Leonardo DiCaprio and Jeff Bezos launched the Phoenix Species Project on Tuesday to protect 100 of the world's most threatened species [1], [2].
The initiative represents a significant escalation in private funding for biodiversity, targeting species on the verge of extinction to halt a global decline in wildlife populations [1], [4].
The project is funded with US$200 million [1], provided by the Bezos Earth Fund and Re:wild, a non-profit founded by DiCaprio [1], [2]. This funding is intended to restore wildlife populations in their natural habitats across multiple continents [1], [4].
"This is the most ambitious species‑recovery effort ever undertaken," DiCaprio said [1].
DiCaprio said the US$200 million project is the largest philanthropic initiative in history dedicated to the recovery of critically endangered species across continents [3]. The effort focuses on a specific list of 100 species identified as being at the highest risk of disappearing [2].
The partnership combines the resources of the U.S.-based Bezos Earth Fund with the conservation expertise of Re:wild [1], [2]. By coordinating global efforts, the organizers aim to implement rapid recovery strategies to stabilize populations before they reach a point of no return [1], [4].
"Our partnership with Re:wild will accelerate conservation outcomes for species on the brink of extinction," Bezos said [4].
The project comes as international bodies continue to warn about the accelerating rate of biodiversity loss. The Phoenix Species Project intends to use its capital to scale up existing conservation models, and deploy new technologies to track and protect these 100 targeted species [1], [2].
“"This is the most ambitious species‑recovery effort ever undertaken,"”
The scale of the Phoenix Species Project signals a shift toward 'big bet' philanthropy in conservation, where massive capital is concentrated on a specific number of high-risk targets rather than broad ecological grants. By focusing on 100 specific species, the initiative attempts to create a measurable blueprint for species recovery that could be replicated for other endangered wildlife globally.
