Located in the Tanjung Puting Reserve (now National Park) in Central Borneo, Camp Leakey was established in 1971 by Dr. Biruté Galdikas and former spouse Rod Brindamour.

It was named after the legendary paleo-anthropologist, Louis Leakey, who was both mentor and an inspiration to Dr. Galdikas as well as Drs. Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey.

Originally consisting of just two huts, Camp Leakey is now an assemblage of permanent wooden structures designed to provide a base for scientists, staff, students, and Park Rangers.  Many of the orangutans living at Tanjung Puting are ex-captive orangutans that are now living wild, many of these released orangutans are now mothers and even grandmothers.

Over the years, Camp Leakey has supported the research efforts of dozens of scientists and students including undergraduate and graduate students from Indonesia and North America. Many have gone on to receive their Ph.D. degrees.  Projects have ranged from orangutan, proboscis monkey, gibbon and leaf-eating monkey behaviour and ecology, to studies of orangutan sign language abilities and cognition, to leech behaviour, and river system ecology.

As an active research facility, Camp Leakey welcomes day visitors with local guides. Visitors are not allowed to stay overnight at Camp Leakey. OFI staff ask that you come with the appropriate permits, check-in with the rangers, observe the orangutans from a safe distance, and do not disturb the scientists conducting research.