Remembering Jeff Meldrum and Jane Goodall | ST 67

In this installment of Sasquatch Tracks, the team reunites after a short hiatus to remember the life and work of a pair of icons in the field of anthropology, with the passing of Dr. Jeffrey Meldrum and Dr. Jane Goodall. 

Dr. Jane Morris Goodall, renowned primatologist, ethologist, and conservationist, dedicated her life to expanding humanity's understanding of the natural world and its profound interconnections. Dr. Jane Goodall was not only as a scientist but a humanitarian and moral leader, whose legacy endures in every forest preserved, every animal protected, and every young mind awakened to wonder. Her passing marks the end of an extraordinary era in science and environmental stewardship.

Dr. Jeffrey "Jeff" Meldrum (1958–2025) was a renowned American anthropologist and professor at Idaho State University, best known for his work on primate locomotion, foot morphology, and the evolution of human bipedalism. At Idaho State, Meldrum taught anatomy, evolution, and primatology and conducted research into evolutionary morphology, with special emphasis on how the foot evolved to support upright walking in hominins.

However, Meldrum was best known as one of the most prominent scientists to engage seriously with the Bigfoot (Sasquatch) topic, publishing Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science and curating a large collection of footprint casts—while remaining committed to applying scientific rigor to controversial claims, in work that drew both admiration and critique as he straddled the boundary between mainstream anthropology and cryptozoology. Dr. Meldrum passed away on September 10, 2025, following a brief battle with brain cancer at age 67.

We celebrate the life, and discuss the work of these two great luminaries in science, on this very special episode of Sasquatch Tracks.

Stories and other links discussed in this episode: 

• Jane Goodall, ambassador for wildlife, dies at 91
• Internationally known ISU researcher Dr. Jeff Meldrum has passed away

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