- Gary Shapiro’s work on orangutan cognition and communication spans five decades, beginning with his pioneering studies teaching sign language to ex-captive orangutans in Borneo.
- His research evolved into a lifelong commitment to orangutan conservation, leading him to co-found organizations like Orangutan Foundation International, focusing on protecting orangutans and their rainforest habitats from logging and palm oil plantations.
- Shapiro advocates for “orangutan personhood,” emphasizing their intellectual and emotional capacities, and calls for global action to save both the orangutans and their critical habitats amidst the ongoing climate and biodiversity crises.
- Shapiro recently spoke with Mongabay Founder and CEO Rhett Ayers Butler about his work and the state of orangutans in the wild.
Orangutans have long captured the human imagination, their expressive eyes and human-like behaviors drawing parallels with our own species. Yet few individuals have had the opportunity to dive as deeply into the minds and lives of these great apes as Gary L. Shapiro.
A pioneer in primate communication, Dr. Shapiro’s work spans five decades, encompassing not only groundbreaking studies in orangutan cognition but also a lifelong commitment to their conservation. Now, as his book Out of the Cage: My Half Century Journey from Curiosity to Concern for Indonesia’s “Persons of the Forest” prepares to hit the shelves, Shapiro reflects on the unique journey that brought him from the academic study of animal behavior to the jungles of Borneo, where he lived among and communicated with ex-captive orangutans.
Shapiro’s foray into the world of orangutan communication was almost serendipitous. As a graduate student in the 1970s, he was inspired by the pioneering work of Drs. Allen and Beatrix Gardner, who had famously taught a chimpanzee to use American Sign Language. Shapiro soon found himself at Fresno City Zoo, where a juvenile orangutan named Aazk became the first of her kind to be taught an artificial symbolic language. This initial research planted the seeds of what would become Shapiro’s lifelong fascination with orangutan cognition and communication, leading him to a remote part of Indonesian Borneo in the late 1970s, where he conducted the first study of sign language in great apes living in their natural environment.

It was during his time at Camp Leakey, an orangutan rehabilitation center in Tanjung Puting National Park, that Shapiro’s work took on a new dimension. His early experiments in teaching signs to ex-captive orangutans in Borneo revealed not only their ability to grasp symbolic communication but also their deep emotional and social complexity. One of the orangutans, a female named Princess, formed an especially close bond with Shapiro, who describes her as having adopted him as her “father.” Over the course of their relationship, Princess learned more than 30 signs, which she used to express her desires and observations about her surroundings. It was a remarkable achievement, not only for what it revealed about orangutan cognition but also for the profound connection between humans and our closest relatives in the animal kingdom.
But for Shapiro, the significance of his work has always extended beyond mere academic curiosity. His time in Borneo opened his eyes to the broader plight of the orangutans, whose rainforest habitats were being rapidly decimated by logging and oil palm plantations. The survival of the species, he realized, was inextricably tied to the fate of these vital ecosystems. In response, Shapiro became an outspoken advocate for orangutan conservation, helping to establish several organizations dedicated to the protection of both the apes and their forest homes. His role as the co-founder of Orangutan Foundation International and later the Orang Utan Republik Foundation reflects his commitment not only to research but also to the education and advocacy necessary to safeguard orangutans’ future.
Yet despite decades of conservation efforts, the situation remains dire. The population of orangutans continues to decline, driven by habitat destruction, poaching, and the illegal pet trade. Shapiro is acutely aware of the challenges facing the species, but he remains hopeful that greater awareness and education can turn the tide. His conservation organizations focus heavily on outreach and education in local communities, particularly in Sumatra and Borneo, where the world’s remaining wild orangutans live. Through initiatives such as scholarships for Indonesian students and community engagement programs, Shapiro seeks to inspire the next generation of conservationists.

Shapiro’s dedication to orangutan advocacy has also led him to embrace the concept of “orangutan personhood,” a recognition of the inherent rights of these highly intelligent and emotionally complex creatures. This notion, which has gained some traction in recent years, argues that great apes, like humans, should be entitled to basic rights such as life, liberty, and protection from harm. In 2015, an Argentine court recognized an orangutan named Sandra as a non-human person, a landmark ruling that Shapiro views as an important step forward in the fight for great ape rights. While legal recognition of orangutan personhood remains elusive in many parts of the world, Shapiro believes that progress is being made, even if slowly.
