Dr. Galdikas, who passed away on March 24, 2026, was profoundly committed to orangutan research and advocacy. She launched a landmark wild orangutan study in 1971.
The Jane Goodall Institute is deeply saddened to learn that Dr. Biruté Mary Galdikas, the extraordinary scientist who studied and conserved orangutans for nearly fifty-five years, has passed. Dr. Galdikas taught us so much about one of our closest living animal relatives, and she worked admirably for their protection through her organization, Orangutan Foundation International. It is thanks to Dr. Galdikas that we know about orangutan’s long birth interval, diet, and ecology. She was also a trusted partner in establishing the first large-scale and long-term orangutan rehabilitation efforts in Indonesia.
Biruté first began studying the elusive wild orangutan in Borneo through the mentorship of Dr. Louis Leakey, following in the footsteps of Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey. Once known as “The Trimates,” these three leading scientists and conservationists changed our understanding of our fellow great apes and inspired countless people, especially women, to pursue careers in science and conservation.
“Dr. Biruté Galdikas was steadfast in her dedication to wild orangutans and their rainforest habitat. Like Jane Goodall, she believed in the sentience of all animals, especially the orangutans she worked so hard to conserve, and reminded us that we are intrinsically connected to the natural world,” said Anna Rathmann, Executive Director of the Jane Goodall Institute USA. “We must remember: This is not the end of an era, but instead the passing of a baton. Dr. Biruté Galdikas’s tireless work serves as a reminder of our shared responsibility to uphold her conservation legacy and strive toward a future where people, animals, and the environment thrive together.”
Photo credits, in order of appearance: Daniela and Catalin Mitrache, the Jane Goodall Institute, Orangutan Foundation International
