03.10.2025
It is with deep sadness that we learned of the death of Jane Goodall at the age of 91. A scientist renowned worldwide for her pioneering work on chimpanzees, Jane Goodall leaves behind a considerable scientific and humanistic legacy.
While the media will mainly remember her unique charisma and her research on wildlife, it is important to recall her commitment to ATIBT and its activities. In the late 1990s, ATIBT forged close ties with the Jane Goodall Foundation, particularly around measures to protect wildlife on logging sites. This fieldwork, which complemented her team's scientific research, paved the way for fruitful cooperation between some of our members and the Jane Goodall Foundation, as well as with WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society).
In 1999, a meeting in Zurich, also attended by Olof von Gagern (Danzer) and Jean-Jacques Landrot, then president of ATIBT, marked the start of a special dialogue. Jane Goodall was won over by the determination of ATIBT and its members to place wildlife protection at the heart of their activities. She subsequently demonstrated this confidence publicly by taking part in our ATIBT 50th Anniversary Forum in Rome (FAO), where she called for greater cooperation to safeguard biodiversity. Many remember the end of her speech, punctuated as usual by her joyful imitation of chimpanzee cries-a gesture that left a deep impression on the participants.
Jean-Jacques Landrot like to recall the friendship and esteem he had for her. Jane Goodall had dedicated several of her books to ATIBT, emphasizing her hope for lasting collaboration “for a better world and for the protection of all life.”
Jane Goodall's passing leaves a huge void, but her legacy and inspiration will continue to guide the actions of ATIBT and all those committed to sustainable forest management and wildlife conservation.
