“I’m a conservationist.”“I’m a mother.”“I’m a CEO.”“I’m a 25-year-old white woman from Nebraska.”
Orangutan Dad
Conservationist. Storyteller. Sign-language pioneer with orangutans. Sharing 50 years of wild insights from Borneo and beyond. Author of "Out of the Cage: My Half Century Journey from Curiosity to Concern for Indonesia's 'Persons of the Forest'"
Tuesday, July 8, 2025
Doing and Being: The Mirror and the Mystery
Sunday, July 6, 2025
Celebrating 20 Years of the Orangutan Caring Scholarship: A Journey of Hope and Commitment
Saturday, July 5, 2025
Beyond Signs and Sounds: Could Brain-to-Brain Tech Bridge the Gap Between Humans and Apes?
- Emotional resonance: Orangutans are contemplative, gentle beings who experience joy, sadness, curiosity, and even grief. A brain-to-brain link might allow us to directly feel their emotional states, and vice versa—a true empathy machine.
- Shared spatial awareness: Orangutans navigate their complex canopy world with a 3D mental map of fruit trees, vines, and dangers. What if we could glimpse their world as they experience it, understanding their decisions in real time?
- Conceptual thought exchange: Apes already demonstrate planning, deception, and problem-solving. A direct neural interface could allow us to co-create solutions to tasks, understanding not just what they do—but why they do it.
- Cross-species learning: Could a young orangutan, linked briefly to a human brain, gain insights into tool use or survival skills faster than with traditional training? Could we, in turn, learn better how to live in harmony with nature?
Thursday, July 3, 2025
In Praise of Inefficiency: How Nature’s “Flaws” Gave Rise to Sentience
Wednesday, July 2, 2025
Meeting Sandra: Completing a Decade-Long Journey
The last weekend of June 2025 brought me to Florida, where I came not only for a mini-fundraiser in support of orangutan conservation, but also for a profoundly personal reason: to finally meet Sandra, the orangutan whose story helped change the way we think about great apes and personhood.
One decade ago, I found myself virtually in a Buenos Aires courtroom on Skype, speaking on Sandra’s behalf. Then confined to the Buenos Aires Zoo, Sandra was already remarkable—not only for her quiet dignity, but for the legal challenge her existence inspired. That case asked a question the world was only beginning to grapple with: Could a nonhuman great ape be recognized as a person under the law? Could someone like Sandra, with intelligence, emotion, and an inner world, have a right to freedom and dignity?
The ruling that followed was historic. The court recognized Sandra as a legal person—the first nonhuman great ape to receive such status. Yet even as this decision echoed around the world, her transfer to a better life took time. Years passed before Sandra was finally moved from that aging urban zoo to the Center for Great Apes in Wauchula, Florida—a sanctuary that could offer her the peace and care she deserved. I had followed every step of her journey, but until now, I had not stood face to face with the being whose story I have shared in so many talks and writings.
On the cloudy day following the fundraiser, with rain threatening, our small group arrived at the Center. We were greeted by Patti Ragan, the Center’s founder and my friend and colleague of many decades, who made this encounter possible. After touring the sanctuary and meeting the many great apes—some well-known (like Bubbles, Michael Jackson's former chimpanzee pet), others quietly living out their days—we finally reached Sandra’s enclosure.
And there she was: Sandra, declared a person by Argentinian law, nonhuman yet undeniably an individual in her own right. She sat in the corner of her spacious enclosure next to a large outdoor fan, cooling herself with a blue plastic tub perched playfully over her head. Nearby, her companion Jethro rested in the cooler shade of the night house.
I approached, and Sandra’s dark eyes met mine. In that instant, the years and miles seemed to fall away. I felt the connection I had imagined so often—a connection born of advocacy, hope, and shared history. Perhaps Sandra felt it too, though surely for her own reasons. She didn’t smile, but there was a calm in her gaze, a quiet contentment as she enjoyed the sanctuary’s peace, surrounded by enrichment items and fresh browse that engaged her inquisitive mind.
As she held my gaze, I peered into her eyes and felt the weight of that legal milestone, the hard-won path that led here, and the privilege of finally meeting this extraordinary individual. Completing the circle of Sandra’s story, for me - the Orangutan Dad, meant not just helping begin her legal journey, but standing before her at last and bearing witness to the sanctuary life she so rightly earned.
