The great helper for great apes

The Great Helper for Great Apes

By:Faith

A lovely lady named “Birute Mary Galdikas” studied orangutans and apes. She has studied these apes for over 40 years. These endangered apes live in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra. Galdikas teacher/mentor was Louis Leakey which he is a famous anthropologist. Louis Leakey helped Galdikas to study on orangutans and apes in Borneo. There were another two women which Louis Leakey taught and they were Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey. Jane was known for her great work with the chimpanzees and Dian was known for her studies about the Gorillas. These three girls (which is including Birute Mary Galdikas) mentored/taught by Louis were mostly called “Leakey’s Trimates”.

Birute Mary Galdikas had an interview with times for kids (TFK) and this is some information. When Galdikas was at the age of six she read Curious George, and that was when she really became interested in animals like orangutans. Way before Kindergarten she was interested in animals.

Galdikas wanted to be an explorer because at the age of 6 she knew nothing about orangutans. Galdikas was amazed about orangutans so she wanted to know alot of information. Galdikas wanted to go to the jungles and learn something about the orangutans and also see them! Galdikas found another way to learn more fascinating facts so she went to the public library and issued books.

In 1986 Galdikas had found the “Orangutan Foundation International” (OFI). She wanted to help protect the precious orangutans because their habitats are starting to disappear. The orangutan’s habitat is disappearing faster than any other rainforest in the world! Galdikas is really hoping she can do something to really help the orangutans.

In september the world leaders and the palm oil companies are promising that them both would stop cutting down trees in the orangutan’s habitat. By 2030 they shall stop cutting down the trees to help these orangutans. Galdikas just hopes that they will stick to their word or else the orangutans will die. Galdikas doesn’t want that to happen she wants the orangutans to be protected and not extinct.

Galdikas said “If these orangutans ever go extinct it is all because of the palm oil”. The animals will survive if everyone stops eating foods that contain palm oil. Another solution to help these apes and orangutans is to download an app which shows all foods that contain palm oil so you don’t buy them or eat them. One more solution to help is when you go to the shops like Countdown, New world or Pak'nsave to look at the ingredients. If you find ingredients that have palm oil do not buy it please put it back because I don’t think you would like killing these lovely and gentle animals?

Galdikas likes to spend most of her time or half of the year looking after orangutans. She finds orangutans calm, gentle and very unique than other animals. She feels very blessed to have a job like this and to work with one of her favourite animals. She says “I have become friends with many orangutans and that gives me the greatest pleasure of all!!”.