Jane Goodall Remembered As The World’s Conscience For Animals

The world is saying goodbye to Dr. Jane Goodall, a woman whose name became a symbol of kindness, courage, and love for animals.

She passed away at the age of 91, leaving behind a lifetime of work that forever changed how humans see animals.

For decades, Goodall showed that chimpanzees and many other creatures are more like us than we ever believed, proving they feel emotions, form families, and deserve compassion. Now, she is remembered as the world’s conscience for animals.

Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy mourned the sad news of Jane Goodall’s passing, calling her one of the greatest moral voices for animals in history.

In an email correspondence made available to The Blast, Wayne Pacelle, the president of both groups, praised her ability to open the world’s eyes.

“Jane Goodall taught us first to understand animals,” they said. “Then, in the last third of her life, she taught us to act with conscience toward all animals.”

Goodall’s influence went far beyond research. She didn’t just study chimpanzees; she connected with them in a way that proved animals are individuals with personalities and feelings.

The animal lover helped the public, governments, and even scientists accept that animals are not just tools for experiments, but living beings that deserve respect.

Dr. Jane Goodall was not afraid to take her message into the halls of power.

In 2015, she worked with Pacelle, then-NIH Director Francis Collins, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe to end invasive experiments on chimpanzees.

Thanks to her efforts, the practice was stopped, and the animals were finally freed from painful tests.

The primatologist also played a role in passing the FDA Modernization Act 2.0, a law that ended an 84-year-old rule forcing drugmakers to test on animals before releasing medicines.

That bill, which became law in December 2022, was a major victory for animal rights and science alike.

Tamara Drake, director of research and regulatory policy at the Center for a Humane Economy, remembered her dedication.

“Dr. Goodall’s voice was relentless – she knew that progress depends on both science and morality,” she said. “We carry forward her conviction by advocating for modern, humane testing strategies that spare animals.”

Goodall’s compassion was not limited to chimpanzees or animals in labs.

She spoke up for all living creatures, from factory-farmed animals to wild animals trapped in circuses, to wildlife struggling in their natural habitats.

She believed every animal deserved dignity and care, no matter the setting.

In their tribute, Animal Wellness Action captured her life’s values, saying, “Dr. Goodall was there for all animals – from animals on factory farms to captive wild animals in circuses to all free-roaming wildlife.”

Her message was always clear that humans cannot separate themselves from the rest of nature.

Jane Goodall died on October 1 in Los Angeles of natural causes while on a speaking tour.

She was 91 years old and still working to share her message around the globe.

As The Blast reported, her institute confirmed her passing, calling her life’s work “a tireless effort for the protection and restoration of our natural world.”

She is survived by her son, Hugo, and three grandchildren.

While her death marks the end of an extraordinary life, her teachings will continue through the generations she inspired.

From her first years in Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park, where she revealed the personalities and social bonds of chimpanzees, to her later years traveling nearly 300 days a year, she never stopped giving her voice to animals.

Speaking to PEOPLE in 2020, she said, “We’ve learned how alike chimpanzees are to us, which has changed science perception. That reductionist way of thinking began to crumble, and now we have a different way of thinking about our relationship with all the other animals.”

Even in her 90s, Goodall lived with energy and joy. For her 90th birthday, she spent the day on a beach in Carmel-by-the-Sea, surrounded by 90 dogs in a celebration arranged by the Wildlife Conservation Network.

She described it as a magical day filled with laughter, rain, and playful animals, a scene that perfectly reflected the happiness she found in nature.

Her influence reached far beyond science. Admirers included celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, Prince Harry, and Angelina Jolie, but it was ordinary people who carried her message forward.

She inspired countless children and adults to see animals differently, to treat them kindly, and to fight for the environment.

The icon once said, “Hopefully, we can begin a new era of our relationship with other animals. But we’re not there yet.”