Two foundations led by Leonardo DiCaprio and Jeff Bezos have launched a substantial initiative aimed at protecting Earth’s most threatened species. Together, these foundations have committed $200 million to support 100 critically endangered species, including lemurs, salamanders, pangolins, pigs, and echidnas.
DiCaprio’s Re:wild and the Bezos Earth Fund are spearheading the Phoenix Species Project. This announcement marks the largest fund ever focused solely on rescuing endangered species. DiCaprio has long been an advocate for protecting species at risk due to climate change. The idea for this major initiative evolved over years.
In 2021, DiCaprio and Re:wild co-founder Wes Sechrest engaged with Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, to explore collaboration. Jeff serves as chair and Lauren as vice chair of the Bezos Earth Fund. These discussions extended to involve local governments, environmental groups, and Indigenous communities, resulting in the Phoenix Species Project.
DiCaprio and Jeff Bezos lead $200M project to save 100 of globe’s most threatened species
The project aims to support various endangered species:
- The golden-crowned sifaka, a lemur from Madagascar.
- The Hickory Nut Gorge green salamander, a unique lungless species in North Carolina.
- The Visayan warty pig, found in the Philippines.
- The Cozumel harvest mouse, endemic to a Yucatán Peninsula island.
- The pink land iguana, exclusive to Wolf Volcano in the Galápagos.
- The Malayan pangolin, native to Southeast Asia.
- Tanzania’s pancake tortoise, with its distinctive shell.
- The starry night harlequin toad, found in Colombia.
- Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna, a New Guinea species named after David Attenborough.
The project seeks to offer sustained support to successful conservation efforts that face financial constraints. Tiana Andriamanana, executive director of Association Fanamby, expressed the impact of this initiative in a statement. “This funding, this global platform and technical support change what is possible.” Efforts to protect species such as the golden-crowned sifaka have relied on limited budgets, but the project’s backing can transform conservation capabilities.