Dr. Birute Galdikas

Biography

Birute Galdikas has been conducting research on orangutans since 1971, primarily focused on their behavior, ecology, and conservation. She has a longstanding affiliation with the Tanjung Puting National Park in Indonesia, where her efforts have involved studying wild orangutan behavior, developing conservation programs, and reintroducing captured individuals back into the wild. Her research also investigates areas such as orangutan subsistence, social structures, reproductive behavior, communication, and tool use. In addition to her work with orangutans, she has conducted studies on other primate species, including proboscis monkeys and macaques. Galdikas has played a significant mentorship role, supervising both undergraduate and graduate students from Simon Fraser University who participate in field research at Tanjung Puting. Galdikas holds a BA degree from the University of British Columbia and both MA and PhD degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Research Interests