Leonardo DiCaprio has reportedly pledged $43 million to enact sweeping conservation operations across the Galapagos Islands.
The Titanic star has teamed up with Re:wild, an organization founded by a group of renowned conservation scientists, DiCaprio, the Galapagos National Park Directorate, Island Conservation, and the local communities.
DiCaprio’s massive contribution to the conservation efforts will help restore Floreana Island, which is hope to 54 threatened species. It will also help reintroduce 13 locally extinct species including the Floreana mockingbird.
The actor’s millions will also help pay for a captive breeding program and other efforts to prevent the extinction of pink iguana. It will also help strengthen measures to protect the marine resources on the island from the effects of ecotourism.
In a recent statement, DiCaprio explained his love and passion for the Galapagos Island.
“When I traveled to the Galapagos Islands, I met with Paula Castaño and other environmental heroes in Ecuador working day in and day out to save one of the most irreplaceable places on the planet. Around the world, the wild is declining. We have degraded three-quarters of the wild places and pushed more than 1 million species to the brink of extinction. More than half of Earth’s remaining wild areas could disappear in the next few decades if we don’t decisively act. The environmental heroes that the planet needs are already here. Now we all must rise to the challenge and join them,” he said.
Castaño will takeover DiCaprio’s social media accounts to promote the critical interventions needed to rewild the Galapagos Island.
“Time is running out for so many species, especially on islands where their small populations are vulnerable and threatened. We need catalytic investments like the one announced today to replicate our successes in the Galápagos and elsewhere,” she said.
Castaño strongly believes that ecosystems can be rewilded if humans can coexist with nature.
“Up to 97% of the land area of the Galápagos Islands comes under national park status. We are not trying to remove humans from the picture. We are trying to all work together to rewild these ecosystems and support the community as well. They want to be able to continue to thrive together with nature. For example, in Floreana, you can see a Darwin finch right next to you. If you go to the beach, you can see sea lions somewhere in the corners basking in the sun right next to you. They don’t have that fear of humans because we work together. They don’t have the threats in other locations when they are completely afraid of humans,” she said.
Source: The Guardian