Rare Wildlife

The article by Nick Williams Jr. (Oct. 22), “Indonesians Move to Save Rare Wildlife,” was extremely interesting and timely for me personally.

My wife and I just returned from a two-week, work-study project assisting Prof. Birute Galdikas rehabituating ex-captive orangutans to the rain forest, observing wild orangutans, educating local people about conservation and working to halt the orangutan trade.

For the past 14 years, Dr. Galdikas has lived in the Tanjung Puting Reserve, South Kalimantan, Borneo, Indonesia. She lived in Los Angeles while attending UCLA, majoring in anthropology. When not in Borneo, she teaches at Fraser University, British Columbia, part time. Dr. Galdikas lives in the tropical rain forest devoting her life to the conservation of the tropical rain forest and to the saving of the orangutans.

The professor is funded partially by the L.S.B. Leaking Foundation and the Orangutan Research and Conservation Project, along with money from major corporations and individual donations.

I do believe the name of Dr. Birute Galdikas should have been mentioned as a pioneer in the field of orangutan behavior and rehabituation within Williams’ fascinating article.

HERB GOLDSTEIN

Palm Springs