Orangutan Foundation International
Encyclopedia
Orangutan Foundation International (OFI) has its headquarters in Los Angeles, California
. Founded by Dr. Birute Galdikas
, one of three anthropologists ("Leakey's Angels
") to study great apes under the guidance of Dr. Louis Leakey
, OFI continues to rescue and rehabilitate orangutans, preparing them for release back into protected areas of the Indonesian rain forest. In addition, OFI promotes the preservation of rain forest, an issue that continues to be of interest in various publications such as the New York Times (January 25, 2007), Los Angeles Times(October 19, 2008), and National Geographic Magazine (November 2008: "Borneo's Moment of Truth.")
Orangutan Foundation International, originally called the Orangutan Research and Conservation Project, was founded by Dr. Biruté Mary Galdikas
and former husband Rod Brindamour in 1986. The couple started the project to study the ecology and behavior of wild orangutans. The focus later turned towards conservation, protection, rehabilitation
, and education of orangutans, which has been an area of interest in various publications including New York Times (January 25, 2007), Los Angeles Times(October 19, 2008), and National Geographic Magazine
(November 2008: "Borneo's Moment of Truth.") The OFI's research facilities are located in the Indonesian owned part of Borneo,the third largest island in the world. Camp Leakey is where the research on orangutans is conducted and also where rehabilitated orangutans are released.
Support protection, conservation
, and understanding about orangutans and their natural habitat while caring for orphaned orangutans and helping them make the transition back into the rain forest. The OFI also educates the public and the government about orangutans, rain forest, and the issues around conservation and protection of the apes and their environment.
and Dian Fossey
who also worked with primates and decided to ask him to sponsor her as well. Leakey agreed, and Galdikas, Goodall, and Fossey became Leakey's Angels
. In honor of Leakey, Galdikas' named the base camp Camp Leakey. The first work of the ORCP was taking orangutans that were being kept as pets from government officials and others. The formation of the ORCP gave Dr. Galdikas the opportunity to conduct 100,000 hours of observation of orangutans. In 1986, the ORCP morphed in the OFI. The new insight from Galdikas' research with the Asian Ape (orangutan) drew a lot of media attention. Galdikas' found that she needed something to turn the attention into positive action and created the OFI. The OFI's goals were a little bit different from its mother. The OFI is "aimed specifically at conservation, rehabilitation, research, and education" . Lawyer John Beal visited Camp Leakey in 1979 and after his return to the United States
, aided Galdikas' and others in the establishment of The Orangutan Foundation in Los Angeles, California
which is headquarters for the OFI
.
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. Founded by Dr. Birute Galdikas
Birute Galdikas
Birutė Marija Filomena Galdikas, OC , is a primatologist, conservationist, ethologist, and author of several books relating to the endangered orangutan, particularly the Bornean orangutan. Well known in the field of modern primatology, Galdikas is recognized as a leading authority on orangutans...
, one of three anthropologists ("Leakey's Angels
Leakey's Angels
Leakey's Angels is a relatively recent name given to three women sent by archaeologist Louis Leakey to study primates in their natural environments. The three are Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Birutė Galdikas...
") to study great apes under the guidance of Dr. Louis Leakey
Louis Leakey
Louis Seymour Bazett Leakey was a British archaeologist and naturalist whose work was important in establishing human evolutionary development in Africa. He also played a major role in creating organizations for future research in Africa and for protecting wildlife there...
, OFI continues to rescue and rehabilitate orangutans, preparing them for release back into protected areas of the Indonesian rain forest. In addition, OFI promotes the preservation of rain forest, an issue that continues to be of interest in various publications such as the New York Times (January 25, 2007), Los Angeles Times(October 19, 2008), and National Geographic Magazine (November 2008: "Borneo's Moment of Truth.")
Birute Galdikas
Birutė Marija Filomena Galdikas, OC , is a primatologist, conservationist, ethologist, and author of several books relating to the endangered orangutan, particularly the Bornean orangutan. Well known in the field of modern primatology, Galdikas is recognized as a leading authority on orangutans...
and former husband Rod Brindamour in 1986. The couple started the project to study the ecology and behavior of wild orangutans. The focus later turned towards conservation, protection, rehabilitation
Wildlife rehabilitation
Wildlife rehabilitation is the process of removing from the wild and caring for injured, orphaned, or sick wild animals. The goal of wildlife rehabilitation is to provide the food, housing and medical care of these animals, returning them to the wild after treatment.-Process:Rehabilitation begins...
, and education of orangutans, which has been an area of interest in various publications including New York Times (January 25, 2007), Los Angeles Times(October 19, 2008), and National Geographic Magazine
National Geographic Magazine
National Geographic, formerly the National Geographic Magazine, is the official journal of the National Geographic Society. It published its first issue in 1888, just nine months after the Society itself was founded...
(November 2008: "Borneo's Moment of Truth.") The OFI's research facilities are located in the Indonesian owned part of Borneo,the third largest island in the world. Camp Leakey is where the research on orangutans is conducted and also where rehabilitated orangutans are released.
