Sir David Attenborough and Prince William have paid tribute to Dame Jane Goodall, a world-leading expert on chimpanzees, who has died aged 91.
Sir David, 99, a friend of Dr Goodall’s, praised her as a “tireless advocate” of chimpanzees and “a great champion of environmental protection”.
The Prince of Wales said she inspired him personally and “her boundless curiosity, compassion and pioneering spirit transformed our understanding of the natural world”.
Dr Goodall died of natural causes while in California on a speaking tour of the US, according to a statement from the Jane Goodall Institute. The statement said her discoveries “revolutionised science” and that she advocated “for the protection and restoration of our natural world”.
In a statement issued to the PA news agency, BBC presenter and renowned environmentalist Sir David said: “Jane Goodall was the first to prove that an investigating scientist and a great ape living in the wild could become true friends and in doing so she came to transform our understanding of chimpanzees.”
Prince William said, “the world has lost an extraordinary voice” in a post on X adding: “she challenged us all to make a difference and inspired me and countless others to work to protect our planet. Jane Goodall made a difference.”
Many other public figures as well as global organisations have praised Dr Goodall’s legacy.
Former US president Barack Obama said Dr Goodall “opened doors for generations of women in science”, while actor and environmental campaigner Leonardo DiCaprio said she “inspired millions to care, to act, and to hope”, and called her “a true hero for the planet”.
The United Nations said it mourned the loss of Dr Goodall, saying that she “worked tirelessly for our planet and all its inhabitants, leaving an extraordinary legacy for humanity and nature”.
