Re:wild and Bezos Earth Fund Launch $200 Million Fund Targeting 100 Critically Endangered Species
How left and right are reading this
- Both agree
- The five-year-per-species commitment and the choice to work through Indigenous peoples, local communities and governments is the right design — patient money beats short grant cycles.
- They split on
- Whether $200 million in donor money is a stopgap exposing what enforced public protection should already guarantee, or a model that should take priority over a bigger public ledger.
The Facts
- Re:wild, co-founded by Leonardo DiCaprio, and the Bezos Earth Fund announced the Phoenix Species Project on Tuesday, Aug. 4, with an initial $200 million commitment.
- The project aims to support recovery of 100 critically endangered species across about 30 countries, covering mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds, fish, invertebrates and plants in habitats ranging from oceans to volcanic landscapes.
- The Bezos Earth Fund is contributing $100 million, with Re:wild matching that amount with support from DiCaprio, the Age of Union foundation and the Todd Graves Family Foundation.
- Organizers say funding will be sustained over several years per species — Re:wild describes five years of funding per species — rather than delivered through short grant cycles.
- Organizers describe the fund as the largest single philanthropic initiative dedicated exclusively to the recovery of critically endangered species.
- Species named on the list include the golden-crowned sifaka, a lemur in Madagascar; the Hickory Nut Gorge green salamander in North Carolina; the Visayan warty pig in the Philippines; Attenborough's long-beaked echidna in New Guinea; the Cozumel harvest mouse in Mexico; and the pink land iguana found on Wolf Volcano in the Galápagos.
- The initiative says it will work with Indigenous peoples, local communities, scientists, conservation organizations and governments, alongside roughly 100 partner groups.
- The project traces to a 2021 meeting between DiCaprio, Re:wild CEO Wes Sechrest, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez, followed by discussions with governments, environmental groups and Indigenous communities.
- Beyond funding, organizers say the project will offer a global platform and technical support to smaller conservation efforts that have shown results but lacked durable backing.
Analytical frames for this storyTap to explore
Context
Why are backers framing this fund as needed now?
The New York Times reported that the announcement lands as the Trump administration rolls back protections for endangered species, countries fall short of their conservation commitments, and corporations retreat from environmental pledges NYT,La Nacion. DiCaprio has spent years developing the idea of a concerted effort for species whose habitats and survival are threatened by climate change EL MUNDO,Independent,U.S. News & World R….
Has the project drawn criticism?
USA Today reported that the initiative comes amid criticism of Jeff Bezos's environmental footprint, tied to Amazon's logistics operations and data centers USA Today.
Who is running the money?
The fund is led jointly by Re:wild, which DiCaprio co-founded in 2021 with biologist Wes Sechrest, who serves as its CEO, and the Bezos Earth Fund, which Bezos established and which Lauren Sánchez helps lead Independent,Variety,infobae,infobae.
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Wire services (10)
Independent coverage (50)
FirstpostLeonardo DiCaprio and Jeff Bezos launch Rs 1700 crore initia...
rds.itLeonardo DiCaprio e Jeff Bezos insieme: 200 milioni per salv...
El HuffPostDiCaprio y Jeff Bezos destinan 200 millones de dólares para ...
YahooLeonardo DiCaprio teams up with Jeff Bezos on $200m initiati...
The Times of IndiaLeonardo DiCaprio and Jeff Bezos launch $200 million project...
cnbctv18.comDiCaprio, Bezos unveil $200 million Phoenix Species Project ...
USA TodayDiCaprio, Bezos launch $200M species initiative amid data ce...
Aristegui NoticiasDiCaprio y Bezos invertirán 200 mdd para salvar especies
The Philadelphia InquirerLeonardo DiCaprio and Jeff Bezos lead $200M project to save ...
https://www.elfrente.com.co/web/Leonardo DiCaprio y Jeff Bezos destinan USD 200 millones par...
EL UNIVERSOEspecies de Ecuador figuran en millonario plan de rescate im...
Economic TimesDiCaprio, Bezos plan $200m project for endangered species
Olori SupergalDiCaprio, Bezos Earth Fund Launch $200 Million Initiative to...
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La Nacion100 animales y plantas acaban de recibir una ayuda muy neces...
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QuartzBezos Earth Fund and Re:wild launch $200M Phoenix Species Pr...
LaVanguardiaLeonardo DiCaprio se une a Jeff Bezos para proteger más de 1...
VarietyLeonardo DiCaprio, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos Set $...
BGNES: Breaking News, Latest News and VideosLeonardo DiCaprio and Jeff Bezos team up on $200 million ini...
infobaeLeonardo DiCaprio y Jeff Bezos lanzan un fondo millonario pa...
Hola.comLauren Sánchez Bezos and Leonardo DiCaprio launch $200M proj...
infobaeLeonardo DiCaprio y Jeff Bezos lideran un proyecto de 200 mi...
Tgcom24DiCaprio e Bezos vogliono salvare 100 specie a rischio: il p...
infobaeLeonardo DiCaprio y Jeff Bezos lanzan un fondo de USD 200 mi...
Yahoo NewsLeonardo DiCaprio and Jeff Bezos Are Launching a $200 Millio...
Agencia ANSADiCaprio y Bezos lanzan fondo millonario para salvar especie...
ABC Action News Tampa Bay (WFTS)Leonardo DiCaprio and Jeff Bezos lead project to save most t...
Scientific AmericanProject backed by Leonardo DiCaprio and Jeff Bezos aims to s...
ANSA.itLeonardo DiCaprio e Jeff Bezos lanciano progetto per salvare...
Gazzetta di MantovaLeonardo DiCaprio e Jeff Bezos lanciano progetto per salvare...
Town & CountryLeonardo DiCaprio and Jeff Bezos Team Up to Save Endangered ...
EL PAÍSLeonardo DiCaprio y Jeff Bezos unen sus millones para salvar...
YahooLeonardo DiCaprio teams up with Jeff Bezos on $200m initiati...
AmbitoLeonardo DiCaprio y Jeff Bezos lanzan un proyecto para salva...
The IndependentLeonardo DiCaprio and Jeff Bezos team up to save 100 threate...
Fast CompanyThis $200M project funded by Jeff Bezos and Leonardo DiCapri...
Qazinform.comLeonardo DiCaprio, Bezos Earth Fund launch $200M project to ...
El Nuevo DíaLeonardo DiCaprio y Jeff Bezos lanzan proyecto para salvar e...
The Hollywood ReporterLeonardo DiCaprio and Jeff Bezos Are Teaming to Save Endange...
Economic TimesJeff Bezos and Leonardo DiCaprio put $200 million behind 100...
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The Manila timesLeonardo DiCaprio and Jeff Bezos lead $200M project to save ...
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The Straits TimesBezos Earth Fund, Re:Wild launch $257m drive to save species...
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