Biruté Mary Galdikas: Orangutan Pioneer Passes

0:00It's March 25th. Welcome in. This is Toronto News Today, where local news meets AI. Beavrute Mary Galticas, the renowned Canadian primatologist who devoted her life to orangutans, has passed away at age 79. She died early Tuesday in Los Angeles after fighting lung cancer, surrounded by family. Galticas was the last surviving member of the famous Trimates, Trio, alongside Jane Goodall and Diane Fossy, all mentored by Lewis Leakey. She launched her groundbreaking research in 1971 at Tanjong Pudding in Borneo, Indonesia, despite experts doubting it could be done due. To the ape's elusive nature, over five decades, her patient observations revealed key insights into orangutan diets, social structures, mating, and rare births, every 7.7 years on average. Her tireless efforts turned the area into a national park in 1983 and established a rehabilitation center that is released for 150 captive orangutans back into the wild.

1:04She founded the orangutan foundation International in 1986 to fund and protect the largest remaining wild population. Galticas earned top honors like the Tyler Prize, Officer of the Order of Canada, and Indonesian awards from the President himself. She taught at universities in Indonesia and British Columbia, publishing early work in top journals. Tributes highlight her immense legacy in orangutan science, habitat protection, and raising global awareness of these vital forest species, ensuring her influence endures for generations.