Out of the Cage: My Half Century Journey from Curiosity to Concern for Indonesia's “Persons of the Forest”

“Out of the Cage describes Shapiro’s experiences with orangutans learning to live in the wild. The stories are captivating, and at the same time raise serious ethical questions about the way these highly intelligent beings are treated by us.”— Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE,The Jane Goodall Institute &UN Messenger of Peace“To this day, I’m not sure anyone other than Dr. Shapiro has taught sign language to free-ranging juvenile and adult orangutans in their natural forest habitat. Remarkably, Gary carried on his work for years and tells the story in his compelling narrative.”— Gregory F. Tague,An Ape Ethic and the Question of Personhood“Orangutans provide a glimpse into the minds of primates, giving us an important link between our own species and the rest of the natural world [for which] Dr. Shapiro makes a vital contribution.”— James Balog,Founder and Director of Earth Vision Institute and Extreme Ice SurveyA recently divorced graduate student is offered an opportunity of a lifetime. Asked to teach an orangutan sign language to solve a murder, he finds himself in an exotic land to discover a world of ex-captive red-haired great apes of Borneo who are learning to return to the wild.Out of the Cage recounts Shapiro's studies and adventures from field notes and memory to demonstrate the many otherwise human interactions he has had with the unique orangutan personalities he has been fortunate enough to encounter.Orangutan personhood, great ape rights, and the many moral conundrums that the scientific community has largely ignored weigh heavy on Shapiro's mind and heart as he reflects upon his experiences with those noble persons. Read more