For Shapiro, the question of orangutan rights is not merely a theoretical one. His decades-long relationship with these animals has left him with a deep sense of their personhood—a term he uses deliberately to emphasize the emotional and intellectual capacities of orangutans, capacities that have traditionally been reserved for humans. “Orangutans are persons of the forest,” he says, “and they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.” His book Out of the Cage is not only a chronicle of his scientific work but also a plea for a reevaluation of how humans view and treat the other sentient beings with whom we share the planet.

As the world grapples with the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, Shapiro’s work takes on new urgency. The rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra—critical habitats for orangutans—are among the most biodiverse regions on Earth, and their destruction has far-reaching implications for global climate stability. For Shapiro, the stakes could not be higher. “To save the orangutans,” he argues, “we must save the forests. And to save the forests, we must change the way we think about our relationship with nature.”
In Out of the Cage, Shapiro offers not only a personal account of his groundbreaking research but also a call to action for the conservation of one of the world’s most endangered species. As the book’s release coincides with the ongoing struggle to preserve the rainforests of Southeast Asia, Shapiro’s message is clear: the survival of orangutans is a test of humanity’s willingness to protect the natural world that sustains us all.
AN INTERVIEW WITH DR. GARY SHAPIRO
Background and journey
What initially sparked your interest in studying orangutans, and how did that interest evolve over time?
During my pursuit of a master’s degree in biology at California State University, Fresno in the early 1970s, I was offered an opportunity to conduct research at the Fresno City Zoo (now Chaffee Zoo). The zoo’s director and veterinarian, Dr. Paul Chaffee, actively encouraged graduate students to study the animals under his care. My focus was on animal behavior.
Years earlier, I had met Drs. Allen and Beatrix Gardner, who had famously taught an infant chimpanzee named Washoe to use American Sign Language. Inspired by their groundbreaking work, I was intrigued when I discovered a juvenile female orangutan at the zoo. Since no one had yet attempted to teach an orangutan sign language, I decided to be the first to try.
The Gardners recommended using an artificial language with plastic children’s letters as symbols instead of sign language, believing it might be easier for the orangutan to grasp. Over nearly two years, I formed a deep bond with the orangutan, named Aazk, and employed teaching methods like conditional discrimination to help her learn to read and “write” using the plastic letters. Through this, I was able to explore the design features of language and demonstrate that an orangutan could indeed learn and communicate using an artificial language. I also discovered that Aazk had her own distinct personality and exhibited human-like emotions.

After earning my degree in 1975, I pursued a Ph.D. in Zoology at the University of Oklahoma, working with Dr. Roger Fouts, who was studying chimpanzee sign language competency at the Institute for Primate Studies. While conducting a chimpanzee sign comprehension study for my doctoral project, I received an unexpected but life-changing phone call from Dr. Fouts. He asked if I would be interested in traveling to Borneo to teach sign language to an ex-captive orangutan named Sugito, who was part of a rehabilitation program led by Biruté Galdikas, a protégé of paleoanthropologist Louis Leakey. As a zoologist with a deep appreciation for the biodiversity of the Bornean rainforest, I seized the opportunity.
A year later, after securing the necessary permits and approvals from the Indonesian government, I found myself journeying up a blackwater river in Central Indonesian Borneo. This marked the beginning of a two-year adventure, during which I studied and interacted with dozens of orangutans. This experience profoundly deepened my understanding of orangutans and awakened me to their plight and personhood.
When I left Tanjung Puting in 1980, I was determined to continue my journey with orangutans. I returned the following year to conduct further tests with Princess and, more importantly, helped establish the first orangutan research, conservation, and education organization, the Orangutan Foundation, alongside Biruté. We recognized the need to expand the mission beyond the immediate financial needs of her research project. Since then, my life has continued to unfold in ways I never imagined, driven by a deep commitment to the conservation and understanding of these incredible beings.
Reflecting on your half-century journey with orangutans, what have been the most transformative moments for you?
