Madagascar conservation legend patricia wright reflects on 38 years fighting for lemurs and forests

For nearly four decades, primatologist Patricia Wright has been Madagascar’s fiercest advocate, transforming how the world understands and protects one of Earth’s most unique ecosystems. Since arriving on the island in 1986, Wright has made groundbreaking discoveries that reshaped conservation efforts across this biodiversity hotspot, including her description of the golden bamboo lemur—a species previously unknown to Western science.

Wright’s work led directly to the establishment of Ranomafana National Park, which has since earned recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Through her Centre ValBio research station, she has trained countless researchers and conservationists while pioneering an integrated approach that addresses both wildlife protection and human needs. As Wright explains in a recent Mongabay Newscast interview, “Poverty is the enemy of conservation here in Madagascar,” where roughly 80% of the population struggles with economic hardship while facing threats from deforestation, fires, and political instability.

Her solution emphasizes the interconnection between human welfare and environmental health. Wright advocates for combined investments in reforestation, education, and healthcare—but only when directly linked to forest conservation. “I think both health and education are very important, and I started out at the very beginning, incorporating those into our conservation programs, but it has to be connected to the fact that [people] have forests,” she notes.

Wright continues sharing Madagascar’s conservation story through documentary films, including recent projects like “Ivohiboro: The Lost Forest,” which chronicles her 2016 discovery of a montane tropical forest surrounded by desert that had remained unknown to Western science until her expedition.