Overview
- The Phoenix Species Project was launched Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026, with a $200 million commitment split $100 million from the Bezos Earth Fund and $100 million from Re:wild and partners.
- The initiative aims to recover 100 critically endangered species across about 30 countries using sustained funding rather than short-term grants.
- Recovery work will fund conservation breeding, habitat restoration, disease management and invasive-species control, with scientific guidance from the IUCN Species Survival Commission.
- Organizers say the project will work with more than 100 local and international partners and collaborate closely with Indigenous Peoples and local communities to design place-specific actions.
- The launch drew attention to broader questions about donor footprints because critics note Jeff Bezos and Amazon face scrutiny over data center and logistics environmental impacts, and the project could shift how large-scale private funding is used for biodiversity goals.