The Indianapolis Prize Winner

On May 13 in New York City, the Indianapolis Zoo named our Madagascar Program director Dr. Lily-Arison René de Roland the 2025 winner of the Indianapolis Prize for his groundbreaking conservation work in Madagascar. The tenth winner of the Indianapolis Prize ever—an honor he'd never imagined for himself.

For over three decades, Lily has trudged through remote rainforests and marshlands, driven by a love for his country's extraordinary wildlife and for the people who share the land with these creatures. His team of 59 Malagasy conservationists has become like family, united in their mission to protect what makes Madagascar unlike anywhere else on Earth. (Some members of the team are pictured above in the bottom photo.)

In 2006, he engaged in a grueling expedition to northern Madagascar's most isolated corners. When he spotted the Madagascar Pochard (pictured below at top left)—a duck the world had declared extinct—he said it felt like witnessing a resurrection. Then came his contributions to the discoveries of lemurs no one knew existed, and in December of 2022, the resighting of the Dusky Tetraka, a songbird that had vanished from scientific records for twenty-four years (pictured below at top right).

But the numbers that mattered most weren't necessarily the species discovered. They were the 1,500 square miles of protected land, the communities now managing their own forests sustainably, and the conflicts between people and wildlife that had transformed into coexistence. The Peregrine Fund team created and have managed four protected areas with local associations involvement and these four protected areas received a management delegate from the Malagasy Government in July 2025.

In New York City, Indianapolis Zoo President Dr. Rob Shumaker made the announcement, telling the world that René de Roland's work proves that conservation wasn't about choosing between people and nature—it was about honoring both.

“I am honored to receive this prestigious award from the Indianapolis Zoo,” said René de Roland. “My work is inspired by my pride for my country’s biodiversity and my love for its wonderful people.” 

Through his work, René de Roland has also helped to shape the next generation of Malagasy conservationists. His legacy extends to more than 100 students he has mentored at Madagascar universities, with his mentees earning 90 master’s degrees and 16 doctoral degrees to date. 

Back in Madagascar, René de Roland continues the work, while a wolf spider named Katableps lilyarisoni crawls through the undergrowth of the forest, carrying Lily’s name into the future he is helping to protect.