Rising from Risk to Recovery
The Phoenix Species Project is an audacious effort to save and recover 100 of the world’s most threatened species.
The urgency
Why species recovery can’t wait
Every species is a vital thread in the fabric of our survival—but today, that fabric is tearing. With wildlife in catastrophic decline, the time for “later” has run out. Extinction isn’t inevitable; it’s a deadline. We are demonstrating that extinction can not only be interrupted, but that with radical action, species can be brought back from the brink, protected, and ultimately given a chance to thrive in their native habitats. The best part? Every species that we recover restores balance to our ecosystems, the life support of our planet, benefitting all life on Earth.
Photo credit: Joel Sartore / Photo Ark
What is the Phoenix Species Project?
The Phoenix Species Project is a global effort to bring 100 of the world’s most threatened species back from the brink, launched by Leonardo DiCaprio’s Re:wild and the Bezos Earth Fund, with support from Leonardo DiCaprio, Age of Union and the Todd Graves Family Foundation. The effort begins with a $200 million commitment, making it the largest single philanthropic initiative dedicated exclusively to the recovery of Critically Endangered species across taxa, habitats and countries. It will provide unprecedented support to help recover 100 species facing imminent extinction, collaborating with Indigenous Peoples, local communities, scientists and conservationists working to secure the future of biodiversity and the planet.
Global Reach
Recovery across the world
From tropical rainforests to coastal waterways, our partners are leading species recovery across critical ecosystems worldwide.
5
Continents
30
Countries
100
critically endangered Species
$200
million commitment
Featured species
Meet the Phoenix 100
The Phoenix 100 spans mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds, fish, invertebrates, and plants. They come from 30 countries and live across a range of habitats, from oceans to freshwater lakes, tropical rainforests to volcanic plains. The one thing they all have in common? They are Critically Endangered or Extinct in the Wild. They represent the pioneers who will show the world that species recovery is, in fact, possible across diverse habitats and no matter the species, big or small, even when there are only a few individuals left.
Geographic reach
Species Recovery Across
Regions
Africa
Hundreds of millions of people depend on Africa's forests, rivers, and grasslands for water, food, and livelihoods.
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Australasia & Oceania
Australia and New Zealand are home to some of the most unique species on Earth.
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Caribbean
The Caribbean hosts more than 10,000 islands, islets, and cays spread across 2.7 million square kilometers of ocean.
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North America
North America's ecosystems rival the world's most celebrated conservation areas for biodiversity.
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