How One Bird Changed Everything: Patricia Zurita on Her Path to Global Conservation Leadership

What does a bright-red bird have to do with global conservation? For Patricia Zurita, Chief Strategy Officer at Conservation International, it was the Andean cock-of-the-rock that first sparked her passion for protecting nature. In this episode, Patricia shares how that pivotal moment in Ecuador’s cloud forests led her to a career at the intersection of economics, conservation, and global policy. She explains why biodiversity is critical to human survival, how we can create economic incentives for sustainability, and why protecting nature is ultimately about protecting people. Tune in for a fascinating conversation on the power of nature, science, and smart policy to shape our future.