Mission
The Orangutan Foundation International's mission is to:Support protection, conservation
Conservation
Conservation may refer to:* Conservation movement, to protect animals, fungi, plants and their habitats** Conservation biology, the science of the protection and management of biodiversity...
, and understanding about orangutans and their natural habitat while caring for orphaned orangutans and helping them make the transition back into the rain forest. The OFI also educates the public and the government about orangutans, rain forest, and the issues around conservation and protection of the apes and their environment.
History
The Orangutan Foundation International was founded in 1986 by Dr. Birute Galdikas. The precursor to the OFI was the Orangutan Research and Conservation Project (ORCP), founded in 1971 by Galdikas with the help of Louis Leakey as moral and financial support. While working toward her Ph.D at UCLA, Dr. Galdikas went to see Leakey who was a guest speaker at the school. During the presentation Galdikas learned that Leakey had sponsored both Jane GoodallJane Goodall
Dame Jane Morris Goodall, DBE , is a British primatologist, ethologist, anthropologist, and UN Messenger of Peace. Considered to be the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees, Goodall is best known for her 45-year study of social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National...
and Dian Fossey
Dian Fossey
Dian Fossey was an American zoologist who undertook an extensive study of gorilla groups over a period of 18 years. She studied them daily in the mountain forests of Rwanda, initially encouraged to work there by famous anthropologist Louis Leakey...
who also worked with primates and decided to ask him to sponsor her as well. Leakey agreed, and Galdikas, Goodall, and Fossey became Leakey's Angels
Leakey's Angels
Leakey's Angels is a relatively recent name given to three women sent by archaeologist Louis Leakey to study primates in their natural environments. The three are Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Birutė Galdikas...
. In honor of Leakey, Galdikas' named the base camp Camp Leakey. The first work of the ORCP was taking orangutans that were being kept as pets from government officials and others. The formation of the ORCP gave Dr. Galdikas the opportunity to conduct 100,000 hours of observation of orangutans. In 1986, the ORCP morphed in the OFI. The new insight from Galdikas' research with the Asian Ape (orangutan) drew a lot of media attention. Galdikas' found that she needed something to turn the attention into positive action and created the OFI. The OFI's goals were a little bit different from its mother. The OFI is "aimed specifically at conservation, rehabilitation, research, and education" . Lawyer John Beal visited Camp Leakey in 1979 and after his return to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, aided Galdikas' and others in the establishment of The Orangutan Foundation in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
which is headquarters for the OFI
Camp Leakey
What started out to be just two small huts is now a functional research facility. Camp Leakey is where all of the research the OFI conducts on orangutans is done. Others other than the OFI have studied and researched at Camp Leakey including graduate and undergraduate students from multiple institutions such as Univeristas Nasiona, a college in Indonesia, and universities in the United States. The camp now consists of about 19 miles of trails, rainforest, and swamp land for the rehabilitated orangutans and the wild orangutans that made their home there. The OFI takes in ex-captive, hurt, and orphaned orangutans. Once the ape is in the care of the Dr. Galdikas and her staff, it is raised (if it is young) or treated for any diseases or injuries in the Care Center. The orangutans in the care center are taken each day by their keepers to Camp Leakey to be allowed to play in their natural habitat. This is done to slowly acclimate the orangutans back in to the forest so one day they can be released. Once the orangutan is old enough and deemed suitable, it is released back into the wild. Some orangutans never learn to fend for themselves and for that reason can never leave the care center and the staff. Some orangutans do not want to leave the base of the OFI (where the staff eats and lives) and will venture back from time to time to visit the staff and volunteersVolunteering
Volunteering is generally considered an altruistic activity, intended to promote good or improve human quality of life, but people also volunteer for their own skill development, to meet others, to make contacts for possible employment, to have fun, and a variety of other reasons that could be...
.
Controversy
The efforts of Dr. Galdikas and staff have brought about some controversy. An article from Nature says , "The orphaned apes were often psychologically damaged and difficult to control. Some even attacked guests and staffers." Some researchers questioned the value of the information gained from studying the orphaned apes. The critics question if the behavior of the apes mirrors that of a wild orangutan or not. Other people began wondering if the released orangutans would transmit diseases brought by people to the wild orangutan population.OFI in the Media
- IMAX film: Born to be Wild
- Tribute interview of Dr. Galdikas
- "She Knows TV" interview with Dr. Galdikas
- Honolulu Advertiser story
- Star Bulletin story about Rusti (an orangutan) and the OFI
- Birute Mary Galdikas honoured in Lithuania
- Smithsonian Magazine article about OFI.
- mongabay.com article about Dr. Galdikas and her work.
- Science.ca profile for Dr. Birué Mary Galdikas and her work
- CBC’s The Third Angel: The Life and Times of Biruté Galdikas
- Muskingum University page about Dr. Galdikas
- Daily Mai l article about orangutan releases
Sister Organizations and Partners
- Orangutan Foundation United Kingdom
- Australian Orangutan Project
- Yayasan Orangutan Indonesia
- Biruté Galdikas Ecology and Support Foundation