Phoenix Project Picks Kākāpō, Tāiko

Two of New Zealand's rarest birds have just got a very wealthy support crew.

The kākāpō and the Chatham Island tāiko have been named in the Phoenix Species Project — a $200 million global initiative backed by Re:wild, the Bezos Earth Fund, Leonardo DiCaprio, and a handful of other major philanthropic partners. The project aims to pull 100 critically endangered species back from the edge.

For New Zealand, it's a meaningful signal. The country has around 4000 threatened species — one of the highest rates in the world.

Department of Conservation deputy director general public affairs Sia Aston said the funding goes beyond the birds themselves. "Support from the Phoenix Species Project will help make tangible gains for not just the kākāpō and tāiko, but the wider ecosystems they inhabit," Aston said. "Support for the individual species is an investment in nature; a species like kākāpō can only survive when the land, the forests and the wider ecosystem are thriving. Work to restore kākāpō lifts the health of every native species they live alongside."

The kākāpō — flightless, nocturnal, absurdly charming — has become something of an international conservation mascot. That profile has real value. Ngāi Tahu Kākāpō Recovery Group representative Tāne Davis said the global attention translates into genuine help on the ground. "We know that the kākāpō has endeared itself to many people across the world so it is heartening to have this international initiative contributing to our efforts to restore and preserve the habitat, and strengthen the mauri (lifeforce) of this taonga (treasured) species," Davis said.

Aston said DOC has worked with Re:wild on several conservation initiatives and welcomed the deepening relationship. "Working with others to achieve the best outcomes for conservation has been a key focus for DOC. Nature is in trouble. Aotearoa has one of the highest rates of threatened species in the world – 4000 – and once they're gone they're gone forever. We're thrilled to build on our existing relationships and grateful for the ongoing support and work to raise the profile of species all around the world."

The Phoenix Species Project is a joint initiative from Re:wild and the Bezos Earth Fund, with additional support from Age of Union and the Todd Graves Family Foundation. The full list of 100 species and further details are at phoenixspeciesproject.org.

Four thousand species threatened. Two of them now have Leonardo DiCaprio's attention. It's a start.