Dr. Biruté Mary Galdikas

Dr. Biruté Mary Galdikas is a renowned primatologist, anthropologist, and conservationist, celebrated for her extensive work with orangutans in the rainforests of Borneo. Galdikas was born on May 10, 1946, in Wiesbaden, West Germany. Her parents, Antanas and Filomena Galdikas, were Lithuanian refugees who had fled their homeland following the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states after World War II. In 1948, when Biruté was just two years old, the family emigrated to Canada after her father secured work in a copper mine in Quebec. They settled in Toronto the following year, where she spent her childhood. Her father worked as both a miner and a contractor.

From an early age, Biruté was captivated by the idea of distant jungles and wild animals. The first book she ever checked out from the Toronto Public Library was Curious George. As she grew older, her fascination with wildlife only deepened, fueled by the adventures of Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey that she discovered in the pages of National Geographic.

Galdikas pursued her education in psychology and zoology, earning bachelor's degrees from the University of British Columbia and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She continued at UCLA for her master's in anthropology and, later, her doctorate. During her graduate studies, Galdikas approached the esteemed paleoanthropologist Dr. Louis Leakey with a proposal to study orangutans in their natural habitat - a species that, at the time, remained largely enigmatic to the scientific community. Recognizing her determination, Leakey supported her endeavor, facilitating funding from the National Geographic Society. 

Dr. Galdikas Flikr

In 1971, Galdikas established Camp Leakey in Tanjung Puting Reserve, Indonesian Borneo, marking the inception of the Orangutan Research and Conservation Project. This initiative aimed to delve into the behavior and ecology of wild orangutans. Her groundbreaking research illuminated various facets of orangutan life, including their dietary habits, social structures, and the notably extended intervals between births. Her meticulous observations significantly enriched the scientific understanding of these primates. 

In 1986, Galdikas founded the Orangutan Foundation International (OFI), dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of orphaned and displaced orangutans. The organization also emphasizes the preservation of rainforest habitats and educates the public on the challenges facing these great apes. 

Galdikas has received numerous accolades including the Officer of the Order of Canada and the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement. She has chronicled her experiences in publications such as Reflections of Eden: My Years with the Orangutans of Borneo and Orangutan Odyssey.

Currently, Dr. Galdikas serves as a professor at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia and holds the position of Professor Extraordinaire at Universitas Nasional in Jakarta, Indonesia.