After seven decades of revolutionizing our understanding of the natural world, the world’s most famous primatologist returns to the Gombe stream for one last look at the legacy she leaves behind.
Published April 30, 2026 10:45AM
In what would become her final trip to Africa, acclaimed primatologist and conservationist Jane Goodall (1934-2025) sat down with friend and fellow philanthropist Dax Dasilva to reflect on a life of service and share her hopes for the future.
Goodall died of cardiac arrest while in her sleep on October 1, 2025.
“I’m 91, so I don’t know how many more years I have,” Goodall said three months before her death. “When I do die, I don’t want everything I’ve worked so hard for to stop.”
Filmed on July 11, 2025, the newly released video shows Goodall and Dasilva in the rainy, tropical landscape of Arusha, Tanzania. The nearby Gombe Stream National Park is the site of the majority of Goodall’s work with chimpanzees.
She spoke on the future of conservation, community involvement, and the power of individual action.
“Just do something,” she said. “People come to me and say: ‘Well, look at the world, look at the wars, look at the destruction of the environment, the poverty, the suffering, the destruction of the soil with industrial agriculture. What can I do? I’m just one person.”
“We have this stupid saying, ‘Think globally, act locally.’ But no, act locally first, and do something,” Goodall told Dasilva.
Dasilva traveled with Goodall on her final trip to Africa, and considered the naturalist a mentor and friend. Through his impact-driven approach to tackling environmental challenges, Dasilva says he has seen progress firsthand and wants to pass on Jane’s message that everyone—no matter who they are—can create change. As part of this mission, Dasilva committed $40 million to conservation efforts through his nonprofit Age of Union.
