George Meléndez Wright was a pioneering biologist and one of the earliest advocates for the scientific management of wildlife in the U.S. National Park System. Born in San Francisco Wright earned a zoology degree from UC Berkeley and joined the National Park Service in the 1920s. At a time when wildlife policies focused primarily on controlling “nuisance” animals and enhancing visitor experiences, Wright insisted that parks should preserve ecosystems in their natural state.

In 1930, he founded the Wildlife Division of the NPS, personally funding the first comprehensive wildlife surveys of national parks with colleagues Joseph Dixon and Ben Thompson. Their work culminated in the landmark Fauna of the National Parks of the United States (1933), which became the foundation for modern conservation policy. Wright’s vision of parks as living laboratories transformed the NPS into a scientifically grounded institution. He died tragically in a car accident at age 31 in 1936.

The Joy Trip Project celebrates American history with the stories remarkable features of our past that are too often forgotten. The Unhidden Minute is part of the Unhidden Podcast Project supported through a National Geographic Explorer Grant from the National Geographic Society, with the cooperation of the National Park Service. This series elevates the untold stories of men and women who helped to shape the progress of our nation.

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