What was Jane Goodall's cause of death? Exploring health issues as Perez Hilton raves about anthropologist's "incredible dedication" to work

English primatologist and anthropologist Jane Goodall’s cause of death has reportedly been determined. According to People, the world-renowned chimpanzee expert died earlier this month in her sleep in Los Angeles.

As per her death certificate, obtained by TMZ on Monday, October 20, 2025, the conservationist died from cardiac arrest, also known as cardiopulmonary arrest. As the risk of cardiac arrest rises with ageing, her death was reportedly considered natural.

Meanwhile, it had also come to notice that the 91-year-old Jane Goodall also had epilepsy. While it was listed on the certificate, it is unclear if epilepsy played any role in her death.

According to People, the Jane Goodall Institute announced on October 1, 2025, that the renowned conservationist and animal welfare advocate had died “peacefully” in Los Angeles, while she was on a tour in the US. Her body was reportedly found in bed earlier that day.

“Dr. Goodall’s discoveries as an ethologist revolutionized science, and she was a tireless advocate for the protection and restoration of our natural world,” the Jane Goodall Institute said.

The institute also paid tribute to Goodall, and said that her:

“Life and work not only made an indelible mark on our understanding of chimpanzees and other species, but also of humankind and the environments we all share. She inspired curiosity, hope and compassion in countless people around the world, and paved the way for many others.”

The death certificate of Jane Goodall also reportedly states that she was discovered about 8:30 a.m., in a private home in Beverly Hills, where she'd been staying. Her body was cremated and returned to her native in the U.K.

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Perez Hilton raves about Jane Goodall’s “incredible dedication” to her work until the end

Dr. Jane Goodall at the 2025 Forbes Sustainability Summit (Image via Getty)

On October 20, American blogger and columnist Perez Hilton took to his blog and detailed that the late anthropologist was incredibly dedicated to her work until the end. According to her longtime personal assistant, Mary Lewis, she was set to speak at UCLA on October 3 as part of her tour.

Noting that Lewis spoke to People after her passing and revealed that Jane was drafting a document up until 10:30 p.m. on the night before her death, Perez Hilton quipped:

“Jane had such an incredible dedication to her activism work!”

Meanwhile, just hours before Goodall's death was announced, Mary Lewis, her personal assistant of 30 years, told the outlet:

“I was actually in bed and I saw this email flash across my phone, and I thought, ‘Oh, I’ll send a message saying, Jane, I’ve got to get up at 5 a.m.. I’ll get to you tomorrow night.’ Then I thought, ‘She’s terribly busy.’ So I went and got my computer and sat in bed and started editing.”

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For the unversed, Goodall made one of her final appearances at New York Climate Week, which took place from September 21 to 28. She was also reportedly scheduled to appear at a tree planting ceremony in Pasadena, California, on Oct. 1, the day her death was announced.

Jane Goodall, who was seen as the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees, is survived by her son, Hugo, and three grandchildren. She notably spent decades studying the species in the wild in Tanzania's Gombe Stream National Park.

Edited by Afreen Shaikh