Turner Endangered Species Fund

What Turner Endangered Species Fund does

The Turner Endangered Species Fund (TESF) is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation organization founded in June 1997 by Ted Turner, his family, and Mike Phillips to conserve biological diversity by ensuring the persistence of imperiled species and their habitats on private land. Headquartered in Bozeman, Montana, TESF operates a portfolio of 23+ species conservation projects spanning fish (arctic grayling, cutthroat trout, Rio Grande sucker/chub), mammals (black-footed ferret, Mexican wolf, prairie dogs, bison, swift fox), reptiles (bolson tortoise, gopher tortoise), and birds (Northern Aplomado falcon, lesser prairie-chicken, red-cockaded woodpecker), distributed across 13 ranches totaling approximately 3,125 square miles in Montana, New Mexico, Nebraska, South Dakota, Colorado, and Argentina's Patagonia. The organization's underlying operational model is hands-on conservation biology: captive breeding and pre-release conditioning (e.g., the Ladder Ranch Wolf Management Facility, operating since 1998 as one of three primary captive facilities for Mexican wolf recovery), habitat restoration, species reintroduction (over 200 swift foxes reintroduced at Bad River Ranches), and population monitoring with the goal of population persistence with minimal human intervention. A companion program, the Turner Biodiversity Divisions (TBD), addresses species at slightly less risk.

TESF has no paying customers in the commercial sense; its business model is donations and charitable contributions, processed primarily through the ActBlue platform and supported substantively by Turner Enterprises, Inc. (the operational partner managing Turner-owned ranchland) and the Turner Foundation. Its go-to-market is community-led: collaborations with federal agencies (US Fish & Wildlife Service), state wildlife agencies (Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks; State of New Mexico), and academic institutions (14+ universities including University of Montana, Montana State, NMSU, Colorado State, producing 30+ graduate researchers), amplified through peer-reviewed publications, an extensive publications library, and digital channels (website, Facebook, Instagram). Following Ted Turner's death in May 2026, ownership of the underlying land transitions to his estate, with Turner Enterprises pledging continued protection from development, but the long-term funding and governance structure of TESF remains a material open question.

Name

Turner Endangered Species Fund

Legal name

Turner Endangered Species Fund

Website

https://tesf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Turner Endangered Species Fund is a Bozeman, Montana-based nonprofit founded in 1997 by Ted Turner, operating 23+ endangered species conservation projects across 13 ranches (~3,125 sq mi) in the US and Argentina, funded by donations and the Turner Foundation/Enterprises, and partnering with USFWS, state agencies, and universities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA), Threatened & Endangered Species (TES) / Protected Species Surveys & Compliance (EUAHAHAD)

Keywords

• Endangered species conservation
• Private land stewardship
• Habitat restoration
• Species reintroduction programs
• Wildlife conservation research

Headquarters

HQ city

Bozeman

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The Turner Endangered Species Fund operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization funded primarily through charitable donations and grants. The organization accepts donations through ActBlue and receives support from the Turner Foundation and Turner Enterprises, Inc.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

TESF operates field-based endangered species conservation programs that ensure the persistence of imperiled species (e.g., Mexican wolf, black-footed ferret, chiricahua leopard frog, arctic grayling, Rio Grande cutthroat trout, bison) and their habitats, with a deliberate emphasis on private working landscapes. The fund delivers species recovery through captive propagation, habitat restoration, reintroduction/translocation, scientific monitoring, and co-delivery with state/federal agencies and university researchers. Companion effort Turner Biodiversity Divisions (TBD) addresses species at slightly lower risk levels than TESF.

Product overview

The Turner Endangered Species Fund (TESF) and Turner Biodiversity Divisions (TBD) are companion conservation organizations established in June 1997 by Ted Turner and Mike Phillips. TESF focuses on species protected under federal and state endangered species laws, while TBD addresses species at slightly less risk. The organizations operate a portfolio of conservation projects spanning 23+ species including fish (cutthroat trout, arctic grayling), mammals (bison, prairie dogs, wolves, ferrets), reptiles (bolson tortoise), and birds (Aplomado falcon). TESF works closely with Turner Enterprises, Inc. and the Turner Foundation, and collaborates with state/federal agencies and universities to achieve population persistence of imperiled species with minimal human intervention.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Endangered Species Conservation Projects Field-based recovery projects for imperiled species protected under federal and state endangered species laws, with emphasis on private land stewardship. Each project combines habitat assessment, restoration, captive propagation where needed, translocation/reintroduction, and post-release monitoring. The portfolio spans fish, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, and plants across New Mexico, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, Colorado, and Patagonia, Argentina.
• Turner Biodiversity Divisions (TBD) Companion conservation initiative to TESF focused on species at lower risk levels (i.e., not yet federally or state-listed as endangered), emphasizing proactive biodiversity conservation to pre-empt listing. Operates the same science-based methodology and ranch-land access model as TESF.
• Mexican Wolf Captive Management Program (Ladder Ranch Wolf Management Facility) Captive propagation and pre-release management of Mexican wolves at the Ladder Ranch Wolf Management Facility. Operates as one of three primary U.S. captive pre-release facilities feeding the Mexican wolf recovery program managed in partnership with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
• Academic Collaborations Program Partnership program with universities (e.g., University of Montana, Montana State University, New Mexico State University, University of Arizona, University of Nebraska-Kearney, South Dakota State University, Colorado State University, Wichita State University, and others) hosting graduate and undergraduate research on conservation biology topics including habitat studies, species reintroduction, prairie dog colony dynamics, Blanding's turtle, puma prey composition, bolson tortoise foraging ecology, and dung beetle ecology.
• Publications and Research Database Public knowledge repository of TESF and TBD conservation science output, including peer-reviewed articles, technical reports, theses and dissertations, conference proceedings, and presentations on species recovery methodology.

