Jane Goodallborn in London in 1934, was one of the world's most influential scientists, naturalists and environmentalists. From a very young age she dreamed of traveling to Africa to observe animals in the wild, a dream that came true in 1960 when she began her emblematic programs of study with chimpanzees in Gombe National Park in Tanzania. His patience, sensitivity and innovative approach allowed him to discover previously unsuspected behaviors: chimpanzees use objects as tools, express complex emotions and maintain deeply structured social relationships. Those findings revolutionized primatology and transformed our understanding of the boundary between humans and the rest of the animal world.

But Jane Goodall transcended the scientific realm. Her commitment became a global mission statement for conservation and environmental Education . In 1963, National Geographic published "My Life Among the Wild Chimpanzees", which brought her story and that of her chimpanzees into the homes of millions of people around the world, inspiring a new bond between people and nature. In 1977 she founded the Jane Goodall Institute, an organization dedicated to research, ecosystem protection and the empowerment of local communities. Later, in 1991, she created Roots & Shoots, an international educational program that encourages young people around the world to act with empathy and responsibility towards animals, people and the planet.

Throughout her life, she received numerous awards for her tireless work: the Kyoto Prize (1990), the degree scroll of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (2004), the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom (2025) and her appointment as a United Nations Messenger of Peace by Kofi Annan in 2002. Each of these tributes reflected not only her scientific contributions, but her ability to inspire entire generations to care for the world we share.

Jane Goodall passed away this October 2025, at the age of 91, leaving behind her a deep and luminous imprint. Her bequest lives on in the science, conservation and forests she helped protect, in the communities she promoted towards sustainability and, above all, in the minds and hearts of those who learned from her to look at animals - and the planet - with respect, humility and hope.

Thank you, Jane, for teaching us that science can also be an act of love. Thank you for showing us that empathy for animals is inseparable from respect for life in all its forms. Thank you for reminding us, by your tireless example, that every small action counts and that it is still possible to build a more just, compassionate and sustainable world.

-----------------------
Enrique Baquero
researcher at the Biodiversity and Environment Institute and professor at the School of Sciences of the University of Navarra.