One truly transformative moment from my research comes to mind. While home-rearing a juvenile orangutan named Princess as part of a sign language project, I began to develop a profound bond with her. She came to depend on me as a “maternal” figure, and I found myself identifying with her as an adopted daughter.
This realization shifted my worldview in a powerful way. I increasingly came to see Princess, and orangutans more broadly, as part of my extended kin network. We humans, after all, are biologically classified as great apes. Living intimately with this ex-captive orangutan population transformed me into someone deeply committed to the conservation of these “persons of the forest.”

Witnessing Princess’s intelligence, emotional capacity, and reliance on me as a caregiver made me acutely aware of the shared humanity we hold as great apes. From that point on, I became ever more dedicated to advocating for the protection of orangutans and their endangered rainforest habitats. That direct, personal experience of forming a familial bond was a pivotal turning point that continues to inspire my life’s work today.
Your new book, “Out of the Cage“, is coming out soon. Is there anything you’d like to share about it?
In the book, I explore various topics alongside my experiences with orangutans, one of which profoundly deepened my understanding of their sentience and emotional complexity. This experience involved a juvenile ex-captive orangutan named Jimmy. Jimmy had developed a deep psychological dependence on his human caretaker, an older Chinese-Indonesian woman, who was eventually forced to surrender him to our rehabilitation program. After she left our camp, Jimmy struggled to interact with the other younger orangutans, often isolating himself or seeking comfort from human caregivers. It was evident that he was experiencing a severe bout of depression.
Despite our best efforts, including thorough medical examinations and tests for parasites (all of which came back clean), Jimmy’s condition deteriorated. He ate very little and began to waste away. We administered vitamin injections and encouraged him to eat, and after some time, he began to regain his appetite and put on weight.
However, a few weeks later, Jimmy’s former caretaker and her grandchildren made an unannounced visit to our camp. The reunion was deeply emotional—Jimmy was overjoyed, clinging to the woman and refusing to let go. But as the afternoon came to a close, she had to leave once again, and the separation was heartbreaking. I can only imagine the emotional turmoil Jimmy experienced.
After she left, Jimmy’s depression returned with a vengeance. He stopped eating, lost weight rapidly, and showed no interest in any of the activities we tried to engage him in. Even force-feeding him couldn’t prevent his decline. Ultimately, I came to a profound realization about the depth of emotional attachment and grief shared by both humans and orangutans when Jimmy died in my arms—his spirit broken by the loss of his beloved caretaker.
Orangutan personhood
Can you describe your first experience teaching sign language to orangutans and the impact it had on you personally and professionally?
On my first full day at Camp Leakey, I did something unprecedented. I swam across the blackwater river separating camp from an area where several ex-captive orangutans were being allowed to free-range in the peat swamp forest. My intent was to meet and gain the trust of an orangutan named Rinnie, a young adult female, who I had seen upon my arrival to Camp Leakey the day before. Even though she was much stronger than I was, she was hesitant but curious to meet me when I began to stand upright on the mushy peat shore of the river. I was both excited and apprehensive but not fearful when I carefully touched her arm and then hand. While she pulled it away at first, I gently touched her hand again and she allowed me to mould her hand into a simple gesture, the beckoning gesture for “come” or “give”. After doing that, I moved closer to her and repeated the action. Thus I began teaching her a basic sign.

No other western scientists or administrators were there to advise me as to the inherent danger of being in close quarters with an adult ape. I returned to Camp Leakey elated in establishing first contact with a free-ranging, adult orangutan who had the freedom to choose to become my student or spend her time doing something else. As it turned out, I worked regularly with her for nearly 2 years.
At the end of my study, Rinnie continued her own journey as an ex-captive orangutan learning how to survive in the wild. She was given the respect she deserved as a sentient being. She was not confined to a cage at an academic or zoological institution, a fate that almost every other great ape has experienced at the end of the sign language study.
What are some of the most significant findings from your research on orangutan communication and cognition?
