Reflections of Eden: My Years with the Orangutans of Borneo

Birute Galdikas is the Jane Goodall of orangutans. Like with Jane (but 10 or 11 years later), Birute was recruited by Louis Leakey to do field work. So in 1971, Birute and her husband Rod headed to Borneo to study orangutans. Once they arrived, they found that – although illegal – people also kept orangutans as pets. Birute decided immediately that she wanted to also start a sort of nursery/sanctuary/rehab where these once-captive orangutans (mostly infants) could come, then head back to the wild when they were ready. And as with all great apes, the habitat is disappearing around them, making it very difficult for them to survive, so Birute and Rod also tried to get help creating and enforcing the boundaries of the reserve that held show more many of the orangutans.

The book was published in 1995 and at that time, Birute was still in Borneo doing her orangutan studies. The book also goes into detail about Birute’s personal life – her marriage(s) and children. I’ve read lots about Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey, but except for one graphic novel that included all three, this is the first I’ve read about Birute. Her book alternates chapters between some of the orangutans and the other topics in the book (though, of course, they all overlap). Very good book, but know that there is a lot more to this one than “just” the animals. show less

Galdikas reviews and shares her early experiences studying orangutans, partically the struggles at the beginning. Great detail is placed within the first 7 years and the first wild oranguatans and ex captives that she meets. Not to mention the transition into Indonesian culture and values. After a point she quickens the pace and summarizes where she is now (1995) in her studies and conservation efforts. Overall a fantastic read that I had a hard time putting down. I took my time so as to fully experience this book and have great respect for Galdikas and the other primatologists mentioned- who took great risks to become not just researchers but also great ape conservationists.

Wonderful book which I finished just a few weeks before I head to Sumatra to work with....orangutans. Good basic background w/ a very sensible environmental message interweaved throughout the story of her sojourn with orangutans.

It`s a shame that Birute Galdikas not as much well known worldwide as Jean Goodall or Dian Fossey. Being one of the `Leakey girls`, She earned imperishable merits with her work studying the perhaps least easily accessible apes, the orangutans.Her book is an great and exciting read and has to be on the shelf next to Goodall`s and Fossey`s books.

Galdikas reviews and shares her early experiences studying orangutans, partically the struggles at the beginning. Great detail is placed within the first 7 years and the first wild oranguatans and ex captives that she meets. Not to mention the transition into Indonesian culture and values. After a point she quickens the pace and summarizes where she is now (1995) in her studies and conservation efforts. Overall a fantastic read that I had a hard time putting down. I took my time so as to fully experience this book and have great respect for Galdikas and the other primatologists mentioned- who took great risks to become not just researchers but also great ape conservationists.

A fascinating and riveting insight in a little known world and an very private person. It takes a special someone to dedicate themselves and their whole lives to the study and care of a species of animals and Bruite is a legend in the animal conservation world. She isn't the most easy person to get to know but through this book you do. You experience with her the hardships and the joys that she has gone through for the animals she has come to love above anything and anyone else.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Lifestory of an American woman dedicated to Orang Oetans, November 24, 1999
By Erik Scheffers (Zeist, the Netherlands) - See all my reviews
Unlike the two other primate researchers Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey I had never heard of Galdikas when I found this book a few days ago in the bookshop. Galdikas describes in this book more than 20 years of her life with the Orang Oetans in a nature reserve in Kalimantan, Indonesia. The story is an very enyoable read and tells a lot about the way Orang Oetans live. Instead of viewing all Orang Oetans as similar she describes a lot of different individuals. She's not only studying the Orang Oetans but also tries to free captivated show more Orang Oetans and tries to relocate them in the reserve. The story is very well written and also very well translated in Dutch. I'm looking forward to read the books by Fossey and Goodall.
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