Born May 10, 1946, Wiesbaden, Germany

For nearly three decades Birute Galdikas has been living in the jungles of the southeast Asian island of Borneo, studying orangutans—the most elusive of the great apes. She has gathered data on the behavior and lifestyle of these little-known, giant tree-dwellers, which she describes as our ancestral cousins “who we humans left behind in Eden.” With their population decreasing alarmingly over the years, Galdikas has also been actively engaged in conservation efforts, her scientific studies frequently put aside for what she views as more pressing matters: protecting the orangutans’ dwindling habitat, keeping them safe from poachers (those who hunt animals illegally), and rehabilitating animals who have been taken from the wild so that they can return to their rightful place among the trees. While many primatologists (those who study primates) have criticized her for neglecting her scientific...