Skip to content

Sam's News — conservation — 2026-08-07

TL;DR

Conservation

Bezos-backed Phoenix Species Project Launched with $200 Million Conservation Funding

The Bezos Earth Fund and Leonardo DiCaprio's Re:wild announced the Phoenix Species Project on August 7, 2026, a $200 million initiative to recover 100 threatened species including pink iguanas, lemurs, wild pigs, and pangolins through breeding programs and habitat restoration. The project faces scrutiny over greenwashing concerns, given Amazon's environmental record on plastic pollution and data centre impacts.

  • $200 million funding commitment ($100M from Bezos Earth Fund)
  • 100 threatened species targeted for recovery
  • Includes breeding programs and habitat restoration
  • Critics question whether private philanthropy adequately addresses corporate environmental harms

Sources: CBC News Web Search

Joel Sartore's National Geographic Photo Ark Reaches 18,000 Species

National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore announced on August 3, 2026, that his 20-year Photo Ark project has documented its 18,000th animal species—the critically endangered red handfish. The project systematically photographs endangered and vulnerable species as a visual record of biodiversity threatened by habitat loss and extinction.

  • 18,000 species photographed over 20 years
  • Red handfish was the 18,000th species milestone
  • Project started August 9, 2006, with a naked mole-rat
  • Aims to document animal diversity in face of biodiversity loss

Sources: Smithsonian Magazine Web Search