I was able to demonstrate that orangutans were as capable of learning to sign as were chimpanzees and gorillas. My first publication upon returning to the States was to compare the early sign learning of Princess with that of Washoe (the first signing chimpanzee) and Koko (the first signing gorilla). Thus it seems that sign learning competency was present in the common ancestor of hominoids or at the very least evolved in a convergent fashion within each lineage. I found that orangutans learn signs of items (also known as referents) based on how interested they are in those items. This makes sense for any of us who have struggled to learn topics that we are just not interested in. For orangutans, their big interest is food so food signs were learned much faster than nonfood signs. And when we have conversations in an ad lib way, the topic of conversation focuses on the food and drinks we provide as well as the activities of contact, such as grooming, brushing and tickling (for young orangutans). For many primates, grooming is the social glue of their society, but for orangutans, the least sociable of primates, grooming might not seem like a topic of interest, but it was for both Rinnie and Princess, especially when they were the beneficiaries of being groomed. Grooming requests seemed to be secondary to the food requests. It seemed to me that the sign learning was akin to learning a tool to extract resources, even though elements of syntax and grammar were observed in the stringing to gether of combinations of signs.
You’ve been an advocate for recognizing orangutans as persons. What progress has been made in this area, and what challenges remain?
Since the creation of the Great Ape Project in 1993, numerous attempts have been made to grant great apes basic rights such as life, liberty, and protection from torture, as well as recognition of their personhood. Despite these efforts, progress has been minimal, particularly in the United States, where the legal system remains highly conservative and nonhumans are still considered property. The Nonhuman Rights Project (NhRP) has persistently advocated for the recognition of personhood for highly intelligent and sentient mammals such as cetaceans, elephants, and great apes. In a notable case, two chimpanzees, Hercules and Leo, were represented by NhRP and petitioned to be released from a US research facility under a writ of habeas corpus. While their case and appeal for immediate release did not succeed due to legal precedent, the court expressed sympathy. Ultimately, the two chimpanzees were transferred to an accredited sanctuary in Georgia. Despite ongoing efforts by groups like NhRP, U.S. courts have yet to grant personhood status to nonhumans.

In contrast, a decade ago, an Argentine court granted nonhuman personhood status to an orangutan named Sandra. Sandra, who had been living alone for many years at the Buenos Aires Zoo, was the subject of a legal challenge by a local animal rights law firm. They argued that she was suffering and sought her release through a writ of amparo, similar to habeas corpus. I was among several experts who testified on her behalf. While Sandra did not immediately gain her freedom from the zoo, improvements to her conditions were to be made. Eventually she was eventually transferred to a sanctuary in Florida. Though she lost her personhood status upon entering the United States, Sandra now enjoys a much better life, living with dignity alongside other orangutans, given choice to interact with other orangutans, and appearing more fully engaged with her surroundings.
While the thorny issue of personhood will continue to be pursued by animal advocates and organizations, it is important to recognize that legal avenues to improve the conditions of suffering animals, including orangutans, can and should be addressed through existing animal welfare laws. We should not wait for the political and legal zeitgeist to change before we take action with individual cases of suffering.
Over the years, you’ve interacted with many orangutans. Could you share some memorable experiences or anecdotes that highlight their unique personalities?
I was fortunate to have known Siswoyo and her daughter, Siswi. Siswoyo came to Camp Leakey with atrophied legs having lived in a small cage for many years before being rehabilitated. She eventually recovered, and when I met her in 1978, she was good natured and very pregnant having consorted with a wild male six months earlier. She was the first excaptive to have given birth at Camp Leakey. I noted in my diary that once I had taken residence at the guest house, Siswoyo, would amble onto the porch and start banging on the front door. If I opened it, would have to block the door to keep her from entering the house. She was a friendly orangutan who would sit next to me and hold my hand while she would reprocess her food by regurgitation. If I ran into her on the trails, she might surprise me by climbing on my back to be carried around.

Siswoyo seemed to enjoy her bi-cultural life at Camp Leakey when not in the forest. In camp she was tolerated by staff as she would climb onto a loaded cart for a ride down the boardwalk or open the side door of the kitchen to grab a handful of rice. Because Siswoyo was the dominant female at Camp Leakey, she had a secure attitude and didn’t worry about aggression directed towards her by other orangutans. But she also expressed her displeasure of cages, especially when seeing captive orangutans. As a champion of freedom, she secretly released youngsters from their holding enclosures on several occasions causing staff to return them to safety. Perhaps it was the memory of her time in captivity as a youngster that motivated her. She was also a great mother, and her daughter, Siswi, inherited her dominance and fearless nature after Siswoyo passed away.
