DiCaprio and Bezos launch $200M fund to revive 100 threatened species

Leonardo DiCaprio and Jeff Bezos launched a $200 million initiative to revive 100 of Earth's most threatened species, marking the largest single fund ever dedicated to recovering critically endangered animals. The Phoenix Species Project, led by DiCaprio's Re:wild and the Bezos Earth Fund, was announced Tuesday. It targets species including lemurs, salamanders, pangolins, pigs, and echidnas, following years of planning and consultations with governments, environmental groups, and Indigenous communities. The initiative aims to sustain long-term efforts for species like the golden-crowned sifaka and Hickory Nut Gorge green salamander. Grant recipients say the funding and global platform transform what is possible for conservation work previously limited by small budgets.