10 Surprising Facts You Didn’t Know About Jane Goodall
Dr. Jane Goodall spent more than six decades changing the way the world understands animals, conservation, and even humanity itself. Best known for her groundbreaking work with chimpanzees in Tanzania, she went on to become a global voice for wildlife protection and environmental action.
Goodall passed away in October 2025 at the age of 91, but her legacy continues through the Jane Goodall Institute, the Roots & Shoots youth movement, and the countless people she inspired to care more deeply about the planet.
Here are 10 surprising facts you might not know about Jane Goodall — reminders of the extraordinary life and impact she leaves behind.
1. She earned a PhD without first holding a bachelor’s degree
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One of the most remarkable aspects of her academic path: Jane Goodall was awarded a doctorate in ethology from Cambridge University in 1965, despite not having completed a formal undergraduate degree. This rare exception reflects how her field research and contributions were judged to merit the degree in themselves.
2. Her childhood toy chimpanzee, “Jubilee,” stayed with her
When she was a child, her father gave her a stuffed chimpanzee instead of a teddy bear — she named it Jubilee. That toy chimpanzee remained a meaningful object throughout her life. Many accounts note how that gift foreshadowed her life’s passion for chimpanzees.
3. She named her chimpanzee subjects (instead of numbering them)
Rather than assign numbers or codes, Goodall gave each chimpanzee she studied a name — such as David Greybeard, Flo, Fifi, and Frodo. This was controversial in scientific circles at the time, because many believed that using names introduced anthropomorphic bias.
Still, she considered it essential to see the animals as individuals.
4. She discovered chimps using tools just a few months into her study
Only about four months into her fieldwork in Gombe in 1960, Goodall observed a chimp using a stripped twig to fish termites — a behavior previously thought to be uniquely human. Jane Goodall Institute That observation upended assumptions about human uniqueness and drew worldwide attention to her work.
5. She observed chimpanzee warfare in the wild
Perhaps surprisingly, Goodall documented instances of organized intergroup conflict — a kind of chimpanzee “war” — between communities in Gombe, between 1974 and 1978. This observation challenged romantic notions of chimpanzees as always peaceful social animals, forcing a more nuanced view of aggression, territory, and group dynamics
6. She secretly suffered from prosopagnosia (face blindness)
Despite her intimate work with chimpanzees and people, Goodall had prosopagnosia, a neurological condition that makes recognizing familiar faces difficult (face blindness). This unusual trait is not widely known but speaks to her extraordinary persistence in social relationships and field identification of individual chimps.
7. Her favorite animal (ironically) was a dog
Despite her fame for working with chimpanzees, Goodall often said her favorite animal was a dog. She appreciated dogs’ loyalty, companionship, and emotional responsiveness.
8. She was a UN Messenger of Peace
In April 2002, Jane Goodall was appointed a United Nations Messenger of Peace, in recognition of her global influence on conservation, animal welfare, and youth activism. She used that platform to call attention to climate change, habitat loss, and ethical treatment of animals.
9. Even in her 90s, she traveled nearly 300 days a year
Up until the end of her life, Goodall remained astonishingly active. She traveled up to 300 days per year giving lectures, meeting with youth, and speaking for conservation causes. Her passing occurred while she was on a U.S. speaking tour in California.
10. Her impact lives on through Roots & Shoots and her institute
Jane Goodall founded the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977 to carry on her work in research, conservation, and community-based development. In 1991, she launched Roots & Shoots, a global youth program aimed at empowering young people to improve their communities, environment, and wildlife protection. USA+4 Thousands of local groups in over 100 countries continue to carry forward her message of hope and responsibility.