Siswi, for many decades, would be a nemesis to my orangutan daughter, Princess and other female orangutans. Siswi would harass Princess by biting her and causing her to be hyperaware of Siswi. Siswi undoubtedly remembered how Princess used to bite at Siswoyo as I would play with Siswoyo while Princess clung to my shoulders. I had conflicted feelings about Siswi as I was the one who named her on the day she was born and had direct interactions with her for decades. Siswi was lucky to have survived a perforated intestine in the 1990s and was able to return to her free-ranging lifestyle at Camp Leakey for many years after that. Visitors to Camp Leakey would undoubtedly be greeted by Siswi who clearly served as the unofficial ambassador to that jungle outpost.
Conservation
What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your conservation efforts, and how have you overcome them?
The challenges facing orangutans and the wildlife that share their rainforest habitat can be overwhelming. The disparity between the vast funds dedicated to exploiting natural resources for human gain and the limited resources allocated to conservation is staggering. However, staying hopeful and strategically engaged with effective conservationists is crucial. By partnering with those who maximize our limited financial capacity, we can begin to address the immense scale of the problem.
Developing and embracing solutions that work across various time horizons is another key approach. It’s essential to measure the effectiveness of these solutions. While immediate actions, such as boots-on-the-ground efforts to stop poaching, are critical, we must also address the root causes of poaching to ensure long-term success. The same applies to orangutan rehabilitation. This is where targeted education and training for multiple stakeholders becomes vital. Raising awareness about the issues and the laws protecting orangutans, as well as fostering a culture of respect for these animals, takes time.
Demonstrating how conservation efforts can align with economic benefits is also necessary for these initiatives to be successfully implemented over the medium and long term. Ultimately, securing, managing, and protecting large tracts of rainforest is essential for ensuring the survival of orangutans and other wildlife, as well as the well-being of future generations in Indonesia.
Through my organization, the Orang Utan Republik Foundation, and our partnerships, we are committed to finding and implementing solutions that address the immediate, medium, and long-term challenges in conservation.
What are the primary causes of human-orangutan conflict in areas where you work, and what strategies have proven effective in mitigating these issues?
Orangutans are incredibly intelligent and resourceful, constantly surprising us with their abilities. However, they don’t adhere to the boundaries we’ve established. In their search for fruit and other food sources, they often venture beyond protected areas like national parks, moving into buffer zones where local communities have orchards and farms. While orangutans are generally shy and tend to avoid humans, a lack of fruit in their natural habitat can drive them to explore new areas, sometimes leading them downslope to commercial fruit trees, such as durian, which are highly prized by local farmers. This crop raiding has caused concern among farmers, as durians command a high market price.

To address this human-wildlife conflict, we at the Orang Utan Republik Foundation and our local partners are implementing several mitigation strategies:
- Assisting farmers in wrapping the trunks of durian trees with sheet metal, making it difficult for orangutans to climb.
- Planting fruit tree seedlings in the buffer zones, providing future food sources for orangutans and reducing their reliance on commercial fruit trees.
- Educating local communities about the importance of orangutans as part of the forest’s biodiversity and encouraging them to value these great apes.
These efforts are being led by Indonesian conservation educators funded by our organization, working collaboratively with local communities to improve livelihoods while reducing human-wildlife conflict.
How has your work in orangutan conservation influenced your views on broader environmental issues, such as deforestation and climate change?
When I first started working with orangutans over five decades ago, my focus was primarily on understanding their behavior and intelligence. But as I spent more time in their natural habitats, it became impossible to ignore the broader environmental challenges threatening their survival. Witnessing firsthand the destruction of rainforests, the very ecosystems these incredible animals depend on, was a turning point for me.
Deforestation isn’t just about losing trees; it’s about losing entire ecosystems and the intricate web of life they support. Orangutans are often seen as a symbol of these threatened ecosystems, but their plight is just one part of a much larger environmental crisis. As the forests disappear, so do countless other species, many living literally beneath our feet or cryptically in the trees which we may never even discover.
