We mourn the passing of 2021 Templeton Prize laureate Dr. Jane Goodall. She passed away on October 1, 2025 at the age of 91.
In 2021, Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE was awarded the Templeton Prize in celebration of her remarkable career, which arose from and was sustained by a keen scientific and spiritual curiosity.
Dr. Goodall first gained world recognition with her revolutionary studies of chimpanzees in Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park, which singlehandedly changed how animals are studied. In 1977, she founded the Jane Goodall Institute, which helps protect Tanzania’s chimpanzee population and improves the lives of local communities.
Through her decades of research, she was a staunch advocate for environmental protection. Her Roots & Shoots program has helped educate people around the world on how to allow for communities, the environment, and local animals to thrive. She also spoke to numerous organizations on the importance of ecology and preserving the natural world.
Learn more about her work at TempletonPrize.org
Inspired by the groundbreaking work of Dr. Jane Goodall and the Templeton Prize, Templeton World Charity Foundation awarded the National Geographic Society with a grant to support three National Geographic Explorers as they seek to answer questions about animal intelligence. Find out more about the Wildlife Intelligence Project here.
Living a Life of Purpose is a short biographical film about Dr. Jane Goodall.
WATCH VIDEO WITH THE ABOVE PLAYER
