Patricia Chapple Wright (born September 10, 1944) is an American primatologist,

anthropologist An anthropologist is a person engaged in the practice of anthropology. Anthropology is the study of aspects of humans within past and present societies. Social anthropology, cultural anthropology and philosophical anthropology study the norms and ...

, and conservationist. Wright is best known for her extensive study of social and family interactions of wild lemurs in Madagascar. She established the Institute for the Conservation of Tropical Environments at

Stony Brook University Stony Brook University (SBU), officially the State University of New York at Stony Brook, is a public research university in Stony Brook, New York. Along with the University at Buffalo, it is one of the State University of New York system's ...

. She worked extensively on conservation and contributed to the establishment of the Ranomafana National Park in Madagascar.

Early life

Patricia Wright was born in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, on 10 September 1944 to Julia Delores, a school librarian and Hugh Edward Chapple, a foundry supervisor.

Education

Wright obtained a bachelor's degree in biology in 1966 from Hood College. She later went on to obtain her Ph.D. in Anthropology from

City University of New York The City University of New York ( CUNY; , ) is the Public university, public university system of Education in New York City, New York City. It is the largest urban university system in the United States, comprising 25 campuses: eleven Upper divis ...

in 1985 under the direction of Warren Kinzey.

Madagascar

In 1986 Wright traveled to Madagascar in search of the greater bamboo lemur (''Prolemur simus''), a species abundant at the sub-fossil lemur sites of the north but believed to have gone extinct in the recent past. She found that the greater bamboo lemur still exists and discovered a new species that was named ''Hapalemur aureus'', the golden bamboo lemur.

Centre ValBio

Patricia Wright established the Institute for the Conservation of Tropical Environments at

that is dedicated to science-based conservation and research in the tropics, with a special focus on Madagascar. It coordinates the work of many natural and social scientists throughout Madagascar, especially around Ranomafana National Park. It operates a modern research station in Madagascar called Centre ValBio.

Awards and recognition

Awards

* 2018 – Finalist for the

St Andrews Prize for the Environment The St Andrews Prize for the Environment is a prestigious international environmental award funded and administered by the University of St Andrews in Scotland, United Kingdom. Prior to 2020, the American exploration and production company ConocoP ...

* 2014 – First Woman Winner of Indianapolis Prize for Conservation * 2014 – Featured in CNN's Parts Unknown with Anthony Bourdain * 2014 – Lifetime Achievement Award from Wildlife Conservation Film Festival * 2014 – Honorary Degree (Honoris Causa) from University of Fianarantsoa, Madagascar * 2014 – Featured in 3D IMAX film Island of Lemurs: Madagascar with Morgan Freeman * 2013 – Elected to American Philosophical Society * 2012 – Awarded Commandeur Medal of Honor, Government of Madagascar * 2011 – Finalist for the

Indianapolis Prize The Indianapolis Prize is a biennial prize awarded by the Indianapolis Zoo to individuals for "extraordinary contributions to conservation efforts" affecting one or more animal species. Overview The Indianapolis Prize was established by the Ind ...

for Conservation * 2008 –

Faculty Achievement Award * 2008 – Hauptman Woodward Pioneer in Science Medal * 2008 – Distinguished Primatologist Award from

American Society of Primatologists The American Society of Primatologists is both an educational and scientific society which aims to promote both the discovery and exchange of information on non-human primates. The society is open to anybody who actively, or is more passively intere ...

* 2007 – Awarded Honoris Causa, honorary degree from University of Antananarivo * 2007 – Ranomafana National Park named UNESCO World Heritage Site * 2006 – A new species from

Kalambatritra Kalambatritra Special Reserve is a wildlife reserve in southern Madagascar. It is to the north of Andohahela National Park, south-west of the Manombo Special Reserve and contains many endemic species, including forty-five endemic bird species. Geo ...

, Madagascar named ''Lepilemur wrighaeti'' * 2006 – Cosmos Prize Selection Committee, Osaka, Japan * 2006 – Explorers Club Lecture Series * 2006 – 2010 Member of Smithsonian Biodiversity Task Force * 2004 – Elected

AAAS AAAS may refer to: * American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a learned society and center for policy research; the publisher of the journal ''Dædalus'' * American Association for the Advancement of Science, an organization that supports scientifi ...

Fellow * 2004 – "Medaille Officier de Madagascar". High honor awarded by the President of Madagascar * 2003 – "Woman of Distinction" Award, given by Senator

Kenneth LaValle Kenneth P. LaValle (born May 22, 1939 in Brooklyn, New York) is a former American politician. He represented District 1 in the New York State Senate. The district comprises the five East End towns of Long Island, New York, as well as the central ...

* 2003 – -2011 Member of National Geographic Conservation Trust * 2003 –

Royal Geographical Society The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers), often shortened to RGS, is a learned society and professional body for geography based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical scien ...

