Leonardo DiCaprio is backing a major new global conservation effort.
The actor’s organization Re:wild has teamed with the Bezos Earth Fund to launch the Phoenix Species Project, a $200 million initiative aimed at helping 100 critically endangered species recover across 30 countries. The largest philanthropic initiative in history dedicated to recovering endangered species!
The project has been years in the making, beginning with a 2021 meeting between Leo, Re:wild co-founder Dr. Wes Sechrest, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos about dramatically increasing investment in endangered species recovery. That conversation ultimately evolved into the Phoenix Species Project and its ambitious goal of bringing 100 of the world’s most threatened species back from the brink of extinction.
The funding will support long-term recovery work including habitat restoration, breeding programs, disease management and species reintroduction. Among the animals receiving support are Madagascar’s golden-crowned sifaka, Australia’s night parrot, the bowmouth guitarfish and the Hickory Nut Gorge green salamander.
Leo shared in a statement to Just Jared:
“For decades, scientists, Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and conservation leaders have been on the front lines of protecting nature, and what has been made clear through research, is that species on the brink of extinction are often the ones that anchor some of the world’s most important ecosystems. When we protect those species, we also protect the forests, wetlands, grasslands, and oceans they depend on. The Phoenix Species Project has the potential to drastically shift how we approach conservation and combat the climate crisis at a global scale. By creating the largest philanthropic initiative in history dedicated to the recovery of critically endangered species across continents, made possible by a transformative gift from the Bezos Earth Fund, we have an opportunity to make a lasting impact where it’s needed most. The goal is for the Phoenix Species Project to become a global movement that inspires others to invest in nature and help protect our planet.”
Of the $200 million committed at launch, $100 million comes from the Bezos Earth Fund and $100 million from Re:wild, with additional support from Leo, Age of Union and the Todd Graves Family Foundation.
Lauren shared in a statement with Just Jared:
Kids fall in love with animals before anyone tells them those animals are disappearing. Ask any seven-year-old about their favorite creature. It’s something wild. Something most adults have never heard of. What do we tell them when the night parrot or the golden-crowned sifaka isn’t there anymore to fall in love with? This project is our answer. One hundred species, thirty countries, and a real commitment to bringing them back. Not managing their decline. Recovering them. That’s the whole difference. We know how to do this. We just have to stay committed long enough to see it through.
For more on the Phoenix Species Project, including the full list of 100 species, visit BezosEarthFund.org!
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