Quantifiable outcome

• Established the world's largest private bison herd
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Turner Enterprises, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary operational partner managing Turner's land holdings. Turner Enterprises, Inc. works closely with TESF and is committed to protecting properties from development. Manages the Flying D Ranch, Vermejo Park Ranch, Ladder Ranch, and other conservation properties.
• Turner FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor philanthropic partner supporting TESF initiatives. Works closely with TESF on conservation and environmental causes.
• State and Federal AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnerships with state wildlife agencies and US Fish & Wildlife Service on species recovery programs, habitat restoration, and conservation initiatives.
• University of MontanamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner hosting graduate student research including Westslope Cutthroat Trout studies and Chiricahua leopard frog movement research.
• Montana State UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for multiple graduate research projects including lesser prairie-chicken habitat evaluation and black-tailed prairie dog colony studies.
• New Mexico State UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for graduate research including puma prey composition studies and bolson tortoise foraging ecology research.
• University of ArizonaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic collaboration for ecophysiological research on woody species including juniper and willow in desert environments.
• University of Nebraska-KearneyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for Blanding's turtle research in the Nebraska Sandhills.
• South Dakota State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for prairie dog colony expansion barrier studies and swift fox reintroduction research.
• Colorado State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for black-footed ferret habitat use research on prairie dog colonies.
• Wichita State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for undergraduate independent study on dung beetles in bison ranch ecosystem.
• US Fish & Wildlife ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partner for endangered species recovery programs including Mexican wolf recovery program where TESF operates the Ladder Ranch Wolf Management Facility as one of three primary captive pre-release facilities.
• Montana Fish, Wildlife & ParksmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner for Montana arctic grayling conservation including conservation brood stock maintenance and habitat restoration in Ruby River watershed.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Nature Conservancy: The largest private land conservation NGO in the world, operating across hundreds of preserves and millions of acres. Directly comparable to TESF in its private-land conservation focus, partnership model with government agencies, and use of working landscapes for biodiversity outcomes.
• National Wildlife Federation: Largest U.S. private conservation organization focused on wildlife and habitat, with a comparable portfolio of species recovery, habitat restoration, and policy advocacy work. Overlaps with TESF on prairie species, pollinator conservation, and federal ESA engagement.
• Defenders of Wildlife: National wildlife conservation nonprofit focused on imperiled species protection, ESA advocacy, and on-the-ground recovery programs — closely aligned with TESF's species recovery portfolio (wolves, ferrets, prairie species) and federal agency partnerships.
• Rewilding Argentina: Argentina-based rewilding nonprofit focused on restoring ecosystems and native species in Patagonia — directly overlapping with TESF's Patagonia operations (e.g., Aplomado falcon, European bison projects) and shared rewilding philosophy.
• American Prairie Reserve: Private-land conservation project in Montana building the largest nature reserve in the contiguous United States, with a bison-focused reintroduction program. Directly comparable to TESF's private-land, working-ranch conservation model and bison herd management.

Broad incumbents

• Wildlife Conservation Society: Combines zoo-based public engagement with field conservation programs across the Americas and globally. Comparable species recovery focus (wolves, bison, prairie species) but with a much larger institutional footprint and budget.
• IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature): International authority on species conservation status and protected area standards. Provides the Red List framework that defines many of the imperiled species TESF works to recover, and operates as the convener of conservation science globally.
• World Wildlife Fund (U.S.): Global conservation giant operating across species recovery, habitat protection, and policy. Comparable in mission scope but at a vastly larger scale; overlaps with TESF on imperiled species recovery and federal/international agency collaboration.

Emerging players

• Center for Biological Diversity: Science-driven advocacy organization that uses ESA petitions and litigation to protect imperiled species. Overlaps with TESF on species recovery priorities but emphasizes legal/regulatory tools over on-the-ground private-land stewardship.

Regional players

• Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative: Focuses on connecting and conserving habitat from Yellowstone to the Yukon — sharing TESF's emphasis on large-landscape, multi-state wildlife connectivity and working with private landowners across the Rocky Mountain West.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TurnerEndangeredSpeciesFund
• Instagraminstagram.com/turnerendangeredspeciesfund
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/turner-endangered-species-fund

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Turner Endangered Species Fund