Biruté Galdikas, the Canadian primatologist, conservationist and author known for her work with orangutans and as founder of the Orangutan Foundation International, died on March 24, 2026.
She was 79. Galdikas, a professor at Simon Fraser University, was recognized as a leading authority on orangutans and helped advance scientific understanding of the species through her field study.
She was also known as one of The Trimates.
Birutė Marija Filomena Galdikas or Biruté Mary Galdikas OC (10 May 1946 – 24 March 2026) was a Lithuanian-Canadian anthropologist, primatologist, conservationist, ethologist and author. She was a professor at Simon Fraser University. In the field of primatology, Galdikas was recognized as a leading authority on orangutans. Prior to her field study of orangutans, scientists knew little about the species.