Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and actor-environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio have unveiled the Phoenix Species Project, a $200 million conservation initiative dedicated to recovering 100 of the world’s most critically endangered species. The project is described as the largest single fund focused exclusively on protecting species currently teetering on the brink of extinction due to habitat loss, climate change, and other human-driven environmental pressures.
The initiative is a collaborative effort led by the Bezos Earth Fund, chaired by Mr. Bezos, and Re:wild, a conservation organisation co-founded by Mr. DiCaprio. The program aims to move beyond simple financial contributions by offering long-term support and technical expertise to conservation groups that have historically operated with limited resources. The foundation for the project was laid in 2021 following meetings between Mr. DiCaprio, Re:wild chief executive Wes Sechrest, and the leadership of the Bezos Earth Fund. These discussions involved extensive consultations with governments, Indigenous communities, and various environmental organisations.
Target species identified for immediate intervention include a diverse range of wildlife, such as the Malayan pangolin, the pancake tortoise of Tanzania, and the golden-crowned sifaka lemur from Madagascar. Other notable subjects include the Hickory Nut Gorge green salamander found in North Carolina, the Starry night harlequin toad from Colombia, and Attenborough's long-beaked echidna in New Guinea. Organisers stated that the project is designed to reverse population declines and establish sustainable recovery pathways for these vulnerable species.
Tiana Andriamanana, executive director of the Association Fanamby, noted that the initiative significantly changes the scope of what conservationists can achieve for species like the golden-crowned sifaka. As global biodiversity faces accelerating threats, the organisers hope that this coordinated platform will provide the necessary resources to protect wildlife that might otherwise be lost to extinction.
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