger of Peace for The United Nations, who said in a statement that “the UN family mourns the loss of Dr Jane Goodall”.
“The scientist, conservationist and UN Messenger of Peace worked tirelessly for our planet and all its inhabitants, leaving an extraordinary legacy for humanity and nature.”
The International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC) paid tribute to Goodall as well, describing her as one of “the world’s most inspiring voices for animals”.
“Her message was always rooted in hope, that even the smallest actions, when multiplied, can bring about great change.”