Philanthropic alliance pledges over $500 million to rescue endangered species
Nine conservation groups, including the Bezos Earth Fund, have committed more than $500 million over five years to halt wildlife extinctions.
On October 16, 2026, nine philanthropic organizations launched the Species Recovery Alliance, committing more than $500 million across five years to prevent extinctions and aid the recovery of the world’s most threatened wildlife. The coalition includes the Bezos Earth Fund, led by president and chief executive Tom Taylor under Jeff Bezos and vice-chair Lauren Sánchez Bezos, as well as groups such as Ayers Wild Cat Conservation Trust, Colossal Foundation, Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, Fondation Segré, Franklinia Foundation, Rainforest Trust, Re and WildLives Earth.
Members will not merge their contributions into a single fund but will align financing and expertise with local partners to implement measures like conservation breeding, genetic rescue and invasive-species control. According to IUCN data cited by the alliance, more than 31,000 species are classified as extinct in the wild, critically endangered or endangered, with over 10 % having fewer than 50 individuals left. The alliance will track progress using the IUCN’s Green Status and Red List, and it calls on additional funders and governments—such as those in the parallel CARES coalition—to join the effort. The initiative builds on earlier projects like the Phoenix Species Project, a $200 million effort launched in August 2026 to protect 100 of the most threatened species.
Why it matters
Coordinated funding could reverse declines of thousands of species facing imminent extinction.
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