The powerful true story of one man’s quest to unravel the mysteries of the world’s primates.
From the steep slopes of the Virunga Volcanoes to the steamy jungles of Sumatra, Pithecophilia explores author Robert Louis DeMayo’s life-changing search for ape encounters, as he discovers the secrets of their history, biology, and what they can tell us about ourselves.
Touching on the efforts of the world’s leading conservationists and scientific institutions, you’ll also discover how the early exploration of Africa and Asia’s untamed wilderness shaped our knowledge of apes and how their efforts to document our planet’s wild animals eventually led to efforts to save them.
Imbued with touching memories, humorous anecdotes, and over fifty years of wondrous, magical, and sometimes terrifying experiences, Pithecophilia paints a beautiful picture of how primates are, in many ways, windows into our own souls.
Sumatran Orangutan
(Pongo abelii)
Habitat: Tropical forest & jungle.
Range: Northern Sumatra, Indonesia.
Drawing by Tom Fish.
Mountain Gorilla
(Gorilla beringei beringei)
Habitat: Montane cloud forest.
Range: Central Africa.
Drawing by Tom Fish.
Lar Gibbon
(Hylobates lar)
Habitat: Tropical broadleaf forest.
Range: Southern Asia.
Drawing by Tom Fish.
My image from the photography class in 1977.
Akley diorama at AMNH in 2010.
Colobus Monkey
Rhesus Macaque
Mantled Howler Monkey
Vervet Monkey
Chacma Baboon
Bonobo
After finishing this journey, be sure to explore Robert Louis DeMayo’s other travel narratives—stories that trace real‑world paths through wild landscapes, rich cultures, and moments of profound discovery.