This work has made me acutely aware of how interconnected everything is—how the loss of forests directly contributes to climate change, and how climate change, in turn, exacerbates the challenges faced by wildlife and human communities alike. The carbon stored in these ancient forests is released when they are cleared, accelerating global warming. Meanwhile, the communities that depend on these forests for their livelihoods and cultural identities are also suffering.
My experiences have deepened my conviction that orangutan conservation cannot be separated from broader environmental issues like deforestation, human ecology, and climate change. The survival of orangutans is intricately linked to the health of the planet. Protecting these animals means protecting their habitats, which in turn means tackling the prickly causes of deforestation, promoting sustainable land use, and addressing climate change head-on.
Through my work with the various organizations I have co-created, I’ve come to see conservation as part of a larger struggle to create a more sustainable and just world. It’s about finding solutions that benefit both wildlife and people, ensuring that future generations inherit a planet rich in biodiversity and natural beauty. The work with orangutans has taught me that every action we take to protect them has a ripple effect, contributing to the broader fight against environmental degradation and climate change. This is why I believe so strongly in the importance of conservation—not just for the sake of these incredible animals but for the future of all life on Earth.
If there was one thing you could do to change the outlook for orangutans in the wild, what would it be?
If I could do one thing to improve the long-term outlook for orangutans in the wild, it would be to inspire a fundamental shift in how the Indonesian people, including their government representatives, perceive the importance of orangutans. This shift would involve recognizing orangutans as sentient beings with sovereignty, basic rights, and legal personhood within their rainforest habitats.
Granting orangutans such status would allow them to be represented in court, ensuring their rights and homeland sovereignty are protected—much like how legal systems safeguard the rights of humans who cannot represent themselves. While this change may take time to achieve, it’s not as far-fetched as it might seem. After all, the word “orangutan” itself means “person of the forest” in Malay and Indonesian, hinting at a cultural connection that could pave the way for greater recognition and protection of these incredible creatures. This change would be a powerful step toward securing a future where orangutans can continue to thrive in their natural habitats.
How can the general public contribute to orangutan conservation efforts, and what actions would you encourage them to take?
The general public can play a significant role in orangutan conservation, even from thousands of miles away. In my book, I discuss several actions concerned individuals can take, but to briefly summarize, these efforts can be grouped into two main categories: financial support and advocacy.
Financial contributions are vital for non-government organizations working on the ground, who depend on public donations to sustain effective conservation programs. Supporting these organizations financially allows them to continue their critical work. Additionally, as consumers, people can make informed choices by selecting products with supply chains that do not harm wildlife. Choosing sustainably produced or wildlife-friendly products helps reduce the demand for goods that contribute to habitat destruction. Another impactful way to contribute is by participating in ecotours. By visiting orangutan habitats, tourists send a strong message to the Indonesian government that preserving these forests and the wildlife within them is essential for sustainable local economies, especially near national parks and other high-biodiversity areas.

For those who are younger or unable to travel, volunteering time to raise awareness—whether face-to-face or through social media—can have a powerful impact. Educating others about the issues orangutans face is crucial, and these volunteer efforts can be done independently or through organizations with coordinated volunteer programs, amplifying their effectiveness.
Ultimately, regardless of age or financial means, there is a way for everyone to contribute to the conservation of orangutans. Every action, whether it’s donating, making conscious consumer choices, volunteering, or spreading awareness, helps ensure a future where these incredible animals can thrive.
Orang Utan Republik Foundation
What led you to start the Orang Utan Republik Foundation?
After serving as vice president of the Orangutan Foundation International for 18 years, I was ready to take a leading role with initiatives that addressed the root cause of why orangutans were endangered. Caring for traumatized orphaned orangutans was important but without a serious and focused action that changes public attitude about orangutans and their status, rehabilitation would be like putting bandaid on an arterial bleed. My Indonesian wife and I were prompted to start the Orang Utan Republik Education Initiative and worked under an umbrella 501c3 for fiscal sponsorship to hit the ground running. We first wanted to address the status of the Sumatran orangutan which at the time was considered Critically Endangered. Now all three species are classified as Critically Endangered. There were other organizations doing good work in Sumatra but we wanted to collaborate with them and help fund education initiatives that would educate, enroll and enlighten local people. We gave out small grants, and from our base in Santa Monica, conducted outreach to build local volunteer support, and partnered with Indonesian government officials to promote Orangutan Caring Week in Indonesia.

We also started the Orangutan Caring Scholarship program and supported the Orangutan Caring Clubs in Indonesia. Ultimately we formed our own nonprofit and have continued to help Indonesians build capacity to tackle the conservation challenges facing orangutans and local communities through education and training.
What are your current goals for the Orang Utan Republik Foundation, and what do you hope to achieve in the coming years?
I have several current goals for the Foundation including building our own capacity and expanding some of our signature education programs that contribute to the orangutan’s long-terms survival. As a small organization partnering with The Orangutan Project, we have been able to participate in supporting numerous conservation organizations throughout the range of the three orangutans species. We would like that to continue by giving out more scholarships as well as education enhancements to students and graduates wanting to become field conservationists. We would like to help local people on the perimeter of orangutan habitat to become the community leaders of local conservation programs. I am also seeking interested volunteers with a professional background who have skillsets and capacity to help the foundation grow. I personally want to continue to inspire people to better understand orangutans and their challenges from a variety of levels and dimensions through my writing and lecturing. Its the least I can do as an honorary orangutan.
Do you have a favorite anecdote of impact from the Orang Utan Republik Education Initiative’s work?
Early during the foundation-supported, Mobile Education and Conservation program, I recall going into the field conducting site inspections with our local partners and visiting a public school near Mount Leuser National Park where our conservation educators were providing programs about orangutans and ecology in the classrooms. The whole school was assembled and I was given the honor of planting a tree on the school ground. I also was asked to say a few words to the students in Bahasa Indonesia. I took the opportunity to let the children know that this special region where orangutans are found is unique and that their forest habitat also provide ecological services for everyone.

I asked them if they knew what services were being provided. A flurry of hands started waving and each child I called on told me, “rain”, “oxygen” and even “flood control”. I was amazed about the knowledge they had. I told them that it was up to them to ensure the forests would always be there and not to let it be clear cut… then I took off my hat and said, “like my bald head”. Everyone laughed with an understanding that was echoed a few minutes later when selected students came forth and gave impromptu testimonials and pledges about taking care of the forests.
All of this gave me hope that our programs were working and that many of the young people living next to the National Park will be ready to ensure the Park’s survival for at least another generation.
Legacy and Inspiration
What legacy do you hope to leave behind in the field of orangutan conservation, and how do you inspire the next generation to continue this important work?
Like many of my colleagues in this field, I aspire to leave a lasting impact on the orangutan crisis through both advocacy and action. One of my proudest achievements is the Orangutan Caring Scholarship program, which has produced nearly 200 graduates, with around three dozen pursuing careers in conservation. This program is essential, but it needs to grow in both size and scope, and I believe it could serve as a model for supporting other endangered species.
If, in some distant future, a “Planet of the Apes” scenario were to unfold—however unlikely—and a council of great apes gathered to discuss the environmental havoc wrought by Homo sapiens, I would hope that a wise orangutan might remark, “That Gary Shapiro, he wasn’t such a bad human.”
What advice do you have for someone who wants to work in orangutan conservation?
Orangutan conservation has grown significantly over the past five decades, and it’s important to know that you don’t need a PhD to make a meaningful impact. If you’re passionate about helping ensure the survival of these incredible species, there are several paths you can take.
For those living in Indonesia, where orangutans naturally reside, it’s crucial to gain the education necessary to enter fields like wildlife management or conservation. The Orangutan Caring Scholarship program, for instance, is one way we support and encourage Indonesian students to pursue these vital careers. The future of orangutans largely depends on local communities taking the lead in preserving their country’s biodiversity.
If you’re from outside Indonesia, there are still many opportunities to contribute. Pursuing an advanced education in areas related to conservation can be a strong foundation, especially in fields that address both the welfare of individual animals and broader population issues. However, education isn’t the only path. People with the resources, drive, and organizational skills are also crucial to conservation efforts.
It’s important to be sensitive to the local cultures and communities you’ll be working with, as this builds trust and ensures that conservation programs are effective and sustainable. One practical way to start is by joining existing organizations that require your specific skills, whether in biology, education, fundraising, or another area. This can help you gain valuable experience and contribute to ongoing efforts to protect these magnificent creatures.
