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'"
Sunday, September 21, 2025
Living with Provisional Truths: Why Our Models of Reality Are Only Maps, Not the Territory
Sunday, September 7, 2025
The Life Dance: Balancing Being, Doing, and Planning
We often speak of happiness as though it were a destination: somewhere we’ll finally arrive once the right conditions line up. Yet, in truth, happiness is not a place but a rhythm—a dance that requires us to balance three essential steps: Being, Doing, and Planning. Each of these is vital, and neglecting one can throw the whole rhythm out of sync.
Being: The Stillness of Presence
“Being” is the quiet, grounding state where we step out of the stream of activity and simply exist. It is meditation, mindful breathing, a quiet walk, or simply sitting with loved ones without distraction. In being, we reconnect with our deeper selves, our values, and the sheer wonder of life. Without moments of being, our days risk becoming mechanical, hurried, and devoid of meaning.
Doing: The Energy of Action
“Doing” is the active expression of our lives—the projects we complete, the conversations we have, the meals we prepare, and the service we give. Doing gives us momentum and a sense of accomplishment. It is the outward expression of our talents, our responsibilities, and our commitments. Yet without the anchor of being, doing can easily turn into overdoing, leaving us exhausted and hollow.
Planning: The Compass of Intention
“Planning” is the bridge between being and doing. It’s the act of looking ahead, setting priorities, and charting a course that aligns with our deeper values. Planning ensures our actions are not just reactions to circumstances but conscious choices moving us closer to our desired life. Without planning, doing risks becoming scattershot and ineffective. Too much planning, however, can trap us in analysis, keeping us from the joy of action or the peace of presence.
The Dance of Balance
True happiness and success emerge when we allow these three movements to flow together in harmony. Being nourishes the soul, doing fulfills the will, and planning provides direction. Together they form a life dance—dynamic, alive, and adaptive.
When we feel stressed or unfulfilled, it is often because one of these steps has been neglected. Too much doing without being? Burnout. Too much being without planning? Drifting. Too much planning without action? Stagnation.
A Practical Rhythm for Daily Life
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Morning: Begin with Being—silence, gratitude, or a mindful ritual.
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Daytime: Engage in Doing—focused, purposeful activity aligned with your values.
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Evening: Turn to Planning—reflect, learn, and set intentions for tomorrow.
Over time, this rhythm becomes not just a schedule but a way of life.
Closing Thought
The Life Dance is not about perfection but flow. Each day, we may falter, but each moment also offers a chance to return to balance. When Being, Doing, and Planning move together, we discover a happiness that is not fleeting but rooted, and a success that is not shallow but deeply satisfying.
Monday, September 1, 2025
Princess, the Quantum Orangutan
I am often asked: “How is Princess the orangutan?”
The truth is, I don’t know. The last time I saw Princess was in late October 2011. I saw her on an ecotour for just a day. She was lean, clever, and carrying on her life in the forest. She remembered many of the signs I taught her.
After that last visit, both Princess and Putri were relocated to a release camp on a different river system to prevent Princess from being attacked by aggressive females at Camp Leakey, her home since I adopted her in 1978.
Since then, I’ve only received scattered reports—one being that her daughter, Putri, came to the release camp alone, without Princess, looking agitated. Some suspected Princess might have died. But during fruiting periods, orangutans are known to avoid feeding stations, preferring to spend months in the forest foraging on wild fruit.
But beyond those glimpses and possibilities—silence.
A Life in Quantum Balance
And in that silence, Princess exists in a peculiar way: both present and absent, both living and perhaps gone. She is in what I like to call a quantum state, much like Schrödinger’s famous cat—simultaneously alive and dead until we open the box, until someone brings proof one way or another.
“Until someone collapses the uncertainty with evidence, she remains alive in my heart and imagination.”
This is not just an intellectual trick. It is how we cope with uncertainty in the wild. Orangutans, unlike humans, don’t leave obituaries. They slip away into the forest, sometimes never to be seen again—even though they may live for decades more.
Choosing Hope
I prefer to believe Princess is still alive—clambering through the trees, searching for wild durian, perhaps even pausing to reflect in those quiet, contemplative ways orangutans so often do.
Princess’s quantum state also speaks to something larger: the fragility of the orangutans’ existence itself. They hover on the edge between survival and extinction, depending on our actions.
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If we do nothing, the wave function collapses toward loss.
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If we act—with education, protection, and compassion—the future opens wide with possibility.
So I, the Orangutan Dad, keep Princess alive, not only for myself but as a symbol. She reminds me that while science demands proof, hope requires faith. And in that liminal space between the known and unknown, Princess the Quantum Orangutan endures.
