DiCaprio and Bezos Launch $200M 'Phoenix Species Project' to Rescue 100 Critically Endangered Species

Leonardo DiCaprio and Jeff Bezos have announced the Phoenix Species Project, a $200 million philanthropic initiative aimed at recovering 100 critically endangered species across 30 countries. The project focuses on species that play key roles in their ecosystems — the idea being that protecting these species also safeguards forests, wetlands, grasslands and oceans.

Funding and Partners

Half of the $200 million commitment comes from the Bezos Earth Fund; the remaining $100 million is being provided by Leonardo DiCaprio and Dr. Wes Sechrest’s organization Re:wild, with additional support from Age of Union and the Todd Graves Family Foundation. The initiative is being developed in collaboration with the IUCN Species Survival Commission and will support recovery actions across a wide range of taxa.

Jeff Bezos(Cover Images)

"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," DiCaprio said. "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."

Scope and Examples

Working with conservation experts, the Phoenix Species Project has identified 100 focal species across mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, invertebrates and plants. Examples cited by the initiative include the Golden-Crowned Sifaka, the Bowmouth Guitarfish and the Hickory Nut Gorge Green Salamander. Recovery work will involve habitat protection and restoration, scientific research, community-led conservation, and collaborations with Indigenous Peoples and local stakeholders.

Background and Impact

DiCaprio has been active in environmental advocacy for decades and founded the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation in the late 1990s. The Phoenix Species Project reportedly grew out of conversations that began in 2021 between DiCaprio, Dr. Wes Sechrest, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez Bezos. Organizers describe the effort as one of the largest philanthropic investments dedicated specifically to the recovery of critically endangered species, with the potential to deliver measurable benefits for biodiversity and climate resilience.

The initiative aims to fund targeted, science-based recovery programs that can be scaled and replicated, prioritizing actions that benefit both species and the ecosystems and communities that depend on them.