This $200M project funded by Jeff Bezos and Leonardo DiCaprio aims to save Earth’s most threatened species

Leonardo DiCaprio and Jeff Bezos have combined forces to launch a $200 million initiative, the Phoenix Species Project, aimed at safeguarding Earth's most endangered species. The ambitious endeavor, spearheaded by DiCaprio's Re:wild and the Bezos Earth Fund, marks the largest single fund in history devoted to reviving critically endangered creatures.

The project identifies 100 animal species from across the globe, such as the Madagascar golden-crowned sifaka, North Carolina's Hickory Nut Gorge green salamander, the Visayan warty pig from the Philippines, and the Cozumel harvest mouse on Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. Other recipients include the Galápagos pink land iguana, Malaysia's pangolin, Tanzania's pancake tortoise, and the Colombia-endemic starry night harlequin toad.

The project seeks to provide long-term financial support and technical resources to enhance the conservation efforts of smaller, ongoing initiatives, ensuring the survival of species threatened by climate change and habitat loss.