A tribute to Jane Goodall: a life dedicated to giving a voice to chimpanzees
It is with great sadness that we have learnt of the passing of the British primatologist Jane Goodall, a pioneer of modern ethology and a tireless environmental campaigner, who died on 1 October 2025 at the age of 91. She leaves behind a considerable scientific and humanistic legacy.
A life dedicated to chimpanzees and the planet
Jane Goodall devoted more than sixty years to the study and protection of great apes. From her early days in 1960 at the Gombe Reserve (Tanzania), this young woman without a university degree revolutionised science by demonstrating that chimpanzees make and use tools – a fact then considered to be uniquely human. She observed chimpanzees making plant ‘sponges’ to catch water and cracking nuts with stones. This discovery blurred the line separating humans from other animals, paving the way for modern ethology. Very early on, Jane Goodall recognised that each chimpanzee has its own personality – a view that was long controversial but is now widely accepted.
Beyond her research, she became a leading environmental campaigner. Horrified by the destruction of her chimpanzees’ habitats, she founded the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977 to “improve the lives of people, animals and the environment by protecting chimpanzees and wildlife and inspiring action to preserve the natural world”.
The Jane Goodall Institute and Beauval: a committed partnership
Since 2011, the ZooParc de Beauval and its association, Beauval Nature, have maintained a strong partnership with the Jane Goodall Institute France, directly supporting conservation programmes in Africa. Jane Goodall herself visited Beauval when the partnership was signed, a significant moment that sealed a shared commitment to biodiversity.
These projects include, in particular, the Tchimpounga sanctuary in the Republic of the Congo, which has become one of the largest centres for orphaned chimpanzees. Thanks to funding provided by Beauval Nature, the Jane Goodall Institute has been able to finance the purchase of GPS collars, the construction of pre-release enclosures and the protection of a nature reserve covering more than 7,000 hectares, patrolled by local eco-guards. These practical initiatives support the rehabilitation and reintroduction of chimpanzees and mandrills, whilst preserving their habitats and involving local communities.
Beauval Nature also supports scientific research in West Africa and Senegal, and runs educational programmes for local communities. Every year, the sponsorship of Tumba, a chimpanzee born in 2009 at Beauval, and fundraising campaigns help to finance numerous conservation projects around the world, particularly for primates in Central Africa. Jane Goodall herself has never made a secret of her admiration for Beauval:
“If I were an animal, and had to be in a zoo, this is one of the zoos where I’d really like to be!”
This partnership illustrates the concrete commitment of ZooParc de Beauval and Beauval Nature to the protection of wild primates and the conservation of biodiversity, in keeping with the values of protection and respect for nature embodied by Jane Goodall.
Carrying on her legacy for a better world
We thank Jane Goodall for being the inspiring voice the world needed – first and foremost for the chimpanzees, but also for all the ‘voiceless’ creatures of nature. In honour of her commitment and that of her teams who are continuing her work, ZooParc de Beauval and Beauval Nature will tirelessly pursue their conservation efforts. Our association will continue to support the Jane Goodall Institute France and to fund field programmes to protect chimpanzees and the habitats they call home. In this way, we will carry on Jane Goodall’s legacy in our own small way: by keeping alive her fight for a world where humans and wildlife coexist harmoniously.
Her passing is an immense loss, but her message of hope and respect for the environment will remain etched in our hearts forever. Through her visionary outlook, she revolutionised the way humanity sees itself within nature. Her courage and kindness made her a universal figure, a global heroine whose work continues to illuminate our fight for biodiversity. With her passing, Jane Goodall has deprived us of an inspiring voice, but her legacy will continue to guide our actions and inspire our commitment for generations to come.