Postscript: A Quiet Choice
During a film shoot a few years later, I heard about an aggressive male orangutan who had been harassing the females around the release station. When I thought about Princess, I began to imagine her quietly making a choice.
She had already brought five young ones into the world and devoted years of her life to their care. Perhaps, sensing the dangers of another pregnancy and the very real risks of childbirth for an older orangutan, she decided to slip away.
I like to think she moved inland, closer to Camp Leakey—seeking peace, freedom, and the dignity of living life on her own terms.
Thursday, August 28, 2025
Happiness in an Imperfect World
In my last post, I wrote about the possibility of limitless happiness. Yet a natural question arises: how can one be happy while at the same time being deeply concerned about the state of the environment, the decline of endangered species, the violence in our communities, and the corruption in our governments?
Isn’t happiness naïve in such a world? Doesn’t empathy for suffering lead to anguish?
The paradox is real. To care deeply is to open ourselves to pain. But it does not mean we must drown in it.
Pain Without Suffering
When we witness a forest burning or hear of another endangered species sliding closer to extinction, we feel pain because we care. That pain is a sign of compassion, not a flaw. But suffering often comes when we resist reality, or when we believe we must single-handedly fix it all.
The first step is to allow pain to inform us without letting it consume us. Pain can be a guide; suffering need not be the outcome.
From Angst to Purpose
The weight of the world becomes lighter when empathy is channeled into action. Instead of despair, we can let our concern inspire us to:
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Educate and uplift others.
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Protect what remains of our natural heritage.
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Speak out against injustice and corruption.
Action turns angst into purpose. And purpose nourishes joy.
Holding Two Truths
Life is never just one thing. The world is filled with cruelty and destruction. But it is also filled with wonder, beauty, and love.
The trick is to hold both truths without collapsing into either despair or denial. A sunrise, the laughter of a child, the gaze of an orangutan—all remind us that beauty persists even in dark times. Happiness grows in the soil of gratitude.
Fierce Compassion
True compassion is not weak; it is fierce. It means:
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Feeling deeply, but not drowning.
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Acting strongly, but not hating.
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Protecting fiercely, while maintaining inner stillness.
This balance allows us to engage with the world’s pain without being broken by it.
Inner Sanctuaries
To sustain happiness, we must create daily sanctuaries of renewal. For me, it might be a walk in the park with my wife, time spent in quiet reflection, or the joy of writing stories that connect humans with the lives of orangutans.
For you, it may be meditation, music, gardening, or time with loved ones. These practices refill the well from which compassion flows.
A Longer View
The challenges we face—deforestation, climate change, crime, corruption—do not resolve overnight. They unfold over generations. Remembering this can free us from the urgency that breeds despair. Every action, however small, bends the arc toward healing.
Happiness as Steadfast Ground
Ultimately, our happiness need not depend on the outcome of global struggles. It arises from living in alignment with our values. By cultivating joy within, we are not retreating from the world but strengthening our ability to serve it.
Happiness, then, is not a denial of suffering—it is the soil that allows compassion and action to flourish.
The lesson is simple but profound:
We can be happy and deeply concerned. We can feel the pain of the world without being consumed by it. By anchoring ourselves in purpose, gratitude, and inner stillness, we sustain the happiness that allows us to keep giving, keep protecting, and keep loving—even in an imperfect world.
Monday, August 18, 2025
Limitless Happiness, Part 3: Anchoring Joy for a Lifetime
Friday, August 15, 2025
Limitless Happiness, Part 2: Escaping the Subtle Traps
Tuesday, August 12, 2025
Limitless Happiness, Part 1: The First Steps Inward
Friday, August 8, 2025
Fever Dreams in Surabaya: Thoughts in a Whirlpool
Monday, July 28, 2025
A Letter to the Future
Saturday, July 26, 2025
Two Decades of Hope: Celebrating the 2025 Orangutan Caring Scholarship Award Ceremonies
Sunday, July 13, 2025
The Fruit of My Heart: A Durian Tree, a Memory, a Legacy
Saturday, July 12, 2025
The Flow of Love: Expressions of Life’s Deepest Meaning
What if the meaning of life is simply this—love?
Not the love shaped by romance novels or fleeting emotions, but the profound, abiding presence that flows through all of creation. Love, in this context, is not something we possess or chase. It is the essence from which we arise and the current that carries us forward. When we say "life is love," we are pointing to something deeper than sentiment—a foundational energy, a universal intelligence that animates our existence.
Love as the Ground of Being
Many wisdom traditions point to love as the source and purpose of life. In Christianity, "God is love" (1 John 4:8). In Sufism, divine love is the driving force behind the soul’s journey toward union. Buddhist compassion (karuṇā) is a form of love rooted in awareness of suffering and the wish to alleviate it. Even secular thinkers, such as Erich Fromm, have emphasized love as the highest form of maturity—a practice, an art, and an orientation toward others and the world.
In this view, we are not separate agents trying to find love. Rather, we are channels through which love expresses itself. And when we surrender to that current, we enter what psychologists call a flow state.
The Flow State of Love
The “flow state” is often described as the psychological condition where one becomes fully immersed in an activity—with energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment. But what if flow is more than just productivity? What if it is love in motion?
When a dancer loses themselves in movement, or an artist becomes one with the brush, or a parent gazes into the eyes of a newborn with complete presence—these are not just moments of peak experience. They are manifestations of love expressing itself through us. Not for accolades, not for outcome—but as a pure outpouring of being.
A Moment in Banda Aceh
I felt this flow of love with unmistakable clarity during the 2025 Orangutan Caring Scholarship (OCS) ceremonies in Banda Aceh. As I looked out at the faces of the students, officials, and families—many beaming with pride, some with tears welling in their eyes—I was overcome with the quiet power of shared purpose. These young men and women, recipients of the scholarship, were not merely names on a list or statistics in a report. They were the future of conservation. They were love in action.
One student approached me after the ceremony and said, “You changed my life.” But in that moment, I knew the truth ran deeper: we were changing each other. Their hope, their resilience, their commitment to protect orangutans and their forest homes—this was love taking shape in the world. It moved through their words, their gratitude, and the generations of care they would carry forward.
In that conference hall in Banda Aceh, under banners and lights and the weight of decades of work, I felt more than pride. I felt alignment. A deep stillness wrapped in joy. The love I had poured into the program for years was returning, not as a reward, but as a living wave of connection. It was the flow of life acknowledging itself.
Manifestations of Love in Action
If life is love, then everything we do—when done with awareness, compassion, and authenticity—is an expression of that truth. Some examples:
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Teaching with patience: A teacher who nurtures curiosity in their students is transmitting love as learning.
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Crafting with care: The artisan who pours attention into detail is shaping love into form.
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Listening deeply: When we offer someone our undivided presence, we practice love as spaciousness.
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Protesting injustice: Even righteous anger, when rooted in care for others, can be love demanding dignity and fairness.
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Forgiving with grace: Releasing resentment is love choosing peace over pride.
Even the quiet moments—the tending of a garden, the preparation of a meal, or a simple breath taken in stillness—can be offerings of love when we are attuned to the present.
Living from the Current
To live in alignment with the meaning of life as love is not to be naïve or perpetually cheerful. It is to recognize that beneath the chaos, confusion, and clamor of the world, there is a still stream flowing. And when we step into it—through mindfulness, compassion, creativity, or service—we remember what we are made of.
It is also a call to discernment. Not all actions are love in disguise. Some are fear, control, or ego cloaked in noble language. The challenge is to constantly inquire: Is this coming from love or from fear?
Love Is the Practice
If love is the meaning of life, then our task is not to define it—but to embody it.
This may look different for each of us. For some, it’s teaching children. For others, it’s building bridges between cultures, healing wounds, protecting nature, or telling stories that awaken hearts. When aligned with love, these actions are not just tasks; they are sacred expressions of purpose.
And in this sense, the meaning of life is not a puzzle to be solved. It is a dance to be joined. A melody to be played. A current to be followed.
So let us ask ourselves each day:
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Where is love asking to flow through me now?
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What can I do today that opens the channel just a little wider?
When we live the answer, the meaning is no longer elusive. It pulses through our hands, our breath, our gaze.
It becomes us.
Tuesday, July 8, 2025
Doing and Being: The Mirror and the Mystery
“I’m a conservationist.”“I’m a mother.”“I’m a CEO.”“I’m a 25-year-old white woman from Nebraska.”
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:
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Orangutans are highly intelligent and master problem solvers.
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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:
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Orangutans have the capacity for self-awareness, planning, and fast food preferences.
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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:
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Orangutans aren’t just cute; they are sentient beings with emotional depth.
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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:
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Some orangutans seem more mindful than your average yoga instructor.
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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:
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Pop culture gives orangutans the stage, but rarely the script rights.
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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?
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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.
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Live Gently. Unlike their louder cousins (we see you, chimps), orangutans prefer a quiet life. A reminder that peace is powerful.
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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.
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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. 🐘