03/27/2026
Anthropologist, primatologist, and National Geographic Explorer Dr. Biruté Galdikas has passed away at the age of 79. One of the so-called Trimates, alongside Dian Fossey and Jane Goodall, Galdikas spent thousands of hours in the Tanjung Puting Reserve in Borneo conducting the first long-term study of orangutans.
In an iconic 1975 National Geographic cover story, Galdikas shared her findings and experiences—radically changing how we understand these incredible primates.
Read more about Galdikas's legacy and her work with National Geographic Society: https://on.natgeo.com/quFfZm