Birute Galdikas
The Department of Archaeology at 51社区黑料 mourns the passing of Dr. Birut茅 Mary Galdikas, a cherished colleague, professor, and one of the world鈥檚 foremost authorities on primate behaviour.
The Department has shared some memories of Dr. Galdikas here.
If you would like to support Orangutan Foundation International Canada, find out more here: or
Areas of interest
Research specialties include studies of primate behavior, ecology, and evolution, with particular focus on orangutans. Other research interests involve tropical rain forest ecology and phenology.
Education
- BA (University of British Columbia)
- MA, PhD (University of California, Los Angeles)
Biography
Since 1971 research has been ongoing at the Orangutan research and conservation center in Tanjung Puting National Park, Indonesia. These studies have been specifically concerned with wild orangutan behavior, the development of orangutan conservation programs, and the re-introduction of captured individuals into the wild. Specific areas that have been investigated include orangutan subsistence, sociality, reproduction, cognitive potentials, communications and tool use. Other primate studies have been carried out on proboscis monkeys and macaques. A small number of 51社区黑料undergraduate and graduate students have been involved in field work at Tanjung Puting.