Undaunted The wild life of Biruté Mary Galdikas and her fearless quest to save Orangutans

Most can't imagine spending more than a few days, let alone more than 50 years, in a jungle with heat, insects, leeches, and wild animals. Yet, that's exactly what Biruté Mary Galdikas has done. Following her childhood fascination with insects and animals, she decided in college to study orangutans in their natural habitat. But how could she afford to do so? Gaining funding and the support of Louis Leakey, she and her first husband settled in Borneo, living in conditions that would daunt others. After he and their young son returned to Canada, Galdikas remained. Through the decades since, her observations and research have led to heightened awareness and support for these extremely endangered animals. She, her current husband, and their children have invested their lives in conservation and rehabilitation efforts. In telling her remarkable journey, Silvey doesn't gloss over their hardships as she explores the critical determination of Galdikas to study and protect orangutans. Beautiful photographs, inviting format, notes, and an index make this a great addition for any animal collection.--J. B. Petty Copyright 2019 Booklist

Silvey (Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodall) spotlights another groundbreaking primatologist in this handsome photobiography of Galdikas, who was mesmerized by a photo of an orangutan while studying zoology at UCLA and knew she wanted to study wild primates. Anthropologist Louis Leakey became her mentor and secured funding for her pioneering research, which Silvey chronicles in a fact-packed narrative. Accompanied by her husband, Rod Brindamour, whose breathtaking photos illustrate this volume, Galdikas moved to Borneo in 1971, becoming the first scientist to study wild orangutans there. A fierce advocate for the protection of this endangered species and its habitat, Galdikas began a quest to observe and rehabilitate formerly captive or orphaned orangutans to prepare them for life in the wild, fostering many herself. The book includes some unfortunate omissions: there's no mention of the controversies surrounding Galdikas's discontinued orangutan rehabilitation program, and a sidebar about Borneo focuses on colonial occupation rather than its indigenous peoples, who are mentioned elsewhere in the book but curiously not there. These oversights aside, Silvey presents a crisp portrait of a tenacious, groundbreaking scientist who has been underrepresented in books for youth. Extensive back matter concludes. Ages 8-12. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Gr 4-6-Many people know about Jane Goodall, but far fewer know about the work of Biruté Mary Galdikas. Galdikas began studying orangutans in Borneo in 1971 and eventually created the Orangutan Foundation International, a nonprofit organization that focuses on protecting these mammals and their environments. The narrative shares the story of Galdikas's early life and her interest in science as a young girl. Readers are provided with generous background material not only on Galdikas and her family but the mentors she adopted along the way, including Louis Leakey and Jane Goodall. The narrative documents her journey to study these creatures in the wild and her pursuit to save these animals from extinction. Certainly filled with its challenges, including months sequestered in the rain forest without human contact or a well-rounded diet, Galdikas was determined to learn as much as she could. She realized that orangutans were quite similar to humans in their need for love, affection, and attention. Students will marvel at the lush landscape and adorable animals. Biographies of the various orangutans that she studied are included, as well as maps, a key to the featured plants, and further resources. VERDICT This detailed book is great for students who are studying animal conservation or want to learn about similar primatologists and anthropologists like Jane Goodall.-V. Lynn -Christiansen, Wiley International Studies Magnet Elementary School, Raleigh, NC © Copyright 2019. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A portrait of primatologist Birut Mary Galdikas and her long career studying Bornean orangutans.With a magazine-style format (the pages are crowded with sidebars), the book uplifts the life and work of a lesser-known conservation scientist. Beginning with Galdikas' childhood in Toronto as the daughter of Lithuanian immigrants, the narrative quickly moves on to her start in primatology. When Silvey dives into Galdikas' exploits in Indonesian Borneo, the author emphasizes Galdikas' relentlessness despite constant challenges. Curiously, Galdikas' controversial rehabilitation program for captive orangutans is depicted in near-hagiographic terms. Most glaring is the book's white-savior tone, in which Silvey problematically represents Indigenous peoples and Galdikas' paternalism is thinly veiled. In a profile of Toronto's High Park, the author describes the city's Indigenous peoples (who are still very much alive today) in a section labeled "Ancient History." In a similar vein, Galdikas' shocking "rule for life" is emblazoned across a photograph of her orangutan center's brown-skinned staff: "Remember that in camp the orangutans come FIRST, science second, local staff and people third, and we, the foreign researchers, LAST." A white scientist ranking "locals"whose homeland she views imperiously as a place where "time had stood still"so low in her hierarchy is offensive.Audacious, yes, but not in a good way. (foreword, extended resources, author's note) (Biography. 8-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.