Dr. Gary L. Shapiro is an environmental scientist, author, and educator dedicated to orangutan conservation and education. As co-founder of both the Orangutan Foundation International and the Orang Utan Republik Foundation (OURF) of which he currently serves as president, he has spent over five decades working to protect great apes and their forests.

Gary pioneered the first sign-language studies with orangutans in Borneo, demonstrating their intelligence and emotional depth. Through OURF, he created the Orangutan Caring Scholarship Program, supporting hundreds of Indonesian students pursuing degrees in conservation, forestry, and veterinary science. His work has been featured by Mongabay, National Geographic, and at leading universities worldwide.

Today, he reaches global audiences through lectures, ecotours, and his acclaimed book Out of the Cage, inspiring future generations to act for orangutans.