Month: June 2022

Kusasi: Survivor

Kusasi was an extraordinary orangutan. Unlike most orangutans living in the wild, he was the star of his own film called “Kusasi: From Orphan to King,” which initially aired on BBC and PBS in 2005, subsequently shown worldwide. Kusasi also became famous as the dominant Camp Leakey adult male orangutan. Kusasi first came to Camp… Continue reading Kusasi: Survivor

Illegal Logging Threatens to Destroy Indonesia’s Forests, Including National Parks

The fall of Indonesian President Soeharto’s regime in May 1998 was followed by a period of political and economic instability. As Dr. Galdikas stated at the time, “After [Soeharto’s] government was toppled, there was a power vacuum at the center, and many people realized very quickly that they could now do whatever they wanted.” Illegal… Continue reading Illegal Logging Threatens to Destroy Indonesia’s Forests, Including National Parks

Taiwan Ten

Nine young wild born captive orangutans whom Taiwanese officials had confiscated and one young orangutan whom Orangutan Foundation Taiwan (OFT) acquired for repatriation became known as the “Taiwan Ten” in the early 1990s. OFT and OFI worked to coordinate the return of the Taiwan Ten to Borneo. In mid-September 1990, Dr. Biruté obtained the import… Continue reading Taiwan Ten

Bangkok Six

Hundreds of orangutans were smuggled to fuel the exotic pet trade from the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra to areas far beyond orangutan native range in the 1980s and 1990s. In 1990, the Royal Thai Forestry seized six infant orangutans at the Bangkok Airport who were in the process of being smuggled to the former… Continue reading Bangkok Six

Remembering Pak Bohap

Orangutan Foundation International (OFI) and OFI Founder & President Dr. Biruté Mary Galdikas are deeply grieved to announce that Pak Bohap bin Jalan passed away in April 2022. Pak Bohap was Dr. Galdikas’ husband for the past 43 years and worked with OFI for even longer. He fought a brief but intense battle against lung cancer and a heart… Continue reading Remembering Pak Bohap

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Orangutan Foundation International (OFI) and OFI Founder & President Dr. Biruté Mary Galdikas are deeply grieved to announce that Pak Bohap bin Jalan passed away in April 2022. Pak Bohap was Dr. Galdikas’ husband for the past 43 years and worked with OFI for even longer. He fought a brief but intense battle against lung cancer and a heart condition.

Pak Bohap was an indigenous Dayak, descended from a high-ranking family of these traditional forest-dwelling people of Borneo. He was a pillar of the local Dayak community, which has formed the foundation of OFI’s team and our important partnerships in the areas where we work in Indonesia.

Pak Bohap between two other native Dayak research assistants, both of whom are his relatives, late 1970s

Pak Bohap began working as a research assistant with Dr. Galdikas in Camp Leakey in the 1970s. He immediately stood out for his exceptional knowledge of the forest and the wild foods that orangutans depend on for survival. There was an unmistakable connection and sense of respect between Pak Bohap and the orangutans.

Pak Bohap & Dr. Galdikas with their newborn son Fred, 1980s

Pak Bohap was a founding member of OFI and became a natural leader involved in all of OFI’s field conservation and research programs. As a highly esteemed member of the local community with a good sense on how to work within the political and cultural milieu of the area, Pak Bohap’s advice was critical to OFI’s success over the years. He was pivotal in establishing both Yayasan Orangutan Indonesia (YAYORIN) and Yayasan Orangutan Internasional Kalimantan (YOIK), two local Indonesian education and outreach foundations that partnered closely with OFI. It cannot be overstated how central Pak Bohap was to carrying forward OFI’s mission in Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo).

On a personal level, Pak Bohap was immensely warm and giving. He easily made friends with everyone he met, even those with whom he did not share a common language or heritage. He lit up any room he entered with his good humor, jokes, and laughter. You could not know Pak Bohap without feeling an immediate affection for him. He was one of a kind.

Dr. Galdikas & Pak Bohap (on right) with OFI Jakarta office staff a few months before Pak Bohap’s death. Staff from left to right: Ibu Irma, Ibu Astried, Pak Yandi, Ibu Renie

Pak Bohap had a traditional Dayak funeral with many from his native village of Pasir Panjang in attendance, as well as numerous people from Kumai, Pangkalan Bun, and other areas. Fred Bohap Galdikas (Dr. Galdikas’ and Pak Bohap’s son) and Dr. Galdikas were able to attend the funeral in person. Pak Bohap had requested to be buried beneath the trees in the forest surrounding the family’s house. He wanted to be put to rest close to his home, which is both the forest and his family.

As is custom in Indonesia, people from far and wide sent display boards conveying their condolences with accompanying flower adornments to be set up at Pak Bohap’s funeral. He received over 50 of these gestures of love and respect, more than the town had ever seen for any other funeral. People in the local community continue to visit his burial site. There are always fresh flowers on his grave.

The loss of Pak Bohap leaves a major hole for Dr. Galdikas, the couple’s children and grandchildren, the OFI team, and the entire local community in Indonesia. We miss him dearly, but will try to carry forth his warmth and wisdom in everything we do. His spirit will remain strong in the forest of his ancestors, a force of power and protection for the orangutans for years to come.

Dr. Galdikas and Pak Bohap’s son, Fred (dressed in all black), participating in a traditional Dayak Kaharingan Hindu ceremony alongside other community members at Pak Bohap’s funeral
A portion of the flower memorials sent for Pak Bohap’s funeral lining the driveway leading to his family home

OFI is in the process of developing a “Pak Bohap Memorial Fellowship” to benefit forestry, ecology, primatology, and environmental studies students and educators in need. If you would like to make a donation towards this fellowship in Pak Bohap’s honor, please visit: here

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