Bezos and Rewild launch $200M Project to save 100 species

A major philanthropic initiative has been launched with the goal of recovering 100 of the world's most critically endangered species through an initial commitment of $200 million. The Phoenix Species Project, unveiled on August 4, 2026, is a collaboration between the Bezos Earth Fund, established by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and Rewild, an organization co-founded by actor and environmental advocate Leonardo DiCaprio. Organizers describe it as the largest single philanthropic fund ever dedicated exclusively to the recovery of critically endangered species.

The project aims to provide long-term, stable funding for a diverse array of 100 species across 30 countries, encompassing mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds, fish, invertebrates, and plants. Among the specific animals targeted for support are the Visayan warty pig from the Philippines, Mexico's Cozumel harvest mouse, Ecuador's pink land iguana, the Malayan pangolin, Tanzania's pancake tortoise, Colombia's starry night harlequin toad, and Attenborough's long-beaked echidna from New Guinea. The effort will also support plants and other species like North Carolina's Hickory Nut Gorge green salamander.