In Memory of Dr. Jane Goodall

As you may know, Dr. Jane Goodall died on Wednesday,, October 1,2025, at the age of 91, in her sleep.

Somewhere around 1996 I had the privilege of meeting Jane Goodall– the kindest woman in the world.  She was a featured speaker at a nearby event in upstate NY, and I was among many in a large crowd of admirers. This was back before the internet was at our fingertips and so my knowledge of her was mostly about her work with chimpanzees. I considered her an amazing role model and hero and wished I could be her, or someone as influential as her. Jane had the courage to follow her passion, even when it took her across the world and was met with much skepticism among fellow scientists (men) in her field. They told her she couldn’t name her study animals! They told her not to have empathy for them, not to get attached. They told her animals don’t have feelings, experience emotions or pain in the way we humans do. To that she said she had an amazing teacher when she was young who taught her differently– her beloved pet dog who as anyone who has ever had a dog or cat knows, most certainly DOES have a unique personality and is sentient. Jane taught anyone who would listen that animals experience pain, love, joy, grief, and other emotions, just like humans and our dogs and cats. 

I saw a clip of Jane once that has stuck with me though the years. It showed a handful of people around a large cage holding a chimpanzee named Wounda, who was about to be given freedom after being nursed back to health by Jane and her team. Someone opened the cage and Wounda slowly walked out, towards a new life. Then, she pivoted, walked back towards Jane and the others, jumped on the cage and reached to give Jane a warm embrace. It was obvious to everyone watching, and all of those there that Wounda was thanking Jane, and saying goodbye. I still cry when I see this video. Anyone who says animals aren’t sentient beings is simply telling themselves a lie so they can go on exploiting them (think cows, pigs, chickens, fish, goats, sheep, turkeys, etc) for their own gain. Jane always fought to save and protect those who can’t fight for themselves. She was always a voice for the voiceless. 

You can watch it here if you want.

I feel a deep loss that Jane is no longer in the world. She showed what a true leader is, and how we can all make a difference. We all can learn so much from her! Every May when I do my blue ghost firefly tours I use her words in my closing, telling people what Jane said when once she was asked how she can have hope and keep going on in a hopeless world. She said, as she held her hand on her heart, “I keep a part of the forest right here with me all the time.” I too carry a piece of the forest, and river, and lake, with me at all times, able to close my eyes and call on the peace and solitude when my soul feels empty. 

Here are a few other favorite quotes from the one and the only, Jane Goodall:

“The greatest danger to our future is apathy.”

“Cumulatively small decisions, choices, actions, make a very big difference.”

“It actually doesn’t take much to be considered a difficult woman. That’s why there are so many of us.” 

“Let us develop respect for all living things. Let us try to replace violence and intolerance with understanding and compassion. And love.”

“To me, cruelty is the worst of human sins. Once we accept that a living creature has feelings and suffers pain, then by knowingly and deliberately inflicting suffering on that creature, we are guilty, whether it be human or animal.”

The hardest part of returning to a truly healthy environment may be changing the current totally unsustainable heavy-meat-eating culture of increasing numbers of people around the world. But we must try. We must make a start, one by one.”

and my favorite, and one that influenced me to become vegan:

I stopped eating meat some 50 years ago when I looked at my pork chop on my plate and thought: this represents fear, pain, and death…The least I can do is speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves.”

Through the years I’ve written a few posts about her and her important work. When interviewed recently and asked how she wants to be remembered, she answered, ” Science began to recognize animals like us have personalities, minds and emotions, right down from chimpanzees to elephants, dolphins, whales, to the octopus,” she said. “Secondly, starting the program for young people, Roots & Shoots, which is now in 70 countries around the world.” Founded in 1991, Roots & Shoots’ motto is “Be Bold, Be Kind, Do Good,” according to its website. The organization aims to bring together younger people to empower them to use their voice on environmental, conservation and humanitarian issues.

Jane went on to say, “

The most important thing is for people to understand that every day we live on this planet, we make some impact,” she said, adding that we all have the ability to make better choices when it comes to our purchases: “This thing we’re buying, did it harm the environment when it was made? Was it cruel to animals? … Is it cheap because of unfair wages?”… It’s never too late to make a difference.

Let’s honor Jane by doing our best to make a difference. It’s not too late. You’re not too old. Today can be the day you start!