Monday, June 30, 2025
Great Apes of Fame: The Orangutans Who Swung Into History (and Our Hearts)
Move over, Kardashians. Step aside, royal family. The real icons of the forest—and sometimes the big screen—are red-haired, long-armed, banana-loving superstars we call orangutans. Yes, they may not have Instagram accounts (yet), but their stories have swung across time and inspired scientists, artists, and conservationists alike.
In this blog, we look at a few of the world’s most famous orangutans: the ones who broke barriers, taught us about ourselves, and maybe threw a little poop in the process. 🦧💩
🌟 1. Ken Allen – The Houdini of San Diego Zoo
Let’s start with Ken Allen, the orangutan escape artist from the San Diego Zoo in the 1980s. Ken didn’t just think outside the box—he escaped it. Repeatedly.
This charming Bornean orangutan used sticks, climbed walls, and once even unscrewed a bolt holding a glass panel. What made Ken special wasn’t just his wits—it was his motivation. He didn’t leave to cause chaos. He just wanted to wander the zoo… and apparently visit other animals.
What We Learned:
-
Orangutans are highly intelligent and master problem solvers.
-
Zoo staff started dressing up as tourists to catch him in the act. He still outwitted them. (Ken: 3, Zookeepers: 0.)
🌟 2. Chantek – The Orangutan Who Spoke in Signs
Born in an American research lab and raised in a human-like environment, Chantek learned over 150 signs in American Sign Language, could understand spoken English, and loved going to Taco Bell.
Chantek even referred to himself as "orange chimp," which is hilarious and endearing, although taxonomically suspect.
What We Learned:
-
Orangutans have the capacity for self-awareness, planning, and fast food preferences.
-
The phrase “talk to the hand” takes on a whole new meaning when it’s coming from an orangutan.
🌟 3. Sandra – The Legal Person
Sandra was no ordinary orangutan. In 2015, an Argentine court declared Sandra a "non-human person" with legal rights. She didn’t win the right to vote or run for mayor (yet), but it was a historic win for animal rights.
This Sumatran/Bornean hybrid orangutan had spent 20 years in a zoo before being moved to a sanctuary in the U.S., where she now enjoys trees, enrichment activities, and not being treated like a houseplant.
What We Learned:
-
Orangutans aren’t just cute; they are sentient beings with emotional depth.
-
If a tree falls in the forest and Sandra sees it, she probably files a motion in court.
🌟 4. Princess – The Signing Swamp Princess
Okay, this one might be slightly less famous globally but legendary in certain conservation circles. Princess was a rescued orangutan in Borneo who learned sign language, lived near the blackwater rivers, and occasionally stole food (and hearts).
Her human companion, a pioneering researcher, claims she had a “fruit stare” so deep it rivaled a Zen master in mid-meditation.
What We Learned:
-
Some orangutans seem more mindful than your average yoga instructor.
-
With patience, apes can learn to sign, plan, and perhaps judge your snack choices.
🌟 5. Louie – The King of the Jungle (and Broadway?)
Okay, technically not a real orangutan, but King Louie from Disney’s The Jungle Book was inspired by orangutans, even though his scat-jazz dancing may have been more orangutan-meets-Louis Prima-on-espresso.
Still, King Louie brought orangutan swagger to pop culture, even if he did want to steal the secret of fire (classic primate overreach).
What We Learned:
-
Pop culture gives orangutans the stage, but rarely the script rights.
-
If orangutans ever start a musical, expect a lot of jungle rhythm and banana-based snacks at intermission.
🧠 Final Thoughts: What Can We Learn From These Hairy Heroes?
-
Think Deeply. Orangutans are contemplative beings. They spend time considering their next move—whether it's foraging for fruit or breaking out of a zoo.
-
Live Gently. Unlike their louder cousins (we see you, chimps), orangutans prefer a quiet life. A reminder that peace is powerful.
-
Challenge Assumptions. These apes defy expectations: speaking in signs, using tools, and even challenging legal systems. Never underestimate a being with long arms and a longer memory.
-
Have Fun. Whether it’s signing “play,” pranking their caretakers, or inventing jungle jazz, orangutans remind us not to take life too seriously.
So next time you’re stuck in traffic, overwhelmed by emails, or wondering what it all means—ask yourself:
What would Ken Allen do?
Probably climb out the sunroof and go visit the elephants. 🐘