Invited Speaker, London, United Kingdom * 2002 – James Watson Presidential Council speaker at Symposium "Human Behavior in the Genomic Age" Cold Spring Harbor, NY * 2002 – National Research Council, The National Academies Committee * 2001 – 2009-Member of National Geographic Committee for Research and Exploration * 2001 – Provost's Lecture Series, SUNY Stony Brook * 2000 – Present Member of Board of Directors of Comparative and Conservation Biology Foundation * 2000 – "Principal Investigator of the Year." Earthwatch Institute * 1998 – 2003 Member of International Society of Primatology Conservation Committee * 1995 – 1998 Advisory Board of

Wenner-Gren Axel Lennart Wenner-Gren (5 June 1881 – 24 November 1961) was a Swedish entrepreneur and one of the wealthiest men in the world during the 1930s. Early life He was born on 5 June 1881 in Uddevalla, a town on the west coast of Sweden. He w ...

Foundation for Anthropological Research * 1995 – "Chevalier d'Ordre National." National Medal of Honor of Madagascar, from the President of Madagascar * 1995 – Women in Science Engineering Annual Award, SUNY * 1994 – present Madagascar Faunal Group, International Board * 1994 – 2000 Scientific Advisory Board member of The Douroucouli Foundation * 1994 – present Advisory Board of Primate Conservation Inc. * 1994 – 1996 Advisory Board of the Center for Tropical Conservation,

Duke University Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco and electric power industrialist James ...

* 1994 – Women of the Year in Science Award, Three Village Times, New York * 1993 – 2001 Member of Board,

Organization for Tropical Studies The Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS), founded in 1963, is a non-profit consortium of over 50 universities and research institutions based in the United States, Latin America, and South Africa. OTS manages a network of ecological research s ...

* 1993 – 1999 Member of Board of Trustees of The Nature Conservancy, Long Island Chapter * 1993 – Women Who Make a Difference Award, ''

Family Circle Magazine ''Family Circle'' was an American magazine that covered such topics as homemaking, recipes, and health. It was published from 1932 until the end of 2019. Originally distributed at supermarkets, it was one of the " Seven Sisters," a group of sev ...

'' * 1990 – present Member of the Editorial Board of the '' International Journal of Primatology'' * 1991 – present Member of External Advisory Board, Duke University Primate Center * 1991 – present

IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...

Primate Specialists Group-Madagascar * 1990 – Honorary Doctor of Science Degree from Hood College * 1990 – 1991 Member of National Research Council Committee for Sustained Development & Environmental Preservation of Humid Tropics * 1989 – John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Fellow * 1988 – 1994 Member of Conservation Committee for American Society of Primatologists * 1984 – present IUCN Primate Specialists Group-South America * 1982 – "S.L. Washburn Prize" for outstanding student paper at the American Association of Physical Anthropologists meeting, Eugene, Oregon

Media

TV and films

* 2016 – featured on '' Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown'', CNN * 2014 – featured in IMAX film '' Island of Lemurs: Madagascar'' * 2009 – featured on ''

Dan Rather Reports ''Dan Rather Reports'' is a weekly news television show hosted by former CBS news anchor Dan Rather and airing on AXS TV from 2006 until 2013. The show premiered on November 14, 2006, when Rather was 75 years old. As host, correspondent, and na ...

'', HDNet TV * 2002 – featured in

David Attenborough Sir David Frederick Attenborough (; born 8 May 1926) is an English broadcaster, biologist, natural historian and author. He is best known for writing and presenting, in conjunction with the BBC Natural History Unit, the nine natural histor ...

's ''

The Life of Mammals ''The Life of Mammals'' is a nature documentary series written and presented by David Attenborough, first transmitted in the United Kingdom from 20 November 2002. A study of the evolution and habits of the various mammal species, it was the fo ...

'' documentary film. * 2000 – ''

Me & Isaac Newton ''Me & Isaac Newton'' is a 1999 documentary directed by Michael Apted and produced by Clear Blue Sky Productions. Synopsis With a lightly humorous approach, the film explores human advances in the field of sciences. Both Apted and Paul G. Allen, ...

'', directed by Michael Apted, a Clear Blue Sky Production; Emmy award winner.

Print and radio features

* 2009/10 – '' National Geographic Magazine'' * 2008/09 – BBC Natural History Unit (UK) and NHK Japan featured NSF Project * 2006 – featured in '' Smithsonian Magazine'', April cover article "For the Love of Lemurs" * 2006 – interviewed in Award-winning National Public Radio show Life on Earth, Madagascar Biodiversity produced by Dan Grossman. * 2005 – Natural History Magazine June cover article "Dance of the Sexes" * 2005 – featured in Long Island Life,

Newsday ''Newsday'' is an American daily newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island, although it is also sold throughout the New York metropolitan area. The slogan of the newspaper is "Newsday, Your Eye on LI", and f ...

, February 206

Books

* 2014 – ''For the Love of Lemurs: My Life in the Wilds of Madagascar'' published by Lantern Books * 2013 – ''High Moon Over the Amazon: My Quest to Understand the Monkeys of the Night'' published by Lantern Books * 2011 – * 2003 –

References

External links

Centre ValBio

Director Sharon Pieczenik's video interview

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wright, Patricia 1944 births Living people Hood College alumni Harvard Medical School staff Graduate Center, CUNY alumni Duke University faculty Stony Brook University faculty MacArthur Fellows Women primatologists People from Doylestown, Pennsylvania Conservation